[W, XXVI, 92, 93] hood. They have taken a very fine pledge. This they forsake and take up another. Do we not correctly say that Zwingli deserts the one true faith and takes and follows another? Whether they take this for a vow or against a vow, this meaning will stand for us. Augustine's sense is not true when he says that to want to marry is damnable.
Saying what they should not. Paul is against this. That is, they tell those Judaic myths and heathen ideas. When learned women know how to speak more than ten preachers, they have small and crude minds. They have seen no art, just as the ploughboy is op¬ pressed rather than respected because of his labors. In this way, if knowledge comes to the small and crude head, it thinks nothing else except that it is very learned. The ploughboy learns his ABCs, and he thinks he is brilliant. So, when women hear that Baptism is a bath for dogs, no theologian can convince them otherwise. Women are talkative by nature. When they learn something, they become more talkative, and none can be quiet. What they say they should not say.
Those are damnable things. He is not speaking about common evil¬ speaking, but about doctrine. They prattle on about things which they should teach people to unlearn: "The Law must by all means be kept. Moses must stand for something here." 12 Like the false proph¬ ets, so also their female helpers mislead their households. Satan tempted Eve. The first (v. 12). Now they pursue new doctrines.
Deserted is the first pledge as soon as they have taken it. John exhorts us to abide in that which we have received (cf. 1 John 2:24). The "first pledge" is faith in Christ. This is the meaning I get.
14. I would have younger widows marry. This is the revocation.
This text is very strong. Even if he had spoken earlier about vows, he here revokes it. They should marry, lest they become examples of very bad widows and they gad about. Rather they should have a responsibility, so that they do not become idlers, gossips, and busybodies. Where there is leisure, there is nosiness. If they have hus¬ bands, they don't have enough time to sleep or to think. One cannot do better by a young woman than to let her have a child. This is sensible talk. After all, that sex is frivolous, unstable. It is upset by worry and concern for its offspring. Then it can sleep barely two hours, so closely is it involved and ready to serve. What will they do?
They should bear children. Then they will suffer the trials of the 12 Cf. Luther's summary of what needs to be taught, in Agaimt the Heavenly
Prophets, Part I, Luther's Works, 40, pp. 82—84.
[W, XXVI, 93, 94] flesh and will mortify their flesh, so that they rule their own homes, are concerned about looking after the home so their household is honorable. Then they will not be able to return to their fault of gossiping. And give the enemy no occasion. Paul looks at this sin that he may exalt his teaching, lest our life should offend anyone.
The faithless are offended if they see such lazy widows gossiping and bringing new doctrines from their homes. They then say, "I shall re¬ main firm in my faith. Our wives are more honorable than those who live in lazy security." Peter says, "See to it that you care for and serve your children, that you cling to your husband, that one may finally say, etc." (1 Peter 3:1). To revile. This is to raise an uproar.
15. For some have already strayed after Satan. For example, young widows generally grow wanton against Christ and afterwards want, etc. This is what I said is the rule. I have already proved this with an example. This passage again proves that Paul is speaking about doctrine. "They have strayed after Satan" — after the ideas which Satan propagates through his false prophets. Therefore, "let my doctrine move you to teach younger widows to do some work."
Up to this point he has been speaking about widows.
16. If any believer has relatives who are widows. He does not want to "burden the church" with unnecessary people. We must carefully note this example. Although we Christians should be pre¬ pared for rapine at the hands of everyone, this should still serve some necessary function. Otherwise it serves no purpose. After all, we ought not be the opportunity or the "reed shaken in the wind" (Matt.
11:7), that others might have pleasure at our expense. Otherwise, I would become an accomplice to their wantonness. When I see a brother in need, then I must be generous. If he cannot feed himself, etc. No one ought to be found doing nothing etc. Let him assist them.
Let him satisfy them, offer them enough. That is, let him provide for them. He is speaking here especially about physical supply. Earlier he spoke about providing for one's own family. That is a different word. He ought not exclude her from his house if he himself can feed her. We would want to lay all our burdens upon the church, if we have a sick servant. While our servants are healthy, we employ their labors. When they are sick, we impose them on others. We should teach that this not be done. If a thief steals my shirt, I should endure this, but I should neither teach nor agree to such theft. In this way the church suffers a burden, but the bishop ought to rebuke such
[W, XXVI, 94) action and ought not agree to it, so that honorable doctrine and words remain — the doctrine and words with which we close the mouths of our adversaries. If you have healthy servants who serve you, keep them also when you can be of service to them. We can set up this passage against those who say, "Why do we have a common fund, if it is not ready to feed them? — if you want to be Christian?" I want to be Christian. Read that passage. If you are unwilling to be faithful, we take care of them. If someone has driven them out, we must deny him access to the common funds, because he has not taken care of his own people. Let the church not be burdened. Here Paul appears to speak as if he despaired of the promises of Christ, whereas he said earlier (ch. 4:8): "It has promise for the present life." This is a state¬ ment of Paul's lack of faith, as if Christ could not accomplish this.
Why should we say this? When we must feed widows out of the common funds of the church, the Lord will give and supply enough.
But were I willing to pour out those funds in worthless and unneces¬ sary uses and believe that God would supply enough — well, that's what Paul is speaking against. It is not a statement of faithlessness but of seeing to the care of people. After all, if I were to deprive the poor and give to people who need it less than they and would say,
"God will provide," I would be tempting God. When, however, we provide for those who have need, then there is the promise of enough.
On the other hand, if I wanted to take away from those who do not have the necessities and give to those who do have them, that is wrong.
After all, the public funds for the needy are established for the needy, not for those not in need. We see from this passage that Paul had to deal with many ordinances of the church about which he has not written much.
17. Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor. He does not say, "They will be or are considered worthy."
Rather he uses an imperative, an optative. Without specification nothing will come of it. They ought to be respected with double honor. This does not mean that you should bow twice to them, etc.
Rather he is speaking about the honor of support, as "Honor your parents," and Christ, too, speaks about food (Luke 10:7). We say it this way in German: "He treats me with contempt,13 lest he give me a crumb of bread." To honor, to hold in respect and regard, is to see to it that one may eat, be nourished well, and be watched over. This
13 Luther's German expression is helt mich in unehren.
[W, XXVI, 94, 95] is said as a great favor for those who preach and on behalf of the se¬ curity of consciences, that worldly goods can be used doubly when for others it can scarcely be used once, etc. But this does not happen.
"Double honor" — those are ruling well who visit the sick, who prac¬ tice other works for the church and for the weak, especially those who are trained in the Word, who meditate on it day and night, who read it. This is the most important work found in this office. These are the people who watch over the church. You have heard what a great treasure an elder is who is a sincere teacher of the church. If the Lord should give such a one, He would give a great treasure, nothing with crowns and pomp of empire. You see, he is taking care of souls and the organ of eternal life through which flow salvation and life.
At the other extreme, we have no more harmful an enemy than a false teacher. Now see how difficult it is to find a sincere teacher. Satan corrupts the finest men. Where one is sincere, 10 on the other hand are destructive. How many do we have who teach the sincere Word?
If only we had 10 more! To be sure, some are diligent, but those who labor in the Word are rare. Our ingratitude is such that we deserve to have teachers who lead us to destruction. Titus and Timothy were sincere. When we have this blessing, it is well and good. If not, people rebel. But they ought to have triple disgrace before the world.
18. For the Scripture says: You shall not muzzle the ox when it is treading out the grain, and: The laborer deserves his wages. Some¬ one might say to this argument, "Why does he say this for elders ahead of those who labor in the Word?" You are speaking about an elder, a preacher. He is speaking about an ox. This is pure allegory.
In Corinthians (1 Cor. 9:9) he explains this more beautifully: "Is it for oxen that God is concerned?" There is a reason why Paul makes an allegory from this point. Yet it is a fact that an ox eats with open mouth what it gathers from the threshing floor. Certainly God did not want to write for the sake of oxen, because He is not concerned for them, etc. Yet He is concerned for all things. "Man and beast Thou savest, O Lord" (Ps. 36:6). But He did not give Scripture to oxen, and they cannot preach Scripture. They cannot quote Moses and what he wrote for them. A preacher, however, can do such quoting.
The allegory is this: the threshing ox 14 is the worker in the Word.
In this way the preacher threshes the people of the world — the chaff.
He beats out the grains — the saints, the elect. They lie among the 14 By metonymy us ("mouth") stands for bos ("ox").
[W, XXVI, 95, 96] chaff. Just as such a person allows himself to be established by an ox, so the righteous do not deny the things of the flesh to preachers. The ox does not hoard, but he eats. That is, the bishop should be content with what he has for the present. He should have no greed for gath¬ ering a treasure store. Yet we must tell the foolish not to gag our mouths. That is, they should not deny us. It is a beautiful allegory.
The laborer deserves his wages. These are Christ's words (Luke 10:7).
I believe that the Jews had the proverb "A servant has wages com¬ ing." Christ quotes this proverb and applies it to the Gospel that preachers may know that they are in good conscience receiving sus¬ tenance from their churches. Against the Enthusiasts I say, "I work in the country." The Waldensian preachers are compelled to be work¬ men and provide for themselves. "If anyone will not work, let him not eat," we read in Thessalonians (2 Thess. 3:10). I interpret "work" as understanding, as working in the Word, as I mentioned earlier.
We work, and we work in the Word. To minister the Word is also work. Paul does not order Timothy to become a farmer. "If anyone will not work," that is, the man who gads about like a busybody from house to house and seeks to feed his own belly. But those who labor in the Word ought not only eat, but should be considered worthy of "double honor." This is essential knowledge to have against those spirits which create new sects and new articles not necessary to faith.
Paul writes in 1 Cor. 9:13: "Those who are employed." These are the people who work in the Gospel. The evangelist labors in his double task and considers his work thankless. Isn't this the way the wicked act because they are not farmers? This is how foolish those spirits are which trouble consciences so. From a universal axiom they create a particular one. The preacher labors; therefore, let him eat. The pope sins in the opposite direction when he uses this as an outstand¬ ing passage about tithing. There he breaks the bones of the poor.
That is, everything the poor have must go for tithes and belongs to the papists. "You shall not muzzle the mouth." They want the priv¬ ilege of having ministers of the Word fed. They want to not muzzle the mouth, but they do not want to do the threshing. They gobble up, but they do no work. Therefore this means here that ministers should not be given an abundance but that they should still have the neces¬ sary food and clothing. I would not have thought that this teaching was necessary now if experience now did not teach me that where there used to be 200 florins there now are scarcely 20. The Holy
Spirit saw what would happen — that they would forsake their min¬ isters. Also Christ found this necessary to say when He commanded that those whom the minister serves feed him with deserved dignity.
19. Never admit any charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. This is a new idea, very outstanding — the most difficult of all. The text is easy, but the matter itself has been much debated. If a bishop has been diligent, he treats the Word more easily than what, etc.1'' When we are in the preaching office, I ad¬ dress no one separately. Then I can preach that he is safe against evil people, that he is frightened but comforted. But if the preacher is a judge and makes a special charge, then he is beginning to, etc.10
Paul foresaw it well (ch. 5:21): "I charge you to keep these rules."
It is a perilous matter and responsibility because of one work. I would gladly deal with the Word, but to deal with sins is an odious thing.
There is danger that we go beyond our bounds, that we teach the contrary. Therefore we must use great prudence there, because cases are so different that a person could lose his mind over them. Against an elder. Earlier I mentioned that "elder" is ambiguous in the Greek.17
Does it mean one who is older or an official? I take it to mean one who is generally an older person, even though one may take it as a minister of the Word. I continue, however, to take it in its general sense. Why does Paul do this? Why is he pressing this idea? It is a natural sin that, where there is a congregation, where there is a church, one is prone to attach oneself to anything lofty to strive for honor, whether that be a person honorable because of his age, etc. In this situation the bishop must be very prudent, not a respecter of persons.
Yet he ought to have respect for persons. Whoever has something of a reputation is exposed to the tongues of everyone. Satan cannot endure anything good. For example, a beautiful girl can hardly ar¬ rive at the point of getting a husband before becoming a whore, so is she exposed to all who lie in wait for her. Thus if there is some
13 The thought is left incomplete by the writer, but perhaps Luther's com¬ pletion of the sentence was something like "than he solves what afflicts a par¬ ticular individual."
10 Another incomplete thought. Perhaps Luther dictated even more rapidly on this day than he was accustomed to. Some rather obvious conclusion — one
Rohrer felt sure he could remember and supply later — must be supplied, perhaps "exceed his commission" or "get into difficulties."
[W, XXVI, 96, 97] venerable old man who should be buried with honor, it is his gray hair, not I, that brings it. "Rise up before the hoary head" (Lev.
19:32). We are in reverence, etc. The kingdom of Satan lets nothing be good on earth. The learned man has so many jealousies. In this way all good things are obnoxious to detractors. Paul, then, wants to instruct the bishop to have good judgment, so that he may not easily believe wagging tongues but know how things are done in the world.
If he knows the terms and the kingdom of the devil, he can adjust himself. He is not rash. Rather, he acts with good reasoning, because he knows this is happening this way. Therefore this is a dangerous passage. It gives a general rule: "except on the evidence of two or three witnesses." If someone says something about an old man, don't believe it, especially if this is about an old and venerable person. You see, Satan is trying to bring shame on him. Here you note that he is speaking about public accusation and public charge: that no one be accused before the church unless two or three declare in public that he has done this. If this does not occur, you should consider accusers as detractors. Thus one should not be rash in words or speaking, etc., when he passes judgment or makes an accusation on some personal charge, unless he has two witnesses who know for certain. This is the way he can protect himself. I would not deprive us of that golden rule for the comfort of our consciences. If I know that he is sinning in secret, I act according to Matthew 18. On the other hand, if I want to pass judgment before others without witnesses, I burden myself with the sins of others. If two people say, "He does this and that, which offends others," they may make this accusation before the church. Paul is speaking about those who are counted among Chris¬ tians. Others are not included. One should not attack with a personal accusation. In general, I say that these are heathen. Here he makes a distinction between the church — those who go to the Sacrament with us — and the heathen. In the church, you will not accept a charge unless two people, etc. In the church you ought to behave in this way: in the first place, one argues all things in general simply by keep¬ ing away from personalities. I teach by teaching; I argue by arguing.
There is a second function: if charges are brought to me, I ought not attack personally, unless these people have been convicted publicly before the church. If he lies and escapes his witnesses, I am not both¬ ered. I can not prove it by witnesses. I leave the judgment to God.
Then the lie will not endure, but it will allow him to fall so that God's [W, XXVI, 97, 98| will is done. Yet in the meantime I am safe because I have done my duty. This rule is a very necessary one for preachers because they have to deal with sins. This is the proper place for their work — in the public assembly with their sermonizing. Paul states that in the case of younger widows he was not able to achieve the ideal. Al¬ though this is said about an old man, yet we must take it to refer to all respected persons. After all, God wants us to have respect for all
His gifts. In the church — that is, outside of the civic administration — we ought to make a distinction among those gifts, but not before God.
In general, one should attack not with personal reproof, unless this is proved by two and by such as want to know. If we were to follow this rule, we would not be quick to accuse, etc. The remaining cau¬ tions concern what the result of restraining relationships is. Those who are very spiritual fail; as long as we stay on the general level, everything turns out well, but not when we come down to individuals.
In general, it is quickly said how he is cured of the fever, but there is no judgment or knowledge about particulars. You see, all things are healers. That's why one cannot determine it so precisely. There should be "two witnesses" because God wants the honors spared, the defects covered. If the faults cannot be covered up, they proceed further. Meanwhile, they apply all the cures they can before making any public charge. If this does not help, he should be charged by two witnesses, what we have said earlier to the contrary notwithstand¬ ing. Paul wanted this. We must act this way. Because rebuking an old man is a matter of such great danger, I want to leave his sins completely unpunished. I don't want you to do this, but you should rebuke him after his own fashion. When they have thus become sin¬ ners — that is, when you have proved this — you ought to charge them before all.
20. Rebuke those who persist in sin. Do this without respect for person. You ought to rebuke men publicly and generally. You should not censure them with partiality and with personal intent. Such gen¬ eral reproof should stir them to fear, etc. Then no person, etc. I do not believe that he treats this sense here, but it does include the per¬ son. He says, "Those who persist in sin." You should not allow them to go unpunished. Rather, treat them in such a way that witnesses come up and bring proof against them. You should bring the accusa¬ tion on the basis of two witnesses. Make no charge if it is a private
[W, XXVI, 98, 99] and uncertain sin according to Christ's word.18 If he can excuse him¬ self, let him go. If not, bring the witnesses, etc. Afterwards make the reproof. Don't hold up on it, so that the rest may stand in fear. Do not give a license to sin by letting his sin go unpunished. You should be patient with the sinners who come to their senses, but you should censure sins which lead to license.
21. In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you. Look what Paul is doing here. Although we can relate this to every command, yet it applies most nearly to these, be¬ cause Timothy has quickly forgotten that point about treating sins.
Therefore Paul treats and discusses the point with very great earnest¬ ness. We must be sparing of the sins, but we must not make a path for sins nor open a door for them, as in the papacy. "I charge you before God, etc." To keep these rules without favor. Jurists know what
"favor" means: when we anticipate a situation rashly, with temerity; "not with inconsiderate haste." Here Paul clearly means the danger of the bishop in his office. One cannot be deceived more easily than if he trusts rashly and easily. Our nature is of such a kind that we be¬ lieve and listen to the bad more easily than the good. It is a natural fault to believe the worst about everyone, because we try to do this.
Our experience agrees with this. Such credulity is natural. Be careful of yourself that you keep these commands, that you are not rash, that you are cautious, that you think before you act, that you do not believe with rash judgment what is said about old men and public officials.
Take your time, do not judge prematurely. Proceed according to the highest judgment. If not, you will make your judgment prematurely.
A perverse tongue is prompting you. Even if this doesn't happen, even if it is true, don't go on to the censuring. Be witnesses to me; that is, that you may not be carried along rashly. You will do all this more easily if you know that this is the nature of the kingdom of Satan, who creates discord. If I charge someone who has been accused by wit¬ nesses, I know this. And I say that I am not censuring but God is.
He has made this law. Thus my conscience is clear. rtpocyiioig ("favor," "prejudice," "partiality") is a word with double meaning. Our text has inclinando ("without inclining"), "that you incline to one side or the other." This is a good idea — one I do not condemn: "that you should not be caught up by affection, love, favor, or profit in the other direction." The other text is also a good one:
"according to provocation" — according to your own passions; "that you do nothing according to the way you are stirred." One passion takes priority — that you are provoked and stirred before the judgment. In¬ cline in this direction. Both ideas are true. "Restrain yourself from that work and be careful." There are two dangers here. First there is pre¬ judgment, which proceeds to judge on the basis of slander or authority or merits. It judges before the evidence. Evil men promote it. It is extrinsically evil. The other is intrinsically evil: that we easily believe the evil and disbelieve the good. We are easily stirred to believe things just as they are reported. Cast this out of yourself and others. "Let the witnesses take the stand before the church. You do not trust those who flatter you nor your own affection. In the meantime your conscience is clear. Stand firm in public censuring or practice personal censuring in private. The public charge you should not undertake on any ac¬ count. Let the witnesses do that."
22. Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor participate in another man's sins; keep yourself pure. Here again we have a fine description of a pastor's peril — first on the left hand, then on the right.
The first pastor's peril is in sharing sins, in perjuring a report, and then in exalting oneself. Here I must not immediately pass judgment be¬ cause the man is worthless; there not because he is good. Surely, this is a dangerous situation. That is, you do not easily entrust a duty to anyone. At that time ministers were ordained in this way: there was a confirmation of ministers publicly before the church. Thus Paul had the same experience: "I established the younger ones as widows, and they became whores on account of it." "Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands." He does not say: "Lay hands on no one." That we have to do. The pope enjoys doing this. He who has a conscience does not lay on hands hastily. Trust no man easily in regard to his knowledge, learning, or piety. There, too, insist on witnesses who consistently speak about his integrity and circumstances. Then you can say, "I do not believe myself but the two witnesses. I have done this because
You have sent it, O God." If this does not happen thus, you should not be rash. Do not participate. This is a general statement applying to both parts. If this has been a rash action, I condemn it and bring shame on the man. And so it is when I ordain a preacher. What he does applies to me, and I have to help bear his sins. Therefore beware of another man's sins. If I rebuke him too much and unreasonably, I in¬ cur a sin; if I neglect to do it, I sin again. If I help a person who is not [W, XXVI, 99, 100] suitable, he falls into sin. On the other hand, if I don't help and he is suitable, [the same thing is true]. Therefore take the keys and set them before the feet of the Lord and take the two witnesses. Then you are free of the sins of others.
We have heard 19 this point on treating the sins of others; that is, how we must correct this situation and yet in such a way that we not harm a person with public censure unless he be proved guilty. In this way the bishop's conscience is clear, if he himself does not reprove but declares that it is the church which reproves. Then follows: Keep yourself pure. Whoever must rebuke others about manifest sins should be innocent and blameless. That is, "Keep yourself chaste, pure." Al¬ though we could relate this to other faults, we relate it to unrestrained lust, because it is the most common fault. Paul, therefore, gives a rule that one should keep himself pure as a good example. After all, it is shameful for a theologian. A person is not permitted to enjoy censur¬ ing others before an assembly. He adds a quite prudent caution:
"I want you to be pure, but the preservation of purity requires the chastising of the flesh so that it is free of drinking, laziness, sex, etc."
Work is good for this. Love is nothing else but the passion of an empty mind. Chrysostom says that it is the sign of a lazy mind. The busy mind, loaded with its concerns and worries, easily drops the sensual appetite. There are the other guards of purity, too: use life and waking hours carefully. The Greeks held their dialogs in the midst of wine and choice foods. Wine is a natural kindler of the passion. When one has guzzled wine, he follows it with food and then with love. With this precept, then, Paul means that one should live purely, that he should fast and keep watch that he does not give his passion an oppor¬ tunity through an unrestrained life. On the other hand, you will chas¬ tise yourself in such a way that you use your body carefully. Treat your body in such a way that it does not waste away. Both are sins — to go to excess in drinking and in fasting. Gerson says it well.20 When¬ ever a body has taken precautions for its lust, as when it eats bread, much strength and power come into the innermost parts of the body.
It is different when it drinks wine. We cannot, therefore, establish a rule for so great a diversity of bodies. Here we have to consider the diversity of both the makeup of bodies and bodies themselves. This is what Paul means with this rule. He wants Timothy to train himself,
19 The lecture of March 12 begins at this point.
20 Cf., for example, Regulae morales, "De gula," XCIII, Opera, ed. Dupin, [W, XXVI, 100, 101] but no farther than to preserve the health and welfare of his body.
Gerson says this well. "Which one is to be thought of as pure, excess in eating or in fasting? Here we ought to compliment no one." It is hardly better, he says, to be excessive in spending than to sin in need.
Why? When one's strength is exhausted and has nothing to prepare for food, it drains itself. This is quite dangerous — a situation to be feared. Saints Jerome and Bernard acted this way. They wore them¬ selves out by drinking water, until their clothing and entire bodies stank so much that they were forced to avoid their brethren. They certainly condemned themselves, for they were unable to carry out their ministry of the Word. A certain father kept exhausting himself so that his innards contracted and in his old age were unable to accept food. In the Lives of the Fathers there are many such chaste men.21
There many became so weak that they became insane. This is what happens to the Carthusians. It also occurs in the hospitality convents.
They ought to be serving others, but others must serve them. So, if one must sin, it is safer to sin in excess than in need. In the case of the former, there is a restoration, but not in the latter. Everyone should test his own strength like a brave man. The man who burns much has much strength. He ought to wear himself out in a way different from that of a weak man. The man who eats rough bread is assailed differ¬ ently from the way another is who eats eggs and meat. Therefore we must not behave like the monks. Augustine 22 says that because you are not all equal, you should not eat the same foods but rather do your eating as a superintendent distributes work. This requires prudence; the other is a willful act. Here you have an example that Paul is setting down as a type for all who are abstaining. One must control his body by watching so that it does not become wanton. If the body is weak, one ought to give it meat and drink. He allows wine to Timothy.
Nevertheless, we ought not allow wine to the abstainers but forbid it.
Yet Paul commands him to drink modestly. If a body is useless to the ministry, one should cease his abstinence, because the body is not altogether his; but in order that it may be of service, let it endure hunger. If anyone feeds his flesh too luxuriantly, he is feeding a do¬ mestic enemy. If a body is killed, a friend is killed. Would it be better to kill a friend than to feed an enemy? I shall gladly give a friend a bit too much. Augustine is dealing with the advice of a doctor. Let us thus consult our bishops as our doctors. An old man sleeps for scarcely
21 E. g.. Vitae patrum, I, De sancto Helia.
22 The reference is to the rules of the Augustinian order.
[W, XXVI, 101, 102] an hour. To summarize this teaching: we must discipline the body, but we must do it wisely, not equally for all, because all men are not equal. We must relax it for the young man who cannot sleep so that a place and time for the healing of his body may be given. On the other hand, the man who has a good head might want to take an exam¬ ple from this. That would be very unfair. Although Timothy was a young man, yet he was a frail person. He had the great work of the Word and a great concern for the church. Even then he would abstain.
He would drink water. Paul tells him, "I want you to be pure, to ab¬ stain — but to the extent that the health of your body bears this.
I want you to feed your body for health's — not for passion's — sake.
That is as necessary a matter as any other." The flesh is happy to hear that license is given. It leads a smug life. One must resist this. Again the liar Satan comes and wants to make it completely holy. The doc¬ tors of the monks used to say, "How does it happen that all monks work with their head? Equality of food and ceremonies brings this about." There is no wisdom there except for extreme old age. They are murderers, especially the Carthusians. To kill the body because of that training is contrary to Paul. "Is not the body more than food?"
(cf. Matt. 6:25). When a body suffers hardship, it should take food.
23. No longer drink only water. Jerome boasts: "You see that monks and bishops ought to drink water. Paul permits this to a weak person, but just a little. Paul does this because of the license of the flesh which wants free time when it has a bride. Therefore one should rule his flesh, lest license go too far and lest there be excessive scarcity and restriction." "Timothy, if you need it, use, etc." The body is more than food, and food exists for the sake of the body. The body exists for the ministry of the Word. The man who deprives his body of health deprives the church of his ministry of the Word. Thus the one who should serve others, etc. This is the advice of a prudent man:
"No longer." This is the way the housefather or a teacher ought to speak: "Cease drinking water." A doctor can advise best. A little wine, to restrain the lustful license of the flesh. If I say, "Use wine," the Enthusiasts abuse it. But Paul wants a person to maintain discipline, so that he drinks wine in such a way that he sees to it satisfactorily that the body is curbed and restored for its work. You, too, should do this if you sense that your body is hungry, etc. If you have a headache because of a din or ringing in your ears and sleep scarcely an hour, sleep either during the day or whenever sleep comes in order to pre- [W, XXVI, 102] serve the keenness of your mind. If both stomach and head are weak, nothing is healthy. For the sake of your stomach. You see what sort of a man Timothy was. He must have been a lean, miserable person, and it is apparent that he ruined himself, because he speaks about a weakness of the stomach, as if it did not keep his head in order, al¬ though this succeeds well where the stomach is in good shape. A cheer¬ ful stomach well supports a cheerful mind.23 Stomach trouble must have been his sickness. One must control his body to preserve his health and bridle his passions. When health is to be safeguarded, one must not save on meat, eggs, wine, but not so when the opposite is true.
But if there were some who labor in vain in their abstinence, they can abstain from water. Take a wife. "It is better to marry." This is a beautiful point for those who ought to be ruling. This text relates to the earlier one, because I said that he ought to treat the sins of others.
Therefore he ought to be rid of his own sins, and this in such a way that one avoids evil destruction.
24. The sins of some men are conspicuous. The key to understand¬ ing this lies in the word "judgment." The Vulgate has this as an exposi¬ tion: Paul is here speaking about the judgment of God and the Last
Judgment. The meaning would be this: These sins are conspicuous and well known to man. That is, when Christ comes to judge, He will not have to explain the sins. You see, the sins of Judas, Pilate, and Herod are conspicuous. Likewise, sins of usury, etc., too. They point to judgment. Before a person comes to be judged, he is already being indicted. This is one sense. Of some men. There are some sins which lie hidden and are not revealed at this time. A person goes to trial primarily because of these. In 1 Cor. 4:5 Paul speaks of "things hidden in darkness." Many sins cannot be judged here. The church cannot pass judgment about secret sins. This we must reserve for God. Also, many take this to refer to the saints, but they do so because the heart of those people was hidden, especially those of the hypocrites and specious saints. They even crown these before they come up before, etc. They are like Paul, who stood before Caesar, etc. (cf. Acts 25:10).
These are the conspicuous works, which the world cannot condemn.
Rather, the world is forced to say, "They are right." Christ does not have the job of stating that these are good works. After all, it is obvious that they are good. Some works are secretly good but condemned be23 Auff eim frohlichen hauch sthet ein frohlich heubt, probably a popular
German version of Mens sana in corpora sano.
[W, XXVI, 102, 103] fore the world, as in the case of a miracle. Before the world the person who does them is a sorcerer, a thief, an evildoer. Many such things happen and are good. Yet the world condemns them, as happens with us. There is another meaning — that of the judgment of the church or of the bishop. You see, Timothy, as a judge of others, receives this comforting rule about treating the sins of others. "See to it that you do not correct or promote someone too quickly" (cf. v. 22). What shall
I do? If I promote him, I do evil. If I do not correct him, I become a participant in his sins. Paul gives a rule: You cannot err in those sins which are conspicuous before you pass judgment. Jurists call this the indictment of the deed. This is what happens to a man who is an adulterer by the public witness of his whole neighborhood. He is found out in the midst of his adultery, when gossip rages in the streets, when children born of that illicit union play in the streets. That is what we call an indictment of the deed. The bishop's judgment fol¬ lows. It becomes an indictment of the law which declares, etc. There is no need to run about for a trial; there is no need to run about gathering witnesses. Rather the sin is conspicuous ahead of time. The whole city and neighborhood, etc. In this way you may find some good works if you want to select a priest who is learned. You have seen him teach and explain a chapter in the Bible. They have seen that he is chaste. The entire neighborhood cries out, "These are obvi¬ ous good works." There your judgment is unnecessary. Just see to it that you make an indictment of the deed of the law.
The rule of the pope is good for scoundrels. We have this under¬ standing about the judgment of a bishop, that in promoting or in lay¬ ing on of hands sinners have the testimony of their neighbors on their behalf, that there may be a loud cry that he is good. It works the other way in the case of a bad man. Your judgment comes later and is added.
Then the indictment of the law and of the deed occur together. When this does not happen at first, the sins of others appear later. If you find two or three witnesses, evil works then appear later. If you cannot ac¬ cuse a person, and if his work is not known to you nor shouted through the streets, then witnesses come. Through them come his activities. In this way works follow that person to his judgments.
This is the other sense Paul speaks of in regard to the judgment of the church. Which is better I leave to you. I prefer the latter, because we must always understand Scripture according to its subject nature.
The sophist says that he must know the matter which is being debated.
Whoever notes this understands the book more easily. Once he under¬ stands the goal, he easily understands what does not agree with the goal. The man who plans to speak about a beer mug does not speak about an egg or chastity and later about the Turks, etc. Therefore, when we are involved in the area where Paul is treating the judging of the sins of others, it is fitting that the same place relate to the same nature. Then there is another reason. You see, it is not clear what advantage there might be in writing about the Last Judgment. Noth¬ ing here speaks to that point, nor is there anything like it at issue.
What has this to do with the bishop and the rule of the church? After all, Paul sets up this entire epistle that Timothy may know how to con¬ duct himself in the church. This is the goal of the epistle. Therefore we must treat the passage in such a way that it relates to giving a bishop information. This is the twofold reason that this passage speaks about the external judgment in the church of God. The passage is necessary and useful. If we take it as a reference to the Last Judgment, it is not. In the case of conspicuous sins, pass judgment, condemn, take care of them. In the case of other sins, don't condemn a person ahead of his works. The works follow the person, etc. Otherwise see to it that they remain hidden. Let God be the judge.
1. Let all who are under the yoke of slavery regard their masters as worthy of all honor.
You have just heard 1 that all ranks in the church have been estab¬ lished and how bishops and preachers teach. This is the last order
— that of servants. There were some servants who had believing mas¬ ters, some who had unbelieving ones. He teaches that both must learn to be content with their lot, "not only to the kind and gentle but also to the overbearing" (1 Peter 2:18). The first kind are those who have un¬ believing masters. He uses this periphrasis, who are under the yoke.
You see, he is making a concession, as if to say: "I admit that it is quite a harsh situation to be a slave or serf of others." This is what he calls
"the yoke." But he adds the comfort: "This is not demeaning but salu¬ tary if you wear your yoke properly. Nonetheless, consider them worthy." It is a great thing to owe honor to heathen and overbearing masters. It is a great thing not merely to serve them but also to honor them. Honor means not simply to genuflect, bow the head, but to respect them, to be prepared to do their every wish. The very majesty which belongs to God we must see in our corporal master. Therefore
God wants them revered in His majesty. Thus this is a worthy person, etc. We must nave regard for the majesty, not the person. I owe re¬ spect to Julius Caesar because he has majesty. Although David had the right to rule, yet he stayed away from the throne and continued to respect Saul. Every honor. They should omit nothing that relates to the respect for and obedience to their masters. In other words, they should be eager to be well pleasing and obedient to their masters.
Why? They must avoid every reason for scandal. You see, if a slave were to use the pretext that Christ had freed him and thus abandon his due service, etc., he would set up Christ as a seditious teacher, who made all things free. This is not what Christ wants.2 This is the way some — the Anabaptists, for instance — explain Christ. You see, they say that no one can be saved unless he leaves his spouse. They upset the established religion of God. God does not want a man to leave
1 The lecture of March 16 begins at this point.
2 For instance, in Matt. 19:29.
[W, XXVI, 104, 105] his wife, a child to leave his parent. He wants them to hold to each other physically but abandon them spiritually. If a situation arises in which the two majesties run into each other, then one must abandon the human majesty. If the two do not clash, he must serve the majesty of men. Whoever teaches otherwise causes sedition. All Anabaptists therefore are seditious, because they abandon wives and families. This is an offense to peace. Our saints conduct themselves in such a way that they do not mislead the heathen. There has been no nation which did not respect majesty and that. But we must live in such a way that even the unbelievers say: "I see nothing in these men. They do every¬ thing. They are obedient, except that they do not want to worship our gods. Otherwise, they do nothing for which we can accuse them."
2. Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brethren. This is an ambiguous text. We can relate it either to servants or to masters. Those who have believing masters should not become proud and despise their masters. Why does he say it this way? Should he not rather say this in the first verse?
Because he is believing, he seems not to despise. The believing slave who has a believing master has the greater chance to despise, etc. You see, the unbelieving master is not submissive. The believing one is humble, a brother, given to love. Therefore the servant has a greater opportunity for license toward a believing master than to an unbeliev¬ ing one who comes out against the servant with the sword and the law.
This, then, is the greater opportunity for the flesh. You see, it thinks, "He is a Christian. Therefore he must be forbearing." This is to de¬ spise a master. The first meaning, then, is this: they use as an excuse that they are brothers of their masters. The second meaning is that servants are indeed brothers [of their masters]. I don't know which is better. It is very ambiguous. The Anabaptist relates this to slaves.
I am inclined to relate it to masters because of the preceding verse.
After all, if slaves must honor unbelieving masters who are not their brothers, they must honor even more those who are believers and broth¬ ers. That is what I think. This seems to me a more harmonious and suitable meaning — that Paul says this about masters. There is no great danger in this ambiguity, because both are brothers. Servants of unbe¬ lieving masters ought all the more not despise them. After all, they are brothers of the Lord. They should not give an alien uprightness as an excuse but must serve all the better, because they are believing brothers.
And beloved, obviously [so named] after the One loved. Those who [W, XXVI, 105] benefit by their service. If Paul is saying this about servants, the ex¬ hortation is this: Servants should be content in this under their yoke and glory in God because they are brothers of their masters. As such they think this way: "I shall serve God gladly. Before the Lord this man is my brother. What does it matter that he is my master as far as the world is concerned?" Then he thinks: "God loves me, and I be¬ lieve that my master, too, shares in all the blessings of God that I en¬ joy." Therefore you should consider in what a favorable position you are. To be sure, you are in a slavery of the body, but you are equals in spirit. When a servant thinks this way, he serves gladly and thinks:
"God could compel me to serve an unbelieving master and to receive beatings. Why shouldn't I serve a believing master happily?" Here
Paul is at the same time interpreting the Hebrew word ton. He is not speaking of a slave's blessing but of Christ's blessing, that is, of mercy or grace. We read in Matt. 12:7: "I desire mercy," that is, "I desire blessing." The blessing is mercy or work paid to a brother. The Greeks translated "mercy" with the Greek word 8A£t|uoauvT|. In German it is wolthat. Greedy priests rendered alms. Tpn is to have been made generous, a person who gladly does good. Having received the bless¬ ing, he is justified by God. We see this at the same time in Paul. This is a worthwhile passage which is treated and conceived against the seditious. No one has the right to disturb the peace — not even the chosen people of God, as God Himself speaks against the wicked ser¬ vants: "If they should keep the faith for unbelieving masters, all the more should they do this for believing ones." All the more ought each one be obedient to his own ruler; all the more ought a wife be obedient to her husband and a husband not desert his wife. If they say, "Go and deny Christ," then one must resign his office. But he has no right to run away, as the Anabaptists do. Rather he should say, "I want to serve you the way I serve my Lord," and not act against God. If they then don't want to keep you, they will get rid of you. To be sure,
Christ speaks about leaving children. He is speaking in a spiritual sense, that one make them angry rather than God. These passages are worth noting and are necessary at this time. Teach and exhort these duties. That is, teach those who do not know them. Impress those who do know them and indoctrinate them with them.
3. If anyone teaches otherwise. This is an exhortation, an admoni¬ tion like that of Christ in Matt. 7:15. After He taught, he added the caution, "Beware. I have taught you correctly. But there will rise up
[W, XXVI, 105, 106] among you false teachers. Keep that which I have taught you. They will come as wolves, etc. Keep watch." You, too, teach and preach.
There will come those who will teach otherwise. They will have fine credentials. So be careful. I think that Paul is making a prophecy here. I think he has thought of the papacy, as he also did at the begin¬ ning of chapter 4. He means the same people here. The teaching which accords with godliness. This is to believe in Christ. This teach¬ ing instructs husbands, elders, bishops, servants. Whoever teaches othenvise than this is not a genuine teacher. Who does teach other¬ wise? Look at the pope and his followers. They all do battle against grace and the righteousness of faith. Christ is to all "a sign that is spoken against" (Luke 2:34). On the opposite side are the Anabaptists, who say that those who baptize are an insult to grace because they make the first baptism useless. The pope has taught that slaves should not be obedient. In fact, he has deposed kings. "We depose you,
Philip of France." 3 On the other hand, you should obey the pope, etc.
He would command the powerful to curse their kings and not obey them, as in the case of the king of Bohemia.4 "Whoever teaches other than this, etc.," is the devil, as Jerome tell us, who used to teach de¬ parture and flight from the world, parents, and bishops, and who kept finding new rituals and fasts. Meanwhile the Word of God and admin¬ istration were neglected. Arsenius 5 was in the court. Naaman the Syrian 0 was elsewhere. They carried her 7 out of the court that they might fast. They teach that marriage is a dangerous state. Paul there¬ fore meant the papists here. If anyone does not agree, that is, does not assent. The words which have already been taught do not please them,
3 The reference is to the long controversy between Pope Boniface VIII (1294 to 1303) and King Philip IV, the Fair, of France (1285—1314). In his bull
Unarm sanctam (1302) Boniface announced: Subesse Romano pontifici . . . omnino esse de necessitate salutis. The same bull also laid claim to all spiritual and temporal supremacy for the papacy on the basis of the two swords of Luke 22:38.
Boniface became a prisoner of Philip's Italian aids but was set free shortly before his death.
4 The reference is to the struggles of Pope Boniface VIII against King Albert of Austria. "King of Bohemia" may refer to Henry VI, king of Bohemia and 5 Arsenius was the name of a legate of Pope Nicholas I (858—867) who was sent to the court of Lothar II to deal with him in the matter of his unjust divorce of his wife Thietberga.
7 In the case of Lothar II this was his mistress Waldrade, whom Arsenius took along to remove her from the court. But she escaped and managed to rejoin
[W, XXVI, 106, 107] as usual. Who would not know this? With the sound words. This means to teach each person to serve God in his own calling that each may become rich in his own position. This is to believe in the Lord
Jesus, because we are not saved by the duty of our various works and callings but by Him. Godliness. This is to worship God.
4. He is puffed up with conceit. Who is this? Here one sees the heretics. These words are very obscure. Those who are so puffed up and teach otherwise have an appearance of humility. They treat humil¬ ity with immeasurable bombast, as do the monks. There they wear humble clothing and have the foolish ritual of shaving their heads.
So great, however, is the swelling of their hearts that, etc. Therefore, when Paul says "puffed up," it is a mysterious word which no one but the Spirit judges (cf. 1 Cor. 2:15). They cover up with holy appear¬ ance. Paul treated this beautifully in Colossians (2:18): "puffed up
... by his sensuous mind." A different way begins. His life has a be¬ ginning, its name is "willing." He does not walk according to God's command but according to his own will. There there is a certain hu¬ mility, a gray coat, so that each thinks he has an angelic humility. Yet he is "puffed up by his sensuous mind." Why does Paul make this judgment? Because it is impossible that there be humility where someone walks according to his own will. He does not live in the word of Scripture but behaves according to his own choice. Were he hum¬ ble, he would subject himself to the Word of God and would stand firm in the condition which God has given him. If a slave suffers all the things which servitude involves, he will find a condition of humil¬ ity. Whatever follows is a voluntary religious feeling. It puts away the "I should." He has a satanic pride. He is puffed up and wants to accomplish something special. This is the fine appearance of the monks. After complaining among themselves, they call it uniqueness and bigheadedness. All uniqueness is suspect. It is true that whoever walks by a way of his own willing is proud. Therefore the factious spirit is proud. Yet it covers itself so well that it deceives the whole common crowd. The spiritual person says: "I shall see whether you walk according to the manifest Word of God." If you do, he passes no judgment. If you do not, he does not deceive your judgment. The Holy Spirit has passed this judgment: Let him fast to death, he is proud. The will is so perverse. Also it knows nothing. He knows nothing. Yet there is very great knowledge in them, as in Zwingli and Oecolampadius. They are very holy men. Thus there is the note: they
[W, XXVI, 107, 108] are very learned men. Make a careful distinction between the two fruits: those of the Gospel and those of our own will. There appears to be a great lack of fruit in Christians. This happens because Satan is quiet and hides. Thus the Christian is considered a complete angel.
There is need for a great judgment. For example: A servant has his condition from God, even though it happens that he is disobedient.
So long, however, as he remains in his servitude, etc. Where they are outside the Word, there there is a distribution among the poor of an excellent meal. Satan can put on this appearance, that such a person gives a dollar where the Christian barely gives a penny. Thus their wisdom is much more apparent. Yet they know nothing; and, never¬ theless, they preach well. That is, even if they were to speak what is true, they do not understand it. Thus I say: If Zwingli and Oecolampadius understand what they are saying about Christ, I will wager my neck, which no one does willingly. In conclusion, the very wise are called by St. Paul the foolish who know nothing, the ignorant, like the Sacramentarians, our foes in this day. You see, while others — the heathen, for instance — understand something about Scripture, they corrupt Scripture. But he has a morbid craving. Here he treats it carefully. This "morbid craving" in Latin is insaniens ("unreasoning").
In German we say: Er ist ein Nar. He is sick. He is mad and foolish, because he has abandoned the Word of God in its true sense. It is impossible for him not to fall into controversy. As soon as the truth of Christ has been lost, countless controversies arise. When once the pope abandoned the simplicity of faith, one decree gave birth to a hun¬ dred more. Later the decrees produced glosses. Then one gloss gave birth to another, and sect produced sect without end. At first Zwingli denied the sacrament of bread and wine. Then he argued about what a sacrament was and about enlightenment. There there was no limit, no end. If a person once errs, there is no end of falling and erring.
He has suffered shipwreck of his faith (cf. 1 Tim. 1:19). For contro¬ versy. This is a significant word, pregnant with meaning. One doc¬ trine is not a controversial issue of opinion and doubt but of fullness.
What is the University of Paris? A collection of opinions. Everyone has opinions. This is the way it is at every university. When one has abandoned the certain knowledge of Christ, he must follow opinions.
We read in Ps. 5:9: "There is no truth in their mouth." After this there immediately follow Xoyopaxlai ("disputes about words"). He has de¬ scribed the pope and the factious spirits beautifully. When I have lost
[W, XXVI, 108] the righteousness of Christ and make an attack, there follows a dispute over words. What is righteousness? Discalced friars, gray caps,
"Blessed art thou," etc. Then there develops a dispute in the word "righteousness." It is the same with "wisdom." "Wisdom" is to know that Christ, who suffered for us, justifies no man unless you have es¬ caped from the moral law. With Aristotle, Augustine, the Anabaptists there are many opinions. Then the disputes begin. Here is wisdom: if you are married or hold office, there there is no righteousness. Opin¬ ions cause wisdom to lose the matter at hand. Once that matter has been lost, wisdom is a frigid thing. Only the words remain. Then the dispute follows. Once the matter has been lost, the word remains; and while the word remains, the dispute remains. We read in Ecclus.
34:13: "I am endangered to the point of death . . . but I am freed."
Unless a person remains in simplicity of doctrine, he falls into disputes over words. Which produce. This is not that they themselves feel this way. Paul is speaking in terms of a mystery. Everyone does not sense this to be controversy, but he thinks ofit as truth. He himself does not judge his own doctrine but is himself judged. He stands stubbornly in his own sense and calls it truth. This is not a "dispute over words" but the very simple sense, as the words indicate. It is impossible for the eye to overcome the color of the glass, through which, etc.8 So, as long as they are held captive, they disregard those who look at them askance. There is love among them. They emulate the way we do.
Sincere theologians rebuke without fear. They do the same thing.
They operate with envy, like Paul and a pious zealot. Paul teaches to endure it, but in love. This they also do, but they tolerate sins. Paul, therefore, is wrong. This is not envy then, but simple love. They are written down for us who are suffering hardship because of envy. These are not dissensions but declarations that they mean to insist on their thing. Slander. When Paul says, "O foolish Galatians" (Gal. 3:1), and when we read, "O foolish men," in Luke 24:25, this is not slander. They also say the same things. Paul, however, says, You have been be¬ witched by Satan (cf. Gal. 3:1). This, then is a genuine rebuke. But what they say is slander. Christ's "white teeth" (cf. Gen. 49:12) are brighter than the lead of theirs. The Christian bites, but he operates with a heart of milk — a heart of mothers' milk. They, on the other hand, boast that they have Scripture, the Holy Spirit, a "milky" rebuke and 8 Luther carries this comparison out in greater detail in his treatise That These Words of Christ. . . Still Stand Firm (1527). Cf. Luther's Works, 37, p. 20.
[W, XXVI, 108, 109] that we have Satan. Love is not boastful and blasphemous. Likewise it is not suspicious. In fact, they believe the best about our brothers and, on the other hand, the worst about us. Thus we ought to become suspicious when someone teaches the truth badly. If this is not done with envy, etc., when one truly attacks, there there is no suspicion.
But Paul's judgment is infallible. "They desire to have you circum¬ cised that they may glory in your flesh" (Gal. 6:13). Paul speaks with correct judgment, because he does not make mistakes. Thus when
I speak about Zwingli's followers, I declare with true judgment that they are wicked blasphemers because their doctrine is false. But if this were a brother who was not in opposition, there there would be love without suspicion. Therefore love can never be suspect, because, if they are brothers, it bears their habits as well as their lack of faith.
If they are not brothers, it passes certain judgment. But enemies are suspicious. What is the reason? They judge otherwise than the situa¬ tion directs. As a consequence they err. Whatever evil is spoken against us, etc.9
5. And wrangling. This is uncommonly well written. This is hos¬ tile meeting, jtaQcnrpiPr] ("constant wrangling"), planned session. So also in the Greek I set it first. There is an argument between them, and they are argumentative. They are constantly given to debates. Satan does not rest. These are not debates but futile, harmful debates which have nothing to do with the matter at hand. They cover themselves with a multitude of words.10 When one word is spoken against them, they bring back ten. If one page is written against them, they write back ten. Because they are men they are depraved in mind. They have lost the matter at hand. They are caught up by opinions and are more talkative than others. Also this appears in some who are "bewitched by Satan": some are mute, some are positively garrulous. These are the same ones Paul means here. They talk constantly and endlessly.
Not only do they muffle good preachers, they also deafen their listeners.
Paul advises: "After admonishing a factious man once or twice, avoid him" (Titus 3:10). Once he has begun to become talkative, he insists on having the last word. "Do not [argue] with a chatterer" (cf. Ecclus.
8:3). He hears no one except a talkative person, both "March!" and then again "Halt!" 11 If they were sound and genuine in their doctrine, they
9 Cf. Luther's Works, 37, pp. 21 f.
10 Cf. p. 291, n. 12, above.
11 For mortatio we have read moratio.
[W, XXVI, 109, 110] would not, etc. I have learned from experience: I cannot urge them to respond to one passage. I have discussed this with them orally and in writing.12 Bereft of the truth. They have lost the truth. Imagining that godliness is a means of gain. This is also suspicious. Why does he say that they are seeking gain? You see, Paul is suspicious but he surely knows and considers it as a point that they love gain. After all, the Holy Spirit does not deceive. Throughout Scripture He calls them
"appetite servers" in Rom. 16:18 and Phil. 3:19, and says (Rom. 3:13):
"Their throat is an open grave." He calls them "dogs" (Phil. 3:2) who do not know salvation. He assigns them to a slavery to the belly and says (Phil. 2:21): "They all look after their own interests, not those of Christ." What is the reason? Whoever has once fallen from the truth and from faith and errs in wicked works cannot seek the interests of Christ. Therefore the Holy Spirit must drive him. It is Satan who is driving one to seek his own interests. Therefore Paul passes the true judgment that they are seekers of gain. We read in Gal. 6:13: "They seek glory that they may boast," that they may enjoy life here. But these things ought to be impressed on us. They seek the glory of God and of Christ! They are faithful ministers! We seek our own glory and honor! Were you to consider outward appearance only, everything
Paul says would be pure lies. Here I again say: the wicked theologian cannot keep from being a greedy seeker of gain. You see, he has a sense of falseness because his is a spirit of falseness. Imagining. They think godliness is a matter of seeking gain. They lay hold of godliness, but only in appearance. Earlier I said that the worship of God lies espe¬ cially in preaching the Word, because by teaching the Gospel one wor¬ ships God, gives thanks, fulfills all the Old Testament sacrifices and all reverence for the Old Testament. With such worship one serves his neighbor. The image of God also is formed in men so that they do not kill each other but live in such a way that they resemble God. This is godliness. We turn to godliness to the glory of God and men. They glory in and grasp at godliness to get rich. They say that they indeed are seeking the glory of God, but actually they are seeking their own glory and gain, not their neighbor's good. They do not believe. To seek the interests of God and one's neighbor, that is godliness. "To divide." The Spirit is needed, who can discern.
6. There is great gain in godliness with contentment,13 Above, 12 Cf. Luther's Works, 37, pp. 18 f.
13 A marginal note in the Weimar text refers to the following statement in a sermon of Luther's held June 27, 1529: "Thorns is what Christ calls riches in [W, XXVI, 110, 111] speaking about widows, he used the expression "Let her assist them" as well as this word "contentment." 14 When a person is content, let him be satisfied. The man who practices godliness and cuts off his greed is content with what he has. Cf. Heb. 13:5. There is a prompti¬ tude of the heart which is content. He is a rich man who is content.
The man who is not content is unfortunate. That reminds one of the proverb which says: "Do you want to have something to boast about?
Practice godliness with contentment." This is true, but it is not be¬ lieved. There is nothing worse than a greedy man who is in need of a dollar — or, in fact, who needs a dime. He has no expense. Whatever he has is useless. Earlier (ch. 4:8) Paul said: "Godliness is valuable in every way, etc. "Seek first" (Matt. 6:33). "I will fill your bellies, even if heaven and earth are at stake." But it doesn't help. If you have been godly and content, that is great gain. Godliness is to worship God with the Word, that men may be made similar to God. The least and the reason.
7. For ice brought nothing into this world. "Naked came I from my mother's womb," says Job (ch. 1:21). Consider where you come from. Before our eyes we see examples, but we are blindness itself.
One gathers up treasure and doesn't know for whom. He is intent on his gathering. If he is seeking gain, for whom? He doesn't know.
"And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?" (Luke 12:20).
The title "fool" stands written above all treasures. Many parents have gathered for their children, but who got it? After all, the saying does not deceive: "Even a parent must take a chance; whether his child will receive it, no one can tell. It very frequently happens that some¬ one else gets it." Why, then, do we heap up?
8. Having food and clothing. Here comes the contentment. He uses the same expression. Round and round and away we go, abun¬ dance and plenty, farewell and good night, this is real food, etc.
These are pure maxims against greed. The Greek does not have this.13
This is a constant exhortation from excellent passages. Then he fol¬ lows with a condemnation. He condemns an eagerness for wealth, the Gospel (Matt. 13:22). Paul interprets these thorns by saying in 1 Tim. 6:9-10:
'Those who desire to be rich fall,' yes, they fall into many harmful desires, for 'the love of money' is what Paul is interpreting there, I tell you." Cf. W, XXIX,
14 In chapter 5:16 the verb sufficiat ("that the church may assist"), related to the noun sufficientia ("contentment") in the present verse, is used.
15 This may refer to the Vulgate's hand dubium (v. 7) or diaboli (v. 9).
|W, XXVI, 111] not their possession. Abraham was not eager for wealth. A man who is concerned about his household and children does well. But if a per¬ son watches for and seeks opportunities to become wealthy, etc., such a person does not want to be content with what he has. "Do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?'" (Matt. 6:31). "Do not exalt yourselves" (Luke 12:29), as things are done in the world. I want to have as much as my neighbor. If I want this, more than I have, then
I am exalting myself.10 Abraham did not do this; he was not eager to be rich.
9. Fall into temptation. It cannot fail. Blessed is the man who is content with his own lot. Why is this? The man who is not content but seeks wealth suffers various temptations. As he is tempted, he is exposed to every peril. He is caught in a snare. If anyone has pos¬ sessions, he is caught in a snare. If he is free, if the magistrate be¬ comes angry, he goes away. If the magistrate does not do it, an evil neighbor does it. He must be prepared to bear temptations. He be¬ comes especially bound when eagerness for wealth develops. If he is a righteous man, he says: "Begone." He laughs at temptations. He is not in a snare. Although he is in the middle of things, still he is not in a snare. Others are inflamed to take revenge. This is what temp¬ tations and the snare mean. Into many senseless and hurtful desires.
He becomes wrapped up in his desires, etc., because he has an in¬ terest in money. This interest develops vegeance, anger, envy, various tricks to devise ways of keeping what he has. Because of his desires he has no rest. Because of them he sinks into destruction. Paul is making a severe exhortation against the pursuit of wealth. The man who is rich and intent on wealth is exposed to the sword and fiery coals. On the other hand, if their heart does not stand in the way, they escape the temptation and snares. Those who have free hearts seek no vengeance. They have no anxieties for preserving or increas¬ ing their wealth. There is no concern for thinking about godliness.
This the thorns choke (cf. Matt. 13:7). That is what Paul means with ruin.
10. For the love of money is the root of all evils. The eagerness, or desire, for money extends more widely than greed. It extends to all other things, to the desire for power, pleasure, gold, or silver. These
10 Luther's German translation of the last phrase of Luke 12:29 is fahret nicht hoch her. This is based on the Vulgate's nolite in sublime tolli ("Do not exalt yourselves").
[W, XXVI, 111, 112] are maxims, or emtpcovripaTa ("pithy sayings"). The man who is in¬ volved with greed has the source of every evil. One evil after another wells up for him. The greedy man is wrapped up in many evils, as already enumerated. Those who are immersed in the pursuits of money cannot pray, give thanks, or hear the Word of God if so much as a penny is taken from them. These desires are senseless (v. 9), because they bring no benefit. They are hurtful, because they bring great harm. Therefore he says it well, of all evils. On the other hand,
"there is great gain in godliness with contentment" (v. 6). Also, an enthusiasm for generosity is the source of all good things.
We have heard 17 Paul's admonition against greed, which he de¬ scribes as the "root of all evils." He means of this life, so that we say nothing about the life which is to come. You see, the greedy man deprives himself of eternal life, because his heart is swollen with many concerns. Because he has all these worries, he is forced to fear the dangers of fire and of water. As many worries threaten him as there are grains of sand on the seashore. Thus he destroys this life as well as that which is to come, just as "godliness has the promise"
(cf. 1 Tim. 4:8). Greed is the worship of idols. You see, greed wor¬ ships money, but godliness worships God. The greedy man is un¬ certain and is deprived both of this life and that which is to come.
11. But as for you, man of God, shun all this. Shun all those useless and harmful desires which deeply prick the greedy. Aim at righteous¬ ness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. This is the alpha¬ bet, or catalog, of Christian virtues. I think that righteousness here is righteousness in general rather than the righteousness of faith. Righ¬ teousness means to render to each his due and be godly. Otherwise, if he meant the righteousness of faith, he would not add faith. That is, here he means that one be righteous, without accusation, and blame¬ less before God and man. Godliness is certainly the worship of God, the exercise of the ministry of the Word, by which one makes a sac¬ rifice to God. Acts of love and kindness are shown to men. To sum¬ marize, it means to meditate, speak, pray, visit. Faith also might be able to be taken to mean generally faith toward God and men. I, how¬ ever, take it to mean faith toward Christ. See to it that you do not lack faith as you practice love for all men. Pure love does not seek its own good but the good of others. Therefore lust and love are dif¬ ferent. The love which has to do with lust seeks its own advantages
17 The lecture of March 30 begins at this point.
[W, XXVI, 112, 113] in all things. Christian love seeks the advantages of others in itself.
That which the father has he shares in turn with his children. Lust is to want good done to oneself. Steadfastness means that you bear the ingratitude in which you lose love and blessing and must accept evil instead of good. If you have done good, there are those who make false accusations against you and persecute you because of your faith and the Word. He includes not only steadfastness but also gentleness, that you may not be eager for revenge but "pray" (Matt. 5:44).
These are teachings we believe we have grasped for a long time.
He gives this singular mandate for this purpose:
12. Fight the good fight of faith. You know what the fight of faith is. After all, those who are in Christ and who have the ministry of the Word are attacked not only by impatience and wrath. Satan also attacks us especially in our greatest good, which is faith and the Word. Those who are involved in the fight of faith bear the attacks of the fear of death, hell, and despair. They ought to be exposed to others in their work. They should be patient and gentle. They should not be self-seekers. For them there remains the final battle with the demons, which Paul describes in Eph. 6:12, etc. It is easy to fight against tyrants, because we can understand their insidious strategy.
Their object here is understandable. But then Satan comes and trans¬ forms himself into the appearance of majesty or of an angel. This he does by various means. He can disguise himself as propitious God, as he does with the heretics. There we cannot comprehend him. He crawls and hisses like a serpent. In this situation the smug person does not recognize him. Here Paul is not speaking about this. Rather he speaks to a Timothy who is secure in the Word, to a Timothy whom
Satan assaults with mental dejection, the weakness and temptation under which Job labored, so that he may [mislead] him, etc. What¬ ever God says Satan turns into something worthless. Thus he can convert the greatest goodness into evil, mercy into poison, so that nothing except wrath appears in God. The contrary takes place in destructive doctrines, so that nothing except goodness, etc., appears in God. In this way Satan can make himself appear as if he were
God Himself. The Antichrist did this in the church solely with his external appearance. Yet he brought it about that he sat in God's seat (cf. 2 Thess. 2:4). What would the god of this world not do?
This is what he means with the "fight of faith." That struggle is much worse than death, prison, or any disease or persecution, because it
[W, XXVI, 113] involves faith. Therefore it appears that Timothy was an outstanding disciple. After all, all disciples do not experience that temptation.
But as Paul says (2 Cor. 12:7): "To keep me from being too elated . . . a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, etc." The holy Saint Paul was possessed and oppressed by Satan. He could not get rid of this. Therefore he says to Timothy: "Take hold." Jacob also learned this when he wrestled until dawn (Gen. 32:24). That battle no one understands unless he experiences it. We hear about it from the words and statements of others, but we do not understand its mood and sense. The gross temptations of anger assault us, or, at best, the anger allows us to be burned up. But this we overcome more easily than we win the fight of faith. If the fight of faith — that is, the battle which Timothy was having with heretics and all his adversaries, that is, on behalf of faith or in the cause of faith — had been over¬ come, it would be the smallest temptation. Take hold of the eternal life. These words are easy to say, but it is something else for the mind to be trained in such a way that it seeks life and arms itself for life, as if it were reaching out for it. This is not because it can now live eternally, but exert yourself to this end, that is, train yourself here in all your efforts that you may press forward into the life to come with a very certain hope. So put off and tear away an affection for this life. This is the "suffering" of Rom. 5:3. One must get there through one or two temptations. All must be tempted, troubled, tested.
One is tempted by lust, another by other temptations. To which you were called. Paul speaks this against faintheartedness, to lift Timothy up into hope because of the recollection of his earlier confession. Who¬ ever has doubts about eternal life never confesses it. We confess:
"I believe in life everlasting." Be very sure to convince yourself that God does forgive sins and does give eternal life. Whoever does not believe this has death. Paul realizes that Timothy is struggling in temptation. He therefore comforts him with a twofold comfort: "Take hold of eternal life. After all, you have been called. You have a firm testimony and seal, that you are reaching for eternal life, that God has given you faith and the fruit of the Gospel. You are in the min¬ istry of the Word. Everything is in order for you to seek after eternal life. If you seem to be too insignificant for eternal life, consider the calling which you have, by which follows that we read in Rom. 8:28.
To be certain that you have the Word of God is the most important thing." Only let a man not then begin to doubt because he is afflicted
[W, XXVI, 113, 114] and feels that he must argue against contrary teachings. He has the calling because God calls him through the Word. Others hold it in contempt. Therefore teach the Word that you may be afflicted. This is a divine call to which you are called. If the Lord adds that He is establishing you in His ministry, then your calling is increased and confirmed. Therefore know that you have been called to eternal life.
Those good things which you have are not given to you on behalf of this life. "Set out by their calling" is what He especially calls those whom He brings to an understanding of the Word — those who feel that they please Him and are stirred by Him. There the calling is genuine, holy, and divine, because the knowledge of God does not grow in our hearts. But He does not grasp me in you. We read in John 6:45:1S "All who hear . . . from the Father come to Me." Those are the "God-taught." Then also, you should learn this past good, that your calling has been effective and fruitful because you made the good confession. Perhaps he was a prisoner and in chains. He was probably with Paul when he was in danger, and Timothy confessed that he was Paul's disciple. Paul uses this to strengthen Timothy:
"Since, then, your calling and the effectiveness thereof are such that you advance it with fruit, as you did in the presence of many wit¬ nesses, etc., so you ought now bravely depend on it and have no doubts about your calling. Greater is He who called you than every temptation by which Satan attacks you." If Paul had not seen that it was necessary to give Timothy this reminder, he would not have spoken thus. This is the way Christ speaks in Luke (12:32): "Fear not." The apostles could not grasp how to hope for the Kingdom, that there was sin, etc. He had to console them in this way: "Not by your merit, but the Father will do it. You have been called; confess Me and follow Me." It is a good confession. He calls it "fine." Here he commends the confession. "That confession was not good in itself, but you have made an outstanding confession. You have had a firm and outstanding manner with confidence." Similarly, we now have the confession of Leonhard Kaiser.19 "You have not been ashamed that I am your teacher and other things, etc. That confession will not be
18 The Weimar text has "John 8."
19 Kaiser was burned at the stake at Scharding in Bavaria Aug. 16, 1527, for his adherence to the evangelical doctrine. Luther had written him a letter May
20 to console him during his imprisonment. A biography of the martyr, together with Luther's letter of consolation, was published soon after Kaiser's execution.
Cf. W, XXIII, 452—476.
[W, XXVI, 114, 115] frustrated. Just hold fast. Don't despair. Don't become fainthearted.
That comfort is necessary even for us. 'Take hold.' The flesh wants annoyance to weary it. You have much protection and a good start.
The end will come too. You have a calling and an excellent confes¬ sion. This is the right article of faith — a great thing when one does battle with Satan and his angels. In it, the body does not suffer.
Faith itself, rather, and hope suffer. In all other temptations, faith stands like a wall, and faith laughs. The bones are the things which suffer. But when the bones tremble, faith marches on with joy, as Agatha 20 laughs and rejoices. Because her faith was in control, she did not suffer. But when our courage becomes weak, there is an im¬ mediate battle with demons. This encouragement to strengthen faith and hope is necessary to those who are in the Word.
13. I charge you.21 Paul always keeps one eye on the false apos¬ tles. Thus he is always accustomed to teach the point of redemption thoroughly. In the same way it is always his practice to repeat a point of confutation. He wants to preserve the pure Word in the church.
Therefore he so often pleads and warns. You see, one cannot teach the doctrine of faith and love too thoroughly. One cannot preach it as diligently as Satan goes about. One must watch, then, what is taught and how one lives, because "he goes about" (1 Peter 5:8). He approaches Timothy with a great oath, because he knows this. In the presence of God . . . and Jesus. These are one God, because other¬ wise he would not swear by both. His had been a "good" confession.
Why? It had been His own Word which He had taught. He had been crucified because of His Gospel. They could not bear the Gospel with which He kept attacking their righteousness. That is. He firmly confessed the Word which He taught. "I have spoken openly" (John
18:20), and: "I have come ... to bear witness of the truth" (John 18:37). Note this: As far as Christ was concerned, He suffered be¬ cause of us; but as far as the Jews were concerned, He died because of His Word. Because of that confession He paid His own life that we might have the pure Word. Therefore, Paul says, because of Him
I charge you. How could he speak more emphatically?
14. That you keep the commandment. Namely, keep it unstained.
Either you, "free from reproach," keep it. Or you keep the commandA Sicilian Christian martyr of the third century who endured excruciating physical torture with great fortitude.
21 In the English translation this verb stands at the head of v. 14.
[W, XXVI, 115, 116] ment "free from reproach."22 I believe I relate the "free from re¬ proach" to the commandment. After all, Paul intends to give an ad¬ monition about preserving the purity of the Word. His interest is for the Word, therefore I relate it to the Word rather than to Timothy, who is a public person who ought not only be "free from reproach" himself but his commandment ought to be also. This should happen not only before men — which could never be done — but especially before God. This is blasphemed before men and is called a doctrine of demons. But if we keep it so that it is without spot before God, it is being taught correctly. This also happens when one teaches that confessing Christ is good. It becomes spotted when we make our own additions. Until the approaching of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is a plea that the Word of God remain unpolluted until Christ comes.
Is Timothy to live that long? Paul does not seem to be teaching only Timothy. He also understood that what he was teaching would last until the end of the world and that it relates to all ministers of the Word, as we have received from those that went before us and leave it to those who follow us this command, that this Word may remain pure.
15. And this icill he made manifest at the proper time. Here Paul is moving from the conditions of praise and thanks to the goodness of God, the "appearance." Sovereign. He is the Prince of power, not merely a powerful Prince. He wants to say: "No one is a good lord except the one Lord," just as there is one King of kings and Lord of lords. He wants to say: "He who will be made manifest is that very
God." What is He? He is blessed. Other people are not, except as they share in Him. He alone rules. Every throne and power do not have this of themselves but from God, as Christ said to Pilate (cf.
John 19:11). Princes arc not sovereigns. The statement King of kings is in Rev. 17:14. The pope quotes this text, too, and the papists ascribe to him that he is lord of lords. He is happy to fulfill that statement of Paul, "He takes his seat in the temple of God, etc." (2 Thess. 2:4).
Paul says it is Christ alone. The pope says, "Not only Christ, but I, too."
16. Who alone has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light.
God does not live physically in that light. Beyond the creatures of --' The reading is either a nominative form, irreprehensihilis modifying the subject you, or an accusative neuter, irreprehensib'de modifying mamlatinn. Luther outlines this by merely putting down the two endings, "Us or la."
[W, XXVI, 116] this world, we consider, is utter darkness. Paul, however, says: "Where we set up darkness, there is an unapproachable light." That takes faith. There you must let speculation go. Believe and you will be saved. The very opposite. To Him be honor and eternal dominion.
Man cannot see God, nor can he ever see God. Man does not see God.
Therefore he does not know God; he cannot speak about Him. What are men trying to do when they speak their own wisdom and clothe it with the title "God's wisdom"? One, then, is not safe in speaking about God except with those words which God has prescribed. If one uses other words, he has doubts. He does not see, therefore he cannot speak. We see, then, what they are pretending when they speak out of their own heads.
17. As for the rich. Here you do not see Paul condemning the rich or wealth. After all, these are God's gifts which He distributes. Those who have these gifts he calls Christians. He is making a distinction be¬ tween the riches "of this world" and spiritual riches. If the wealthy will have used their riches well, they also will be saved, says Paul, lest we condemn well-managed wealth, as David was a king and wealthy. Charge them not to be haughty. He attacks those who are inclined this way. They say, "Possessions inspire confidence."23
Wealth is a natural inflater. This sin, natural as it is for the rich, he censures as follows: "They should not be haughty." In German we have the expressions Hoff art ("arrogance"), Hochmut ("haughtiness"), and der hoch her feret ("he who rides on a high horse"). Their pride is outwardly pompous, as they are ambitious. They should not think too highly of themselves, to the point of contempt for the poor, but they should lower themselves and use those gifts of theirs for the glory of God and use of their neighbor. Nor to set their hopes on un¬ certain riches. Another sin of the wealthy is that they put their trust in their riches. Paul calls the greedy man an idolater (Eph. 5:5). In Baruch 3:18 24 we read: ". . . in which men trust," and in Job 31:24:
"If I have called gold my trust." Every man says in his heart, "Gold is my god, my trust." Where there is Christian faith, gold is not one's god. Gold is the god of the world. Scripture and experience both tell us this. Now again we have a case of misuse. Rather they behave as if they don't have it. In the psalm we read: "Set not your heart on riches" (Ps. 62:10). Riches, Paul says, are uncertain. People who 23 The German saying is Gut macht Mut.
24 The Weimar text has "Baruch 6."
|W, XXVI, 116, 117] have riches don't know whether they will keep them for an hour, be¬ cause a thief may come. Teach them to set their hopes on God, who is better than all the fortunes in the world. You see, He richly furnishes us with everything to enjoy. Let us set our hopes on Him "who furn¬ ishes us with everything to enjoy." Gold cannot do this. It is a mortal and uncertain thing. God is certain, because He lives and "richly furnishes." Plutus23 is uncertain; God abounds in riches. Look at the facts, whether or not this is true. God gives more than all can devour. Enjoyment is out of the picture. We make heaping it up the goal. Who can in this daylight and air accumulate so much water and land, clothing, wool, milk, cheese, wine, oil as ever he can use up — barns and chests full of mountains of gold, pure abundance? God supplies it so abundantly that we cannot use it up. We see Him place these things into our hands, and we are surrounded by an abundance of all good things. Yet we keep on scraping. For that reason it hap¬ pens that many poor and even another rich man do not eat, etc. He has not given us this abundance to take things away from others or to be stingy but to enjoy. When it is put to use, it is there in abun¬ dance. Although a person may accumulate it, yet more remains. If some are in want, the fault is that people are not using it correctly. Thus the rich act like dogs that lie in the manger and on the oats. They don't eat, nor do they allow others to eat. God furnishes richly for enjoyment, but we, etc. If God would let a hundred ears grow on one stalk, it would stiil not help. You see, the greedy would always be with us. If God would give a hundred bottles for wine, and if the whole world would be adorned with gold, the griffins would be there to plunder it. So God cannot give enough to people whose interest is in accumulating and scraping together. He does, however, give enough for enjoyment. If we do enjoy this, we have as great an abundance of all things as we have of air. This very praiseworthy text opens our eyes to see the mercy and kindness of God.
You have heard 2(i the point how God provides richly for us, but for our enjoyment. Even the wicked lack nothing, as Christ says (Matt.
5:45): "He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just, etc." There remains that sole defect, or rather wick¬ edness, that people do not enjoy this abundance but accumulate things
25 IDioDtoc;, the god of wealth. Luther puns on this name when in the second part of the sentence he describes God as jt^ouoio; ("abounding in riches").
2G The lecture of March 31 begins at this point.
[W, XXVI, 117, 118] according to the word: "They lay up treasure." Charge them. "Who furnishes" is parenthetical.
18. To become rich in good deeds. He hits the bullseye of the faults of the wealthy. First, they have proud thoughts of themselves.
"Possessions inspire confidence."27 God must humble the wealthy.
David became very proud. God therefore used extraordinary means to humble him. He allowed David to fall into adultery. Paul had a great thorn in his flesh. Thus all of us, the more we are gifted with wealth, the more necessary is some fault by which we are to become humbled. Second, the wealthy set their hopes on riches. Now he wants them to make others rich. Their riches are shadows and signs of true riches. If they want salvation, they should be eager "to be¬ come rich in good deeds." To do good. He not only says that they should do good but that they should do it richly. After all, they have in their hands the wherewithal to be able to clothe the poor and to give drink to the thirsty. You see, "to whom much is given, of him will much be required" (Luke 12:48). Not only should they do good, but they should do it more abundantly than the rest, that they may be rich not in gold and silver but in good works. To give easily. This is specific. Above he spoke in general: "Charge them to do good." They should find it easy to give. And to be generous. They should share with those who are in need. They should show a willingness to share as people who have been set forth for the purpose of sharing, so that people may benefit from them. As the common treasury is open for the use of all the brethren, so it is with a rich man. It is difficult to share, to exist for the common good. A canonic 2S a person might well want to become.
19. To lay up for themselves a good foundation for the future.
This explains the setting "their hopes on uncertain riches" (v. 17), which is what wealthy people do. Here, however, they are seeking a trustworthy "foundation for the future." Christ says the same thing
(Luke 16:9): "Make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous mammon," and (Luke 11:41): "But give for alms those things which are within; and behold, everything is clean for you." Here the wealthy ought to be looking out for the rest who are troubled by want.
"O death, how bitter you are to one whose peace lies in his own subsi Cf. n. 23 above.
28 Luther is punning on the words canonicus ("canonic," "clergyman") and koinonicos ("generous," "communicating").
[W, XXVI, 118] stance." Ecclus. 41:1. They have abundance, they have progeny, leisure, and all things in great supply, and now they want to rest.
20. O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Paul bit¬ terly hates those false teachers. Therefore he teaches against them everywhere. He cannot forget them. I believe what I have learned from experience. He himself learned from experience, and that is why he always teaches against them. In 2 Tim. 1:15-16 we read that be¬ cause of false teachers all Asia turned away from the great apostle.
The loss was horrendous except for a single household. They came into homes where the Gospel had been sown. He has to say good-bye to it. Satan neither sleeps nor rests. These are genuine, very vital, fiery words which have much power today, especially for preachers.
What has been entrusted is the Word committed to him — "what He entrusted to your care." It is a divine trust — the mystery which he must preach to the heathen. Paul wants to use this expression to stir up Timothy's diligence. To this trust belong also great confidence and diligence, that that trust be preserved as belonging to Another, etc.
Earlier (1 Tim. 1:12) Paul had written: "He judged me faithful." He honors us in this way with what He has entrusted to us that we may guard and keep His precious treasure, which He has purchased with His blood. Why? Because there lie in ambush for you and your church not a single Satan but many who have many false teachers who plot against the Word. Satan can endure all righteousness and holi¬ ness except the Word of faith, that is, that which has been entrusted.
Therefore one must exercise great care to guard what has been en¬ trusted, etc. How ought I preserve it? In this way: Avoid the godless chatter and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge. "Van¬ ities" (xevocpcoviag) he has changed to "chatter" (novitates). "You should avoid the vanities of voices which are godless." He adds a modifier which explains what the nature of these empty voices is.
He wants to say: "You will have many teachers who do nothing else except express their empty chatter." This he also says in Titus 1:10 and earlier in 1 Tim. 1:6-7, as well as in this chapter (v. 4): "He has a morbid craving for controversy." "He is puffed up with conceit, he knows nothing." We have treated this point sufficiently above.29 You see, this is the fault of all false teachers, that they speak empty words which they do not understand. They have their own empty thoughts and speculations, to which they fit and adjust Scripture. This is what
Zwingli and Oecolampadius are doing now. They take a word of Holy Scripture and give to that word their own speculative ideas.
That is, this "signifies" or "is an image for the body." 30 They pile up a heap of proof passages of Scripture for themselves, but they treat them in such a way that they serve their own thoughts. This is use¬ lessness. After all, once the basic matter is lost, they establish their own idea in place of the basic matter. This is what the Jews do. It is righteousness if you have kept the law of Moses. Then righteousness becomes an empty word. The basic concern is changed, although they have kept the same word. They draw Scripture away from its legitimate meaning into their own meaning so that we are saved, even though the basic matter has been lost — that is, by an empty word, the husks. They come filled with empty words. Watch out for them, because those deceivers of minds come with an extremely fine appear¬ ance. They bring in many outstanding proof passages of Scripture.
"You always have the poor with you." Therefore Christ's body is not in the Supper, because He said: "Me you will not always have" (cf.
Matt. 26:11). If "we regard Christ not according to the flesh" (2 Cor.
5:16), we therefore do not regard Him as being in the Sacrament.31
If you look carefully, you see that this is empty chatter. Yet they have taken it from Holy Writ. You have the Word which has been entrusted to you. You have the certain knowledge of faith. It will be easy for you to make a judgment when they set up another basic idea. In place of righteousness and faith they put works. In place of works of love they put their own interests, etc. They are simply empty chatterers, although their fine appearance seems to make them theo¬ logians. Therefore they are "godless," because they offer a great show of holiness and of the Spirit. So, the holier they make themselves, the unholier they become.
The contradictions of ivhat is falsely called knowledge. This he could describe very well because of his own experience. The teach¬ ings of these people are "antitheses." What sort of antitheses? Cer¬ tainly, they are antitheses of knowledge. Great skill is involved, but they are falsely boasted of and celebrated. Just as empty chatter is useless, so this knowledge is falsely boasted of. "The Spirit provides
30 The former was Zwingli's interpretation, the latter that of Oecolampadius.
Cf. Luther's Works, 37, p. 30.
31 These passages are introduced by Luther merely to illustrate the absurdity of the interpretation of Scripture as practiced by his opponents. These passages were not used in the controversy concerning the Sacrament. For similar examples, see Luther's Works, 37, pp. 30—31, 37. it in my heart, etc." 32 This is the knowledge that is praised. It is renowned and has a great name, and it is advertised in glowing terms:
"This is something you have never heard before. Listen carefully."
They bring a sort of wisdom wonderfully advertised, a glorious wis¬ dom. But it is "falsely called knowledge." They praise it to deceive the people. This is a very fine description. In that wisdom are "con¬ tradictions." It is a recalcitrant doctrine. This is the nature of false prophets. So they rise up to teach something different. In chapter 1 he spoke about those "who teach any different doctrine," who were not teaching what they had been taught. These seemed to be dis¬ ciples or equals, but they had to lay hold of something different to become the authors of something new. This, however, does not hap¬ pen unless they set themselves up in contradiction. In this way Satan sees God setting Himself up against him, and so he himself does the same. The Enthusiasts act this way to be able to contradict. What¬ ever the others do, always be ready to speak against them.33 They affect and seek a new way of teaching which they can set up in op¬ position. Then there develops this vaunted, false knowledge. Paul has experienced this. In their false teaching they teach nothing other than what they can use to contradict sound and true doctrine. Thus their teaching becomes a contradiction which crucifies sound doctrine.
They have the truth and advance into glory. We, on the other hand, have foolish wisdom. It is not strange that today the Enthusiasts tear into things so. It has to be this way. That which is of God, whether it be deed or word, must be crucified. Today the Sacrament and Baptism have not suffered damage as yet. A strange thing happens:
Satan crucifies and destroys the Sacrament. In the meantime those false teachers become the restorers of Holy Scripture. Paul says,
"Watch out for this, but guard what has been entrusted to you. Do not be moved by those who teach contradictory things."
21. For by professing it, some have missed the mark as regards the faith. They have jabbed into thin air. I have experienced what I am saying. I have known many people who have promised this "wis¬ dom." They wanted to make people intelligent and learned. But what have they done? When they thought they were hitting it, they went wide of the mark. In Gal. 4:24 f. he addresses all those who have walked according to the Law. The "Mount Sinai" is to walk in good
32 Cf. p. 329 above and n. 21.
33 The source of this Latin hexameter has not been identified.
[W, XXVI, 120] order. Here he is speaking about those. They have wandered from that path. They tread new paths which they have discovered and disregard faith altogether. It is impossible for faith to endure when the Word has been taken away. But when the Word has been taken away from the sacraments, then Satan can allow one to say: "Christ has redeemed us without His blood, etc." Under the pope Satan has been quite content to have the Sacrament remain. If the net is torn, if there is just one hole, the fish do not remain in it. God also has knowledge and contradiction. This we must use in opposition to wickedness and lack of faith. But they, etc. O, how Paul everywhere blasts away against those false teachers! It is the other part of his own persecution that he must have truck with them. This also happens to us today. It is not a gentle persecution for us to see this where we have built up earlier. You have in this epistle the establishment of the bishop and what he should do to take special care of the Word so that it remains pure.
A particulari ad univer¬ sale 95 271, 280 alive in God's sight Abstinence from foods 313, 315, 317, 355, 356 from women 10, 11,
Absumit ebrius sitientem Accusation 351, 352, 359 Adam 50, 97, 98, 176 broke his neck over hidden will of God and Christ 195, 196 and Eve 163, 194, 196, first created for natural life 192, 194 first terrestrial man
195, 196 flesh and blood from 168, 194,197 mastery of, over woman 278 origin of death in world 113, 115, 116, 118, 120, 204 spiritual 192 type of Christ 113, 114
Adultery cause for divorce 34 greatest thievery 13 Adversus Iovinianum, by Aeneid, by Vergil 292 Ageruchia, Letter to, by Albert, king of Austria
Allegories 175, 176, 348 dlAoiocn; 265, 266 Anabaptists 199, 233, Angels 113, 172, 178, Anger hindrance to prayer 272, 273 momentary 38, 374 one cause of divorce
Animals 183, 186, 191 326, 348 killing of, forbidden by Manichaeans 313 which are not used for food 313 Antichrist 237, 339, 373
Antony, Saint 292, 322 Apostacy 308, 309, 314 Apostles 22, 23, 24, 25, 60, 75, 76 faithful witnesses 102 and letters of recom¬ mendation 298
Paul and 90, 91 in suffering and peril Appearance of being theologians of humility 365 hypocrisy 310, 311, 314, 316 and teachers of the Arguments 94, 95, 96,
260, 261, 368 a breviori 288 Aristarchus of Samothrace 294, 295 Article of faith 59, 60, 62, 63, 80 chief, and epitome of indifference to 100 linked together like a chain 94, 97, 150 proved from Scripture and experience 75, reason cannot cope with 69, 70, 169,
Augustine 235, 261, 285, Augustus, by Suetonius Authority 127, 128 belongs to husband 51, Babylonian Captivity of the Church, by Lu¬ ther 24, 33
Baptism 59, 60, 62, 68, Anabaptists see only water 199, 233 for the dead 149, 150 into death 132, 133 first pledge 344 over graves 150, 151 preaching about 66 incorporated in Christ through 114 not only of soul but also of body 193 and resurrection 147 and speculation of rea¬ son 70, 269 stretching Scripture with regard to 78 teaching after 101 testimony of redemp¬ tion in 267, 268, 269
Battle of faith 73, 74, against death 155 against sadness and fear 104, 105 against Satan 373, 374 against six enemies Begging the question 94
Believers, use all things in holy way 34, 35 Bellum Jugurthinum, by Bernard, Saint 210, 323, 204, 338, 371 older Latin 267, 275
RSV vii, 164 versions vii Bishop(s) 12, 13 blameless before world, not God 284, call of 281 children of 288 good soldier 251, 252 marriage of 22, 23 means watchman 283 responsibility of 281, should be tested 290 trials of 219
Blasphemy 99, 241, 242, Boasting 86, 87, 88, 91, of certainty 239, 240, 269, 270 of Enthusiasts 221, 222 of God's grace 89, 90 of Gospel 66, 75 of life in death 155 of pursuing doctrine commanded 217,
Baptism of, and blood as well as of soul chastising of 15, 17, 321, 322, 355 decomposition of 185, 186, 187 destroyed by devil 111 exercise of 321, 322 follows the head 110, kind of 170, 171, 172,
173, 180, 181 in life to come 184, 172, 173 members of 184, 185 natural and spiritual 193, 194, 196, 198 new clarity of 123,
151, 181, 183, 200 not same as flesh and blood 198; see also Flesh own peculiar clarity for each 183 and religious orders
18, 20, 21 and resurrection 59, 100,168 rule over 13, 14, 46 and soul reunited 69, 135, 150, 190 sown in dishonor 187 sown in weakness 187 troubles of 51 wants of 142, 143,
Boniface VIII, pope, 364 Books, no end to writing of 84, 85 Bread cannot help Christian and life 142, 143 not object of hearing
Briefe, by Luther 253 Bugenhagen, Johann xi Burning with passion 27, Call of bishop 281 never exists without doctrine 217, 218
Calling 46, 47, 337, 374 Canon law bigamy under 23, 24 divorced persons 37 Carlstadt, Andreas Bodenstein von 229, Celestial bodies 184, 190,
Celibacy ix, x, 3, 47, 48 condemned by Moses gift of 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 26, 27, 52 and Jews 21, 22 placing righteousness in 231, 312
Ceremonies 150, 319 lifting up hands in prayer 271, 272 washing feet of the saints 340, 341 Certainty 238, 239, 240, Certamen forte declit ei
Change through agency of death 201 movement from one place to another 200, 201 qualitatis, of the form Chastising, of body 15,
Chastity 3 of clergy 5, 313, 328, 355,356 desire and love for 9, 10, 11 elevated view of 12 gift of 10, 11, 12, 16, 26, 27, 28, 52 as looked upon by pope 312, 313 reserved for the few
17, 27, 28, 313 secret suffering of 11 temporal advantage of 49, 50 three states of 15 true state of 21 Childbearing 279, 280
Children of bishop 288 to conform lives to words of parents conversant with doc¬ trine 66 of deacons 299 and marrying from own whim 54, 55 of mixed marriages 35 training of 279, 280,
Beginner of life 121, brides of 48 calls Himself a Sinner consumed devil and death 108, 109 depicted as Enemy of death 132, 134, 135 enemies of 128, 129,
131, 135, 136, 137 eternal rule with 60 exalted article of 69, first celestial Man 195 Firstfruits 100, 109, Person 265, 266 greatest Treasure 115
120,122, 123 incorporated in, through Baptism initiated resurrection 111,114 and laws of Moses 42 Lord over death and grave 72, 74, 105,
109, 113, 211 low regard for 60, 61 not sent to condemn 247, 248 our only Hope 218 Poison and Pestilence to death and hell
204, 205 purchase price of freedom 44, 45, 264 second Adam 113, 114 of 75, 76 spiritual rule of 128 spouse of soul 34 sweet in rebuke 333 transported into spir¬ itual life 192, 193 two natures of 253 victory gained by 202,
Christian commended by out¬ siders 294 especially wretched person 104, 105 external and internal suffering of 103, 104 feels death and misery he has from Adam illustrations for 175,
176, 178, 179 lord over enemies 138 servant of all men 236 thrown to lions 156 thrust into death in Christian life of bishop 294 distinguished in faith and love 236 found in all estates 39 of misery, sadness, and distress 103, 104,
105, 107 not helped by bread Church laying burdens upon 346, 347 no compulsion in 220 orders in 281 provided for widows set in order 217 where the Word is present and is active
Circumcision and commanding the disgraceful 337 and converted Jew 40, Clarity, new, of body Clergy canonic, generous 380 chastity of 5, 313, 328,
Commandment and advice 31, 33, 47 bond of matrimony 79 of faith and love 42 Communication of attri¬ butes 265, 266 Conscience attacks Christian with Scripture 104 and devil's poisonous darts 111 and holding to Word of grace 69, 70, 71 placed in vise by teaching of men 44 and question of mar¬ rying 41 restless 312 seared 310, 311
LUTHER'S WORKS secure in Christ 252 and sinful suffering 11, Consolation 105, 114 of Christ's spiritual rule 128, 129, 133 against death's sting and sin's power 210 against enemies 136 against external ap¬ pearances 107 through sighing 118 of yonder life 121,
Contra negantem prima principia non est disputandum 96 Conversion of Paul 83, 88, 240, 241, 245, 248 of unbelieving spouse
Corpus Reformatorum x Council of Jerusalem 309 Creation not changed in resur¬ rection 171, 172 illustrates what God intends to do with us 179,180, 181 of "living soul" 191 outstandingly good of various kinds of flesh 183
"I believe in life ever¬ lasting" 374
"I believe in the res¬ urrection of this flesh" 150, 168, 196, David 195, 378 allowed to fall into adultery 380 and article of resur¬ rection 98 clings to mercy of God
246, 247 prayed with good con¬ science 272 respected Saul 361 Deacons 295 children of 299 and rivalry with bishop 300, 301 should be tested 297
Baptism for 149, 150 fallen asleep 109, 110 Baptism into 132, 133 battle of faith against in bed or by fire, water, rope, or sword 110, 111 boasting of life in 155 to cease entirely one day 123, 126 change through agency of 201
Christ, Lord over 72, 71, 72 comes over us through one man, Adam 113, "Death, I will be your death" 98 devoured by Christ's death 108, 109
"The greater one's piety, the earlier one's death" 106 has already almost de¬ voured world 119 last enemy 132, 133, 135, 136 for multitude, not un¬ like that of cow 104, penalty for sin 116 peril of 157 seems repugnant to flesh 120 serves purpose of transformation 182,
200, 201 song of defiance against 207, 213 swallowed up in vic¬ tory 203, 204, 206 transmitted by Adam 120, 204 treated with levity
158, 159 two facts concerning using heavenly lan¬ guage in speaking of 178, 179, 190 as viewed by reason Decomposition 185, 186
Demons 310, 311, 314, "Der Tod ist mein Schlaf worden" 110
Despair 208, 209, 246 Deutsche Bihel, by Lu¬ ther 21, 149, 164, Devil attacks with Scripture battle with 157 body destroyed by 111 butcher by trade 111 gives Christian no rest
God's worst and chief enemy 135 and his tricks 14 leads to murder through lies 62, 135 INDEX lord over world 71 lures us away from Word 74 martyrs of 311 passes through the two gates of satiety and curiosity 66 poison of 204, 205 and temptation to dis¬ believe 61, 70, 71
Dialogus, by Carlstadt Differences, in yonder life 173, 183, 184 Disputations 63, 68, 69, 72; see also Argu¬ ments Divorce 31, 32, 33 adultery cause for 34 anger one cause of 32 and fault of nonrecon¬ ciliation 32 of non-Christian part¬ ner 33, 34 and unbelieving part¬ ner 36, 37
Divorced persons and freedom to marry another 36, 37 not to change status Doctrine boasting of 217, 218, 238, 239 children conversant with 66 daily involved with different 221, 383 figurative portrayal of 175, 176 future development of 308, 314, 364 of Gospel 82, 93 judging of 67, 81, 82 not for regulating this body and this life
101, 107, 108 part of call 217, 218 principia of 96, 98 progress in 66 right way to defend Sammtliche Schriften 309 Doubt of after life caused by evil talk 163 of Enthusiasts 223,
Dress 273, 274, 275, 284 Edifying 223, 224, 254, Elders 332, 347, 348, End 123, 124, 126, 129 Enemies 128, 129, 131, battle of faith against six 136, 137 of Christ 128, 129,
135, 136, 137, 139 prayer for 257, 258 world, flesh, and devil Enemy 128, 129, 131 death 131, 132, 134, Enthusiasts 79 add own interpretation boasting of 221, 222 full of good works 252 look for glory 281, 282 not apt teachers 285 preach a little of the Gospel 218 and sacraments as symbols 304, 305 uncertainty of 223,
Envy 300, 301, 367, 371 Erasmus, Desiderius ix, Error 61, 62, 63, 67, 93, proceeding with hu¬ mility against 88 sliding from one, into another 223, 255,
Eternal life 5, 99, 126, 145, 146, 172 consolation of 121, 146, 191 distinction in, on basis of works 173, 183, 184, 185 empty delusion if dead do not rise 101, 102 by faith 74 greatness of gift of 247, 249 and greedy man 372 through one Man 120 reaching out for 374
Eustochium, Letter to, by Jerome 28 Eve 163, 194, 196, 277, Eversio Lutherani epithalamii, by Conrad Evil talk 161, 162, 163,
Example of apostolic solicitude LUTHERS WORKS of God's grace in 240, 241, 245, 248 of saints 317 in speech and conduct Exile, Babylonian 160
Experience 71, 97 articles of faith proved from Scripture and Paul instructed by 107 Scripture and 75, 76, 77, 80, 81 teaches mastery of Faber, Johann ix, 5, 6
Factious spirits 59, 61, accomplish much 252 do not have call 217 hold ordinary doc¬ trines in contempt Paul worked more than 90, 91 say resurrection is past spread unbelief 100 want to abolish gov¬ ernment 128
Faith aim of charge 223, 225, 226 analogous to 320 article of; see Article of faith battle of; see Battle of faith changed into sight 141 departure from 308 empty dream if dead do not rise 101, 102 and feeling 69, 70, 71,
72, 190 toward God and men 252, 254, 297 growing in 224 kingdom of 124, 125, 126, 141 makes all men equal before God 44 and marriage 16, 17,
. 18, 19, 20, 33, 34, 35, 41 measure of 297, 320 mystery of 296, 297, not to be forced on spouse 38, 39 queen over every law and reason 69, 107 in resurrection and death of Christ 82, shipwreck of 253, 254, small spark of 73 struggle of 104, 105 a valiant hero who holds to Word 73
False doctrine 63, 64, neglects godly edify¬ ing 223 refuted by two kinds of proof 76 False teachers 64, 75, all Asia lost to 381 avoiding of 220, 221 boast about their pur¬ ity 227 crucify sound doctrine
383, 384 gad about 344 and necessity of call Fasting and controlling of body 321, 322, 355 and prayer 14, 15, Fear 104, 105, 106, 119 battle of faith against sadness and 104 of God 311
Feeling of death and misery faith and 69, 70, 71, 72, 190 judging contrary to 99, Word greater validity than 70, 106 Feet washing 340, 341
Ferdinand I of Bohemia First Commandment 242 First pledge 342, 343, Flesh 183, 184 applied to body and soul, reason and senses 192 of Christ 305, 306
Christ's and our ene¬ my 135, 136 creation of various kinds of 183 necessitates marriage 26, 27 resurrection of 150, 168, 196, 197 weakness of 14
Flesh and blood 197 from Adam 168, 194, Christ's body of 193 as physical life 189 will rise in new spir¬ itual essence 198
Food 313, 315, 316, 317, Fool in fearing death loses own life 104 one who judges God's affairs according to reason 174 story of 29, 30
Forgiveness of sins in Baptism 268 no use to me if not preached 230, 267 Fornication 3, 5, 6, 24 how to avoid 9, 12, 13 inclined to 9, 10, 12 against law of love 13
France hair style of women in 275 prayer for king of 257 Francis I, king of France Freedom 44, 45, 46, 47, Frustra niti 151, 152
Function and act 230, Genealogies 222, 223, Generosity 323, 372, 380 Gentiles apostle to 83, 88, 90, Christ preached among torment Christians 131
George, Duke of Saxony Germans 183, 189, 191 Germany 131, 257 hair style in 275 Gift 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 26, 27, 28, 52 of chastity or marriage
16, 17 of eternal life 247, 249 of food 316, 317 of God in Christ 137 of good government 258, 259 to interpret Scripture soundly 330
Christ taken up in 306 differences with regard to 183, 184, 185 of God alone 238 Goal faith and good con¬ science 252, 254 never achieved by wicked doctrines
222, 223 of Scripture passage God abounds in riches 379 all outward things op¬ tional with 45, 46 bestows great gifts 256, 258 denial of 96, 97, 98
Father 124, 125, 139, 140, 141 hidden will of 262 as Husbandman 176, 177, 182 instituted marriage 6 long memory of 160 not of dead but of liv¬ ing 120 only Savior 261, 262,
325, 326, 348 undivided devotion to wants to make a fool of world 117 will be everything to everyone 141, 142, Godliness 321, 322, 323,
Gospel boasting of 66, 75 chief article and epit¬ ome of 82, 94, 96 doctrine of 82, 93 fruit of 65, 66, 67 ingratitude toward 131 not for learning how to obtain bread 108 opposed to sin 238 oral presentation of 67 poison and pestilence of death 206 preached to whole man 193 principle point of 308 remission of sins in rule of 129, 130 standing in and saved by 74, 75, 82 suppressing of 64
Government 78, 92 in the home 128 not object of hearing Gospel 108 persecution by 129, prayer for 256, 257 to terminate in next life 124, 126, 127,
Grace of God boasting of 89, 90, 91 Christian's boast 89 definition of 245 88, 89, 90, 240, 241, that we shall have life again 113, 120, 121
Grammar 265, 267, 315 Baptism performed over 150, 151 Christ, Lord over 72, LUTHER'S WORKS dishonor connected with 186, 187, 188 escorting dead to 151 halfway out of 110,
119, 132, 133 new speech when re¬ ferring to 178, 179 sleep in 200 Greeks 130, 149, 162, 183, 339 adornment of women assumed soul lived after death of body
Happiness of first year of mar¬ riage 12 in God's kingdom 141, 142, 144 identical in life to come 173, 185 in marriage 28 renouncing of 106 of unmarried state 11
Heathen believe that all ends with death 103, 104, concerned about evil company of youth Hell 100, 102, 105, 116, Henry VI, king of Bo¬ hemia and Poland
Heretics 69, 70, 193, 198, 344 fight of faith against have appearance of humility 365 and use of Scripture 230, 231 weary of general doc¬ trine of faith, love, and cross 254 young widows 344
Heroides, by Ovid 321 Holiness in mixed marriages 35 under Law 83, 84 Holy, all things holy to Holy Spirit different language of 178, 179 enables faith to cling to Word 69, 197 and experience 289,
296, 297, 299, 337 justifies 306 received through ex¬ ternal Word 67, 77 received through Gos¬ pel 66 sin against 244, 292,
Hope, 60, 61, 114, 218, Husband authority of 51, 276, 277, 278 of one wife 284, 299, Hypocrisy 310, 311, 314, Hypocrite and conscience 311 double unchastity of "Ihm ein Haar kriimmen" 109
Illustration from nature 184 used to inculcate ar¬ ticle already proved of various kinds of seed 173, 174, 175, Imperial order, regard¬ ing published ma¬ terial 56
Indictment of the deed Indifference, to article of faith 100 Ingratitude 62, 63, 131, Intercession 257, 258 Jack Ketch 126, 127, 147
Jacob 14, 74, 191, 374 Jerome x, 11, 13, 14, 28, Jews and burning of chil¬ dren 29 chastity among 21, 22 commanded to marry converted, and Jewish law 40, 41 divorce permitted to forbid pork and cloven-hooved animals immature fruit without Christ the sun 83 incorporating with 222 rejected Paul's preach¬ ing 164 repelled in Garden of Gcthsemane 109 separate men and women 271 and treatment of women 277, 299 used secular power against Christ 130
John the Steadfast, elec¬ tor of Saxony x Jonas, Justus ix 3, 6 Junker Scharrhans 158 Justification through Christ 232, 234, 235 exercise of 230 by Word 269
Kingdom of clarity 125, 126 difference between exists to help us against enemies 139 flesh and blood does not belong into 198 ruled by Word 124, spiritual and secular
Knowledge of God 168, Korah 244, 254, 284, 308 xoopto; 273, 284, 285 Labor and godliness 324 of married life 5, 6, Last Day 60, 69, 108,
193, 358, 360 end to all enemies of Christ 129 how things will be on 197, 199, 206 no comfort for nonChristian 114, 115, those still living on Law disagreement over use
233, 234, 236 leads to acknowledg¬ ment of sin 227 misuse of 232, 233 our enemy 135, 136 the sharpness or power of sin 207, 208, 209 teachers of 228 understanding of 229,
Laws divorce 31, 32 for the wicked 318 Laying on of hands 250, Leisure 335, 336, 345, Letters, by Pliny 294 Letters of recommenda¬ tion 298
Life and Adam 192, 194, Beginner of 121, 122 and bread 142, 143 death 132, 133 despising of 52 full of misery and suf¬ fering 30, 103, 104,
105, 106, 123 long 106, 107 in midst of death 155, 156, 157 natural, physical 189, 192, 193, 194, 196 nothing more precious on earth than 146 present distress 48, 49 spiritual 190, 192, 193, after this one 5, 107,
197; see also Eter¬ nal life two kinds of 192 Listening, to other doc¬ trine 66, 67, 68 Lives, by Plutarch 300 Lives of the Fathers 291,
Lives of the Saints 29 Lombard, Peter 85, 223 Lord's Prayer meditating on 324 prayed over food 319 preaching on 66 in public prayer 271
Lord's Supper modesty of woman's dress at 274, 275 Real Presence in 244, Love 16, 42, 47 aim of charge 225, 226 first fruit of 256, 257 of hateful 328
LUTHER'S WORKS and lust 372, 373 is without suspicion Luther, Martin 21, 24 Against the Perverters and Falsifiers of the Avoiding the Doctrines of Men 309
Confession Concerning The 33 experience as monk Freedom of a Chris¬ tian, The 42 Herr, nun lassest du deinen Diener 110 and imperial order on publishing 56
Lectures on Galatians "To the Leipzig Goat"
Psalm 118. Confiitemini 175 Sermons on the Cate¬ chism 165 Luther's works on Biblical books viii Sdmmtliche Schriften 309 editions vii in English vii Reformation writings viii Luther's Works xi, 3, 24,
Man from clod of dirt 194 creature and work of God 25 not created that he should sin and die Manners 332, 333, 340 Marriage ix, x, 3, 5 better than burning
27, 28, 29, 30 of bishops 22, 23 commanded 9, 16 compared to virginity conscience and ques¬ tion of 41 entered into from curi¬ osity 52 evil days of 12, 15, 50 an exercise of faith in God 18, 19, 20 faith and 16, 17, 18, forbidden 312, 315 giving daughters in 54 good conscience in 11 instituted by God 6,
19, 24, 79 laws concerning 31, 32, 37 as medicine 26, 27 mixed, children of 35 obligations of 13, 14 an outward physical thing 33 reasons for 27 second 342 used as pretext 343 will no longer exist in life to come 124,
Mass 241, 243, 312, 315 Matrimony 31 to avoid fornication 9 book against 6 conjugal rights of 13, 14, 16 and divided interests
52, 53 labor and trouble of 5, 6, 11, 16, 18, 20, 27, most religious state of all 17, 18 and priesthood 24, 25 Scripture stretched against 78, 79 two views of 5
Mediator 263, 264, 266 Melanchthon, Philipp x, Mercy bishop in need of 219 experienced by Paul 243, 244, 248 pure heart clings to 225, 226 understood as blessing
Metamorphoses, by Ovid Mockers, 157, 158, 159, Moderation 13, 14, 15 Monasteries 3, 10, 28, Monk 40, 41, 53, 113, 114, 116, 197, 357 angelic humility of false conscience of 311 impure heart of 227 serve only themselves and vice of singularity
Moses believed article of resurrection 98 and commandment to marry 9 and draft of newly married man 12 permitted divorce 31 refused ministry six times 282
Miintzcr, Thomas 229, Mystery 296, 297, 303, Myths of Enthusiasts 221, Judaic 345 womanish 321 Naaman the Syrian 364 Natural body 189, 191,
Nature not comprehended by reason 201 perishable and mortal Necessity, of marriage Ninety-five Theses 293 Non-Christian and article of resurrec¬ tion 114, 115 consecrated through partner 34, 35 in marriage 33, 34, 35,
38, 39, 40 and sighing 119 Novice 289, 290, 320, Novum Instrumentum, by Erasmus 22 Nun 16, 17, 40, 41, 336, Nunneries 10, 28, 49,
Obedience 337, 338, 361 Oecolampadius, Johan¬ nes 244, 365, 366, Og and King Sihon 235 Old men 232, 333, 350 women 333 Opus adversus nova quaedam et a Chris¬ tiana religione prorsus aliena dogmata
Orders 17, 18, 19, 20, Ordination 250, 251, 354 Papists prayer for 259 stuck in works 236 teach otherwise 364 Parents children to comform lives to words of consent of 55 father 92 and rearing of children
Paris, University of 366 Passion, burning with Pastor 91, 92 by the grace of God office of, despised by people 84 Patrologia, Series Latina
Pattern of teaching 221 Paul and apostles 90, 91 commissioned directly by Christ 82, 83, 88 conversion of 83, 88 exceptional example of 241, 242, 245 excursus on his office
89, 93 fond of emphasizing article of resurrec¬ tion 107, 118 foremost of all sinners "I die every day" 154 in peril every hour
152, 153 reproached for small figure, voice, and pronunciation 85, 89, 94 thorn in flesh 380 thrown to wild beasts 156, 157 widower 21, 22, 23, 24 and wife 21, 22
Peace between spouses 38, 39, 40 of the Crucified 220 granted by devil 106 in the world 257, 259 Peasant revolt 259 story of, and extreme unction 62
Peril of death 157 salvation from 261 and suffering of apos¬ tles 152, 153 Persecution 49 of church by Paul 83, 84, 85, 86, 88 for faith 101 by government 129 in Rome 156 by world 153
Philip, evangelist 277 Philip IV, the Fair, king of France 364 Pilate 210, 340, 358, 377 Poison and pestilence Pope collect for 259 decrees of 223, 366 false doctrine of, prophesied 308, 364 forbids food 315, 316 forbids marriage 312
Possessions 133, 134, Power, 127, 128, 202, Prayer for all men 262, 263, 270, 271 day and night 335 fasting and 14, 15, 257, 258 hindrance to 272, 273,
271, 272 for pastors who adhere to Word 62, 63 and the unmarried 53 Preachers 62 can lead a multitude to destruction 67 seditious 286, 287 suffer peril at hands of world 153 worthy of double hon¬ or 348, 349
Preaching 100, 101 always the same mes¬ sage 66 about Baptism 66 on Creed 66 in a human form, in accord with reason 68, 69 not introduced to gov¬ ern people 101 two kinds of 330 of Word with cer¬ tainty 269, 270
Pride 21, 87 in Christ 154 of country people 340 of novice 291 of the rich 378 Priest marriage of 22, 23, 24, Prior Analytics, by Aris¬ totle 261
Privata resurrectio 122 Probare negatum per negatum 94 Progress, in doctrine 66 Promise, of godliness Proof, of resurrection 94,
Prophecies 250, 251, 330 Proverbs 29 concerning married state 5, 11, 12 Public office 256, 257, Pulpit 62, 63, 101, 103,
Pure doctrine 62, 255 to become sated with Pure heart 225, 226, 227 Questions, endless 223 Qui mortem metuit, quod vivit, perdit id ipsum 104
Ratisbon meetings 257 Reason 59, 63, 69, 70, Baptism and specula¬ tion of 70 cannot cope with ar¬ ticle of faith 69, 70,
169, 201 death viewed by 69, 70, 80 judges by what it sees and feels 69, 70, 107 matrimony viewed by 78, 79 preaching in accord with 68, 69 resurrection viewed by 184, 185 and Scripture 77
Rebuke 332, 333, 336, Reconciliation, of spouses 31, 32, 33, Redemption 264 principal theme 270, 308, 309, 319, 376 and testimony 267,
Reducere per decluctionem ad impossibile 95, 100 Refutation of the Lu¬ theran Wedding Regulae morales, by Gerson 355 Religion mystery of 303, 304,
Religious 17, 18, 19, 20 Resurrection 59, 60, 69, 71, 72, 93 appears preposterous Baptism and 147, 148 basis for article on 75, believed by Adam and fathers 163 body and 59, 100, 168 of Christ, sermon on 75, 76 creation not changed in 171, 172 of damned 198 denial of 94, 95, 96,
98, 99, 253 does not bring joy to the world 114, 115 of flesh 150, 168, 196 as having already taken place 167, 168, 193 initiated by Christ
111, 114 as pertaining only to soul 168, 169, 198 as putting on new gar¬ ment 202, 203 ridicule of 170, 171 of several saints 121,
122, 123, 133 viewed as having al¬ ready begun in 132, 133 and village mayor 102 witnesses of 76 Reverence toward the old 332 of slave toward master
Ridicule of article of faith 59, 157, 158, 170 of Paul's past life 88, Righteousness in Law 83 placed in celibacy 231, 312 virtue of 372
Rule 127, 128, 141, 143 over body 13, 14, 46 eternal, with Christ 60 spiritual, of Christ Sacrament 60, 62, 81, 124, 125 disdained by blind spirits 67 of marriage 24, 25 and speculation of rea¬ son 70, 167 stretching Scripture with regard to 78
Word taken away from 384 Sadness, battle of faith against fear and Saints 121, 122, 123, Salvation corporal and spiritual
325, 326 general 261, 262 temporal and eternal Satan battle of faith against 373, 374 cannot endure any¬ thing good 350, 351, cleverness of 220, 373 corrupts statements of Scripture 219, 250 deliverance to 254 and devil 291 fall of 291 wants to add to reli¬ gion 303
Satiety 64, 66, 165, 167 "The greater one's pi¬ ety, the earlier one's death" 106
"Out of the abundance of the heart" 202
Schmid, Johann, of Con¬ stance 5, 6 Scotus, Duns, funda¬ mentals of 223 Scripture articles of faith proved from 75, 80 LUTHER'S WORKS battle over correct use of 230 and experience 75, 76,
77, 80, 81 forgiveness of sin cred¬ ited to 268 is more than the think¬ ing, feeling, experi¬ encing of men 72 language of 189, 208 misinterpretation of 79, 167, 198, 382 newcomer in 290 public reading of 329 resurrection revealed in 96, 97 speaks of spiritual resurrection 168 stretching of, with re¬ gard to Baptism 78 testimony of, extolled by Paul 76, 77 unrestricted printing and sale of 56
Secular 17, 31, 92, 123, Security 61, 62, 105, Sedition 308, 309, 362 Seduction away from Gospel 67 of false apostles 75
Seed 173, 174, 175, 176, Senses 98, 99, 107, 111, Sentences, by Peter Lom¬ bard 85, 223 put works in place of grace 236 Separation of bride and bride¬ groom 14 of sexes 10, 271 of spouses 31, 32, 33
Septemhertestament 149 Servants 236, 361, 362, Seven deadly sins 340 Shipwreck 253, 254, 366 Simeon atop a pillar 29 Christian comes into life through and from 118 of doubt 99 holding to Word in face of 69, 70, 71 and Law our enemies
135, 136 no remission of, if 102, 103 of one man 115, 116, 117, 120 public censure of 351, 352, 355 secret 358 state of 46, 47 the sting or spear of death 206, 207, 210
Singularity, vice of 221 Slanderer 291, 292, 293, Slave 42, 43, 44, 45, 55, Slavery 46 of body 363 of Christian 236 kidnappers 237
Sophists, glosses of 241 Soul already in heaven with Christ 110, 133 body not to be dis¬ tinguished from 192 189, 191 resurrection of 168,
193, 198 united with body in resurrection 69, 135, Sowing 185, 186, 187, Speculation empty thoughts and 381, 382 of Enthusiasts 223,
224, 252, 254, 304 of newcomers in Scrip¬ ture 290 of reason, and Bap¬ tism 70, 269 Spirits, deceitful 309, 314 Spiritual body 189, 190,
Spiritual consequences Spirituality 19, 94 excessive 15 Stephen 242, 258, 295 Strengthening 239, 240 Suffering 11, 29, 30, 50,
106, 123, 325, 374 from hand of devil 108 and peril of apostles 152, 153 secret, of chastity 11, Sun 184, 185, 190, 195 illumines all men 262,
Supplication 257, 335 Teacher(s) 60 bishop as 285, 286, 327, 328 bold at another's risk of the Law 228 no end to criticism of 84, 85 recent converts as 289,
Teachings with appearance of pi¬ ety 228 after Baptism 101 concern of, how we may get from this to yonder life 101 devotion to 331 of men 44, 45
Temptation 10, 12, 13, 135, 373, 374, to disbelieve article of faith 61, 70, 71 a snare 371 to take counsel with reason 77
Ten Commandments, preaching on 66 Terrestrial bodies 184, Terrors of conscience Testimony 267, 268, 269 Testing 290, 297, 298
Thais, by Menander 161 Thanksgiving 316, 317 Thievery 13, 237, 238 Thoughts of death and God's judgment 104, 105 mixed with Scripture
191, 196, 202 of shameless things 10 Tischreden, by Luther Titus, lectures on 228, Training 321, 322, 336, of children 279, 280,
Transformation 182, 200, Treasure our glory in Christ 137, 191 greatest, Christ 115 hidden 125 like a mystery 297 Treasury, common 285,
Tribulation 248 of childbearing 279 Truth, of doctrine and life 302, 303 Turk, 97, 117, 130, 154, Twelve disciples, wit¬ nesses of entire life of Christ 76
Two natures of Christ Unbeliever arguing with 94, 95 and eternal torment and resurrection 102 as spouse 33, 34, 36 Understanding 228, 229 young in 290
Universal proposition Unmarried 47, 48, 49, 50, 52, 53 shame of 54 Use 34, 35, 230, 231, Victory already present 206 gained by Christ 202, through our Lord
Vigilance 165, 166, 167 against own brethren Virgin 48, 49 crown of 48, 54 happiness of 11 in monastery 312 Virginity 15, 16, 48, 49
Virtues, catalog of 372 Vita S. Pauli primi eremitae, by Jerome Vow 43 of chastity 9, 10, 17 of preserving widow¬ hood 344
Vulgate 66, 164, 218, Wants, bodily 142, 143, Warning 61, 63, 131 to differentiate among pastors 91 by example 159, 160 to keep doctrine pure not to feel smug 220 not to listen to what reason has to say 79, of punishment already initiated 145 to retain Word preached 67, 68
Water, and Anabaptists Weakness of anger and hatred 32 body sown in 187, 188 of Hesh 14 Wedding adornment for spouse 274, 275, 276, 341 of Hans Loser 3
Weimar edition 5, 7 editor 17, 19, 20, 39, 44, 227, 328 text 5, 19, 20, 75, 277, Whoremonger 6, 23, 315 Widow(s) children of 334, 335 three kinds of 334, 336 who have homes 334,
335, 336 without kin 335, 336 young 336, 337, 341, Widower 21, 22, 339 advice to stay single Widowhood 15, 21 and apostle's advice 31
Wife 5, 11, 12 of apostle Paul 21, 22 being possessed by 52 conjugal rights of 13 of deacon 298, 299 of one husband 338 in the resurrection 59 should not teach in public 276, 277 troublesome 50, 51
Wine 286, 296, 299, 313, Wisdom belongs to old age 294 of Hesh and blood 197 of God 249, 250 and knowledge 317, ours and God's 117 of pagan reason 190 taken to school by its children 84
Witnesses apostles, faithful 102 false 102 two or three 350, 351, Wolfenbiittel manuscript Woman abstinence from 10, 11, 317 created specifically for marriage 5, 6, 7, 79 equal to man before God 44 instigators of Trojan
War 321 man nobler than 16, must be serious 298 proper dress of 274, 275, 276, 298 public office and au¬ thority taken from 276, 277 and public prayer 271,
272, 273, 274 from rib of Adam 194 saved by bearing chil¬ dren 279,280 subject to man 51, 276 talkative 298, 299, 345 touching of 10, 11, 12, weak vessel and fra¬ gile 51, 298
Word of God being awake in 166 clinging to 163, 164 correctly divided 246 like a mother's lap 74 nothing higher or more inward than 19 only source of knowl¬ edge of God 169 only weapon against devil 217 physical, written, poured into letters
76, 77 power and might of preaching, hearing, and reading of 166 preserving purity of 376, 377, 384 and reason 69, 70, 76,
79, 100 redemption enclosed in on side of marriage 6, unadulterated 61, 62 and unmarried man 53 world despises 144, Work in marriage 20 of our hands 324 of Paul 89, 90 in the Word 349 for young widows 346
Works 81, 82, 113, 115, 119, 173 again reestablished do not justify 234 of one's own calling World believes in merit 117 can take nothing with it 135, 136, 137 dealings with 52 full of broken mar¬ riages 38 has accepted Gospel loath to relinquish this life 114 our enemy, to be de¬ stroyed by fire 135 puts money above
Gospel 106 relies on money and goods 111,145 troubles of 51 and view of marriage 5, 11, 12, 50 wisdom of 71, 97 Wrath 70, 103, 104, 107,
135, 136, 140 examples of 245, 246 and God's Law 209 no joke 264 when God no longer grants desire for Wycliffe, John 242, 267
Yellow, about the beak Youth 3 and bad company 160 how to rebuke 333 outward chastity forced on 10, 11 and respect for elders
Zwingli, Ulrich 228, 229, INDEX TO SCRIPTURE PASSAGES 7 — ix, 3, 7, 14, 56, MARYGROUE COLLEGE LIBRARY