It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set His love upon you and chose you.
Deuteronomy 7:7
Dr. Martin Luther continues with his running commentary on this great book Deuteronomy. He writes concerning Moses:
See what a careful expositor of the First Commandment Moses is.
Above he had taught the true worship of God in faith, fear, and love of the Spirit; here he has come to the outward work.
But first he issues a salutary warning, lest they complete in the flesh what they had begun in the Spirit, and be puffed up by their own work. Then, when the godless and the idols were outwardly destroyed, they would themselves become more godless and would set up worse idols in the heart, namely, trust and glory in the deed (as the flesh is wont); and thus a beautiful work would cause them to sin more gravely against the First Commandment than the very Gentiles whom they had slain.
So he keeps them at the rightful use of the Law by wholly removing boasting and trust in works, and he calls them to trust in grace alone, saying: “Not because all the nations, etc.” as though he were saying: “The fact that God uses your sword does not happen because He needs your power or because He cannot do it without you, since you are very few in number. The glory of the work is not yours, but His, who by using your small number destroys such a great multitude. Otherwise, if He had wanted to conquer with a multitude, He would not have chosen you but other peoples who are much more numerous than you.”
What, then, is left in this work about which you can boast? Nothing of yours; but “because the Lord [he says] chose you and kept His oath, etc.” (v. 8). You see that nothing is held out to human trust in any work but the undeserved love of God, by which He is moved to approach us with His Word and promise even before we are born. It is out of the question that He should requite anything after we are born or begin to serve Him.
And this is the pure and unalloyed meaning of the First Commandment: We should deem ourselves to be nothing as regards our merit, but to have, receive, and find power to do everything only by His mercy and love, to His glory—mercy which He first promises by His Word and then also confirms afterward by a work which He does through us, as by a sign, just as here He cites the Exodus from Egypt and the destruction of the Canaanites.
LW 9 Pg.84-85
He continues in verse 17 and 22: If you say in your heart: These nations are greater, etc.
Moses takes away another occasion for transgressing the First Commandment, namely, mistrust, which arises from the weakness and infirmity of our power, if it is compared with the work and the Commandment. That is how those spies sinned who frightened the people away from entering the land, which they claimed contained giants, called the Anakim, and walled cities, as we saw above.
But here Moses teaches again how the Commandments of God are to be kept, namely, not by our powers but by the divine strength that is promised to us. With one word he quenches at the same time both the trust and the presumption of our power and the mistrust and the despair of our infirmity—presumption by this, that he shows that greater things are commanded than we can do, so that here he admits that the Gentiles whom He commands to destroy are more numerous and powerful than Israel, their destroyer; despair by this, that through them the Lord will do everything He commands them.
If, therefore, the Children of Israel had looked at their strength and compared it with the strength of the Gentiles who were to be destroyed, they would have despaired completely and paid no attention to the commandment of God. Now, however, that they may carry out everything by faith, He will promise that God will stand by.
To the promise He adds the example of His previous mercy, by which He freed them from the hands of Pharaoh and the Egyptians, in order to hearten them by word and deed to the faith by which they would destroy the Gentiles at the command of God. Hence He also declares with a new promise that He will send hornets, that you may see how much is involved in the strengthening of faith.
For through faith God is served; through faith the commands of God are fulfilled; through faith we deserve having the divine power stay by us in all our works, as Christ rightly said (Mark 9:23): “To him who believes all things are possible.”
LW 9 Pg.86-87
And he comes to a wonderful conclussion in verse 22:
How persuasively and paternally He invites them to faith!
He anticipates even their future weak thoughts of faith, so that when the promises of God begin to be fulfilled—because the Gentiles have, in large part, been destroyed, and others are left—they should not constantly imagine that they are forsaken or deceived by the promise.
Everything is happening for their good, to enable them to take over the land more firmly and fully and to prevent them from being forced to bear even crueler beasts in place of the godless people who were destroyed. But this very postponement is given also for the converting of the Gentiles, that those who wish may come to their senses.
Grant us Your Spirit of Truth and Peace, that we may understand Your holy Will and follow Your Directions and trust Your Promises from the bottom of our heart all our life.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit – one God – now + forever.
Amen
Once when Jesus was praying by himself, and his disciples were nearby, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” They answered, “John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others that one of the prophets of long ago has risen.” Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “The Christ of God.” But he forcefully commanded them not to tell this to anyone, saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and experts in the law, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”
Then he said to them all, “If anyone wants to become my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will save it. For what does it benefit a person if he gains the whole world but loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
Gospel of St. Luke 9:18-26
1 Jesus, lead Thou on Till our rest is won; And although the way be cheerless, We will follow calm and fearless. Guide us by Thy hand To our fatherland.
2 If the way be drear, If the foe be near, Let not faithless fears o’ertake us; Let not faith and hope forsake us; For through many a woe To our home we go.
3 When we seek relief From a long-felt grief, When temptations come alluring, Make us patient and enduring. Show us that bright shore Where we weep no more.
4 Jesus, lead Thou on Till our rest is won. Heav’nly leader, still direct us, Still support, console, protect us, Till we safely stand In our fatherland.
The Benedictine abbey Wimmelburg – just north of Lutherstadt Eisleben and south of Mansfeld – founded just after the turn of the 1st Millennium was dedicated to the legendary martyr St. Cyriacus, who is one of the 14 Holy Helpers. Traditionally he is venerated as a patron saint against evil Spirits and supposedly healed those possessed by demons. That is why this site was frequented by pilgrims even in Luther´s time – especially those suffering from epilepsy. It is said, that the hillsides were populated by campers and salvation seekers.
Luther first knew about this abbey, because his father operated 2 smelters in the valley of the “Böse Sieben”. They were called “Lutherhalden im Goldgrund” (1508-9). However, later he fought the abuse of the silver bells of St.Cyriacus („Cyriacusglöcklein“) in his sermons as no good and devilry. Whereas in early days the abbey was strictly adherent to the reforms of Hirsau, superstition, exorbitance and secularization took over. The abbey fell into serious disrepute – also because the monks plainly misused the gullibility of pilgrims, collecting money from the visitors before ringing the illustrious bells – very much like the wholesale business with indulgences. As you can see from the videos – this malpractice still goes on in catholic areas. The bells have the dates 2018 etc. imprinted on them.
These bells are not really made of silver as that doesn´t have a good ring to it. However in German we talk of a “silvery sound” of a bell – which is clear and with a high pitch, but also indicating small hand-bells, which were rung by monks begging for alms.
In 1525 the abbey was sacked by peasants on riot, but the buildings were only largely destroyed in a big fire in the winter of 1680. During this fire the bells melted only to be replaced a short while later, which bears the handwritten date 1680 and has a diameter of 760mm. Just the severely damaged church walls were spared in this fire to remain standing even just so. Since reformation times it was now a humble Lutheran parish church. Instead of propaganda of proposed healing by the ringing of silver bells, the newfound gospel was proclaimed as saving message from the pulpit, which featured an original illustration of the reformer Martin Luther – as bearer of truly good tidings.
That Jesus Christ, our God and Lord, died for our sins, and was raised again for our justification, Rom. 4:25.
And He alone is the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world, John 1:29; and God has laid upon Him the iniquities of us all, Is. 53:6.
Likewise: All have sinned and are justified without merit [freely, and without their own works or merits] by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, in His blood, Rom. 3:23f
Now, since it is necessary to believe this, and it cannot be otherwise acquired or apprehended by any work, law, or merit, it is clear and certain that this faith alone justifies us as St. Paul says, Rom. 3:28: For we conclude that a man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the Law. Likewise 3:26: That He might be just, and the Justifier of him which believeth in Christ.
Of this article nothing can be yielded or surrendered [nor can anything be granted or permitted contrary to the same], even though heaven and earth, and whatever will not abide, should sink to ruin. For there is none other name under heaven, given among men whereby we must be saved, says Peter, Acts 4:12. And with His stripes we are healed, Is. 53:5. And upon this article all things depend which we teach and practice in opposition to the Pope, the devil, and the [whole] world. Therefore, we must be sure concerning this doctrine, and not doubt; for otherwise all is lost, and the Pope and devil and all things gain the victory and suit over us.
Smalcald Articles II,1
And then also negatively in opposition to abuse and idolotary as in the veneration and invocation of saints:
The invocation of saints is also one of the abuses of Antichrist conflicting with the chief article, and destroys the knowledge of Christ. Neither is it commanded nor counseled, nor has it any example [or testimony] in Scripture, and even though it were a precious thing, as it is not [while, on the contrary, it is a most harmful thing], in Christ we have everything a thousandfold better [and surer, so that we are not in need of calling upon the saints].
And although the angels in heaven pray for us (as Christ Himself also does), as also do the saints on earth, and perhaps also in heaven, yet it does not follow thence that we should invoke and adore the angels and saints, and fast, hold festivals, celebrate Mass in their honor, make offerings, and establish churches, altars, divine worship, and in still other ways serve them, and regard them as helpers in need [as patrons and intercessors], and divide among them all kinds of help, and ascribe to each one a particular form of assistance, as the Papists teach and do. For this is idolatry, and such honor belongs alone to God.
For as a Christian and saint upon earth you can pray for me, not only in one, but in many necessities. But for this reason I am not obliged to adore and invoke you, and celebrate festivals, fast, make oblations, hold masses for your honor [and worship], and put my faith in you for my salvation. I can in other ways indeed honor, love, and thank you in Christ. If now such idolatrous honor were withdrawn from angels and departed saints, the remaining honor would be without harm and would quickly be forgotten. For when advantage and assistance, both bodily and spiritual, are no more to be expected, the saints will not be troubled [the worship of the saints will soon vanish], neither in their graves nor in heaven. For without a reward or out of pure love no one will much remember, or esteem, or honor them [bestow on them divine honor].
Together with the Augsburg Confession we and all faithful Christians believe and confess concerning the Worship of Saints positively:
that the memory of saints may be set before us, that we may follow their faith and good works, according to our calling, as the Emperor may follow the example of David in making war to drive away the Turk from his country. For both are kings. But the Scripture teaches not the invocation of saints or to ask help of saints, since it sets before us the one Christ as the Mediator, Propitiation, High Priest, and Intercessor. He is to be prayed to, and has promised that He will hear our prayer; and this worship He approves above all, to wit, that in all afflictions He be called upon, 1 John 2:1: 4] If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, etc.
Augsburg Confession XXI
And in the Apology of this Confession and against the roman catholic Confutation we emphasize with the faithful Church in this matter, that they have it wrong and that we do indeed honor the saints, because
our Confession approves honors to the saints. For here a threefold honor is to be approved. The first is thanksgiving. For we ought to give thanks to God because He has shown examples of mercy; because He has shown that He wishes to save men; because He has given teachers or other gifts to the Church. And these gifts, as they are the greatest, should be amplified, and the saints themselves should be praised, who have faithfully used these gifts, just as Christ praises faithful business-men, Matt. 25:21, The second service is the strengthening of our faith; when we see the denial forgiven Peter, we also are encouraged to believe the more that grace truly superabounds over sin, Rom. 5:20. The third honor is the imitation, first, of faith, then of the other virtues, which everyone should imitate according to his calling. These true honors the adversaries do not require. They dispute only concerning invocation, which, even though it would have no danger, nevertheless is not necessary…
Again, the adversaries not only require invocation in the worship of the saints, but also apply the merits of the saints to others, and make of the saints not only intercessors, but also propitiators. This is in no way to be endured. For here the honor belonging only to Christ is altogether transferred to the saints. For they make them mediators and propitiators, and although they make a distinction between mediators of intercession and mediators [the Mediator] of redemption, yet they plainly make of the saints mediators of redemption. But even that they are mediators of intercession they declare without the testimony of Scripture, which, be it said ever so reverently, nevertheless obscures Christ’s office, and transfers the confidence of mercy due Christ to the saints. For men imagine that Christ is more severe and the saints more easily appeased, and they trust rather to the mercy of the saints than to the mercy of Christ, and fleeing from Christ [as from a tyrant], they seek the saints. Thus, they actually make of them mediators of redemption. Therefore, we shall show that they truly make of the saints, not only intercessors, but propitiators, i.e., mediators of redemption. Here we do not as yet recite the abuses of the common people [how manifest idolatry is practiced at pilgrimages]. We are still speaking of the opinions of the Doctors. As regards the rest, even the inexperienced [common people] can judge.
In a propitiator these two things concur. In the first place, there ought to be a word of God from which we may certainly know that God wishes to pity, and hearken to, those calling upon Him through this propitiator. There is such a promise concerning Christ, John 16:23: Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you. Concerning the saints there is no such promise. Therefore, consciences cannot be firmly confident that by the invocation of saints we are heard. This invocation, therefore, is not made from faith. Then we have also the command to call upon Christ, according to Matt. 11:28: Come unto Me, all ye that labor, etc., which certainly is said also to us. And Isaiah says, 11:10: In that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign to the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek. And Ps. 45:12: Even the rich among the people shall entreat Thy favor. And Ps. 72:11,15: Yea, all kings shall fall down before Him. And shortly after: Prayer also shall be made for Him continually. And in John 5:23 Christ says: That all men should honor the Son even as they honor the Father. And Paul, 2 Thess. 2:16-17, says, praying: Now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God, even our Father, … comfort your hearts and stablish you. (All these passages refer to Christ.] But concerning the invocation of saints, what commandment, what example can the adversaries produce from the Scriptures?
The second matter in a propitiator is, that his merits have been presented as those which make satisfaction for others, which are bestowed by divine imputation on others, in order that through these, just as by their own merits, they may be accounted righteous. As when any friend pays a debt for a friend, the debtor is freed by the merit of another, as though it were by his own. Thus, the merits of Christ are bestowed upon us, in order that, when we believe in Him, we may be accounted righteous by our confidence in Christ’s merits as though we had merits of our own.
And from both, namely, from the promise and the bestowment of merits, confidence in mercy arises [upon both parts must a Christian prayer be founded]. Such confidence in the divine promise, and likewise in the merits of Christ, ought to be brought forward when we pray. For we ought to be truly confident, both that for Christ’s sake we are heard, and that by His merits we have a reconciled Father.
… Since, therefore, the adversaries teach us to place confidence in the invocation of saints, although they have neither the Word of God nor the example of Scripture [of the Old or of the New Testament]; since they apply the merits of the saints on behalf of others, not otherwise than they apply the merits of Christ, and transfer the honor belonging only to Christ to the saints, we can receive neither their opinions concerning the worship of the saints, nor the practice of invocation. For we know that confidence is to be placed in the intercession of Christ, because this alone has God’s promise. We know that the merits of Christ alone are a propitiation for us. On account of the merits of Christ we are accounted righteous when we believe in Him, as the text says, Rom. 9:33 (cf. 1 Pet. 2:6 and Is. 28:16): Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be confounded…
Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXI
Together with the Church we laud and praise our one and only God, whom we love, trust and fear above all else that he has surrounded us with a cloud of witnesses and has made us a member of the Holy Christian church of forgiven sinners and holy saints singing out the blessed message of God´s grace and mercy into the world – like all bells should too – not just the silver ones of St. Cyriacus:
1 Saints, see the cloud of witnesses surround us; Their lives of faith encourage and astound us. Hear how the Master praised their faith so fervent: “Well done, My servant!”
2 These saints of old received God’s commendation; They lived as pilgrim-heirs of His salvation. Through faith they conquered flame and sword and gallows, God’s name to hallow.
3 They call to us, “Your timid footsteps lengthen; Throw off sin’s weight, your halting weakness strengthen. We kept the faith, we shed our blood, were martyred; Our lives we bartered.”
4 Come, let us fix our sight on Christ who suffered, He faced the cross, His sinless life He offered; He scorned the shame, He died, our death enduring, Our hope securing.
5 Lord, give us faith to walk where You are sending, On paths unmarked, eyes blind as to their ending; Not knowing where we go, but that You lead us— With grace precede us.
6 You, Jesus, You alone deserve all glory! Our lives unfold, embraced within Your story; Past, present, future—You, the same forever— You fail us never!
Moses goes on to show some other instances of godlessness against the First Commandment and moves on to discuss the outward act—all, of course, in proper sequence. Since first he has set straight the heart, the source of works, he then also sets straight the hand and the other members, teaching that they shall slay and curse the Gentiles in the land, not enter into marriages or pacts with them but cast down their altars, statues, groves, and images. In this matter, too, he follows the right order. First he commands them to destroy the makers of the images, then the images themselves, because it is useless to remove the images if their makers and proponents are left behind to worship them.
Here it must be noted that God does not decree that these nations be destroyed outright, but only if they continue to be obstinate. Otherwise peace was to be offered them, and they were to be endured if they were turned to Israel. So it happened to the Gibeonites and the harlot Rahab.1 Furthermore, He commanded this work, not because He wanted this to be a permanent obligation of His people, but because He had decreed to destroy those Gentiles completely on account of their sins, a work for which He wanted to use His people. He who overthrew Sodom without using another nation is wont at other times to punish one nation through another nation. Therefore one should not apply this literal and fleshly understanding of the First Commandment to Christians, whose business it is to kill Gentiles and cast down images with the sword of the Spirit (Eph. 6:17). For this task was assigned specifically to this nation for a time, just like everything else that is commanded to this nation, for example, the rules concerning marriage, covenants, and all outward ceremonies.
Iconoclasts in action
Here I must digress to discuss our new prophets, who boast that they are impelled by the First Commandment (even though they are not Jewish, but Christian) to destroy images by resorting to violence. They rage exceedingly here and boast that they are altogether full of the Spirit, and they accuse everyone else of sin against the First Commandment and of a breach of majesty. I, however, affirm that they are bloodthirsty, seditious, and murderous, and that they have nothing else in their mind but slaughter and murder. This I shall prove easily from this passage as follows: If they refuse to consider anything as ceremonial in the First Commandment but maintain that everything in it must be done of necessity, they will be forced by this passage to kill the whole world; for it has images even if it does not worship them. The command to kill the Gentiles is as explicit here as the command to destroy images; if they affirm the one, they must necessarily concede the other. In fact, here He commands the killing of the Gentiles first as an act more necessary than the destruction of the images.
And this is what I saw coming if their teaching were to prevail: that the common people could not be held back from bloodshed, because it would rely on this Commandment and on their teaching. Therefore I was of the opinion that they should be thrown out of the country as men who are truly bloodthirsty and seditious, men who in their whole life have nothing else to do but to shed blood. Since it is now certain that among Christians the godless should not be killed with the physical sword (and this part of the Law was temporary until Christ, but has now been done away with as merely ceremonial), it follows at the same time that there is no necessity for the images to be cast down, since they relate to the same part of the Law. Therefore no one who sees the iconoclasts raging thus against wood and stone should doubt that there is a spirit hidden in them which is death-dealing, not life-giving, and which at the first opportunity will also kill men, just as some of them have begun to teach. For they are forced to teach and act this way by logical consistency, since the Law of Moses impels them, even though some of them are crafty enough to mask this death-breathing spirit beautifully.
There is also another raging of this same spirit, namely, when they do not properly assign the execution of this law even when the law does pertain to us. For both in this book and elsewhere Moses first established the magistrates, who were to administer the laws; but these fanatical spirits refer such authority to the masses and despise the magistrates. God commanded—and not in one place only—that sins be dealt with by means of public judgment, witnesses, and sentences, which those people usurp because of their own frenzy. There is no instance on record anywhere where the masses broke down images without a leader or government, whether regular or given by God, as is to be seen in the cases of Gideon, Hezekiah, Josiah, and Ahab.
Their third frenzy is that they cast down all images altogether, while Moses gives a command concerning only those which are worshiped and in which one trusts. This is not only what the text itself indicates; but it is also the intention of the First Commandment when it says that one should make no likeness of God to be worshiped. God nowhere forbids images other than those of God, as long as they are not adored. Why, He Himself raised up and allowed the bronze serpent among that very people until it began to be worshiped. In fact, at the Jordan the Reubenites raised up an altar which the others deemed godless; but when they saw that it had been erected merely as a sign and for a memorial, not for sacrifices and worship, they left it untouched (Joshua 22:10–34). Furthermore, Lev. 26:1 plainly says that images are not to be made for the purpose of worship.
Therefore let us avoid these men of blood and not allow them to draw us into Judaism. Paul says to us (1 Cor. 8:4): “We know that an idol is nothing in the world,” and all those external things are free, even if they are images assigned to some divine worship. Let us remove such external things through the Word or do away with them with the common consent of the government and of those under whose power they are. Those things, however, which we have only for a sign and memorial, let us have freely, so that we ourselves do not finally also succumb to the spirit of bloodshed and sedition by allowing liberty to be turned into necessity. These frenzied people might somehow be tolerable if they only destroyed images and did not also bind conscience by calling this a necessary work, put us under the wrath of the Law, and robbed us of freedom. But since one must now affirm the liberty given by God, let us tell them that Moses in no wise pertains to us in all his laws, but only to the Jews, except where he agrees with the natural law, which, as Paul teaches, is written in the hearts of the Gentiles (Rom. 2:15). Whatever is not written there we should include among the ceremonies that were necessary for the people of Moses but free for us, as also the Sabbath is, as Paul (Col. 2:16)7 and the last chapter of Isaiah (66:23) bear witness.
One wonders, however, why those enemies of images are so pious and mild toward the images engraved on gold and silver coins, likewise on silver vessels. Why do they love these images so much and not even burn them or throw them away? Or do we perceive here the mischief of Satan ruling in their hearts by means of the height of greed and the height of insanity? Furthermore, why do they not also rend their hearts, since they cannot be without an image whenever they either hear the preaching of Christ crucified or think about Him or other saints? Or is a picture before our own eyes outside us more damaging than that which is in the heart inside us? It is a frenzy and insanity, by which they seek nothing but the reputation of performing an outstanding deed. For us it is enough to know that “an idol is nothing in the world.” If it is nothing, it will do no harm whether it stands or falls.
Of course, I do not love images very much either, and I would prefer not to have them set up in places of worship. I make this judgment not only because I see that they are worshiped—which I think happens rather seldom—but because trust in a work is expressed in their price and beauty, as though by that work something of a devotion were offered to God, while meantime the cost is wasted, and everything which is directed toward them could be directed to better purposes for the need of the brethren. Otherwise I cannot condemn images of graceful design in a private home. But since others have raised this issue, the maniacal prophets see that they shall achieve no glory in it; for they concoct a necessity of Law against the freedom of the Spirit, and this can by no means be endured.
Grant us Your Spirit of Truth and Peace, that we may understand Your holy Will and follow Your Directions and trust Your Promises from the bottom of our heart all our life.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit – one God – now + forever.
Amen
Now the Spirit explicitly says that in the later times some will desert the faith and occupy themselves with deceiving spirits and demonic teachings, influenced by the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared. They will prohibit marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For every creation of God is good and no food is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving. For it is sanctified by God’s word and by prayer.
St. Paul in the first epistle to St. Timothy in the 4th chapter verses 1-5
1 Now thank we all our God with heart and hands and voices, who wondrous things has done, in whom his world rejoices; who from our mothers’ arms has blessed us on our way with countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.
2 O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us, with ever joyful hearts and blessed peace to cheer us, to keep us in his grace, and guide us when perplexed, and free us from all ills of this world in the next.
3 All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given, the Son and Spirit blest, who reign in highest heaven the one eternal God, whom heaven and earth adore; for thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore.
In Luther´s time, democracy was far off. Germany was at best a vague idea and not even the language was anywhere near to being uniform in the various landscapes north of the Alps. He was always a citizen of electoral Saxony and had three different rulers in this time.
First off was elector Frederick III – called the Wise (1463-1525) – got the Reformation off to a good if somewhat hesitant start despite Worms and Luther´s subsequent banishment to and exile on the Wartburg. Even when Luther was far too confrontational in his theological dealings and maneuvers for Frederick´s liking, he never withdrew his hesitant support. He remained the ever cautious diplomat and wise politician. The two men never got to meet each other personally and most business was negotiated between them by the faithful Georg Spalatin.
When the bachelor duke died in May 1525 he was succeeded by his younger brother Johann the Constant (1468-1532). He took over the reign of the electoral duchy Saxony. He was in frequent contact with Luther and actively promoted the reformation – even through and past the crucial Augsburg diet of 1530.
Luther often expressed a positive opinion about John, especially for his behavior at the Diet of Augsburg in 1530, he praised him very much: “I am sure that the Elector Johann of Saxony had the Holy Spirit. In Augsburg he proved this admirably by his confession. John said, ‘Tell my scholars that they are doing what is right, praise and honor God, and take no regard for me or my country.'”
John the steadfast and his first wife Sophie von Mecklenburg
It was a blow for the reformation, when he passed away in 1532, as Luther feared the worst. He was skeptical, whether the duke´s son Johann Friedrich – the benevolent – would live up to the wisdom and steadfastness of his predecessors. This was partly due to his more extravagant lifestyle and somewhat excessive alcohol consumption. However, Luther´s fears were mostly dispelled as the young man promoted the reformation faithfully – and finally even paid for this support with his freedom and post – but that is another story, which only ends after Luther´s death in 1546.
Johann Friedrich I and his wife Sybille of Cleve
During, but especially after the peasant uprising Luther was blamed of being a “Fürstendiener” – lackey of the nobility – and going far too harshly against their peasant subjects. However, that isshortsighted. Luther took his role as “German prophet” seriously – and therefore saw his first and main obligation towards preaching, teaching and applying God´s Word faithfully to those, who were entrusted to his pastoral care. That´s why he was responsible to preach both Law and gospel to all those under his pulpit or sat across his desk or in his audience – virtually and literally, orally or in writing. He would often challenge his lordship with politically controversial issues, which sometimes had far-reaching consequences. Luther´s polemics against indulgences, relics deprived his rulers of considerable income and caused a crash in their acquired stocks. His drive to clean out the monasteries and have pastors marry left many of the clergy in poor straits as they had lost the traditional income via the cloisters and had additional responsibilities to growing families and parsonages. Here Luther also addressed his duke directly in writing, pleading for his brothers, that they would be supported financially in their new roles. But Luther was a serious pickle for the duke – as both Pope and emperor were his outspoken opponents, he was politically outlawed and under ecclesial ban. Despite these burdens the Ernestine line of the electoral Dukes of the House Wettin stuck to “their” man – kept him safe and sorted – and even had an open ear for his requests and admonitions – at least to some degree.
Luther reflected on the complicated relationship between rulers and subjects, kings and prophets, but also on that between clergy and politicians. His initial reflections on Psalm 101 go a long way to reflect this:
This psalm is one of those which praise and thank God for the secular authorities, as is also done in Psalms 127 and 128 and in many others. Together with other psalms, this one has always been sung in the church by the clergy, who claimed that they alone were the church and the holy, favored people of God. But they did not realize or consider at all that in these psalms they were praising the very group with their mouth which they daily treated with utter contempt and practically trampled under their feet. Had they understood these psalms, I really think they would have omitted them and would never have sung them. It certainly makes no sense for these holy people to praise and commend the secular authorities publicly in the church.1 In comparison with their position they have treated these authorities with contempt, and that for the sole reason that they would have liked to see themselves alone be masters on earth and all other leaders become monks. And in this they have truly succeeded, to such an extent that fifty per cent or more of the secular leaders have forgotten their own duties and have occupied themselves with the church and with Masses, while the clergy have in the same measure given up their priestly duties and have busied themselves with hunting, waging war, and such utterly secular affairs. Still God permitted this psalm and others like it to be sung by their mouths, even as he spoke to Balaam through the donkey, although the stupid prophet was unable to understand it (Num. 22:28).
This psalm, however, is directed especially against those schismatic spirits who put on a front of great holiness by condemnemning housekeeping, the estate of marriage, and other high and low positions on earth.2 For it instructs and comforts the people who occupy these positions and must occupy them; it bids them not to run away and forsake everything. It has a particular lesson for those high ranks in which one must maintain a court and court personnel. Therefore David, who was a king and had to keep servants at his court, cites himself as an example of the way a pious king or prince should treat his personnel. And though I myself am inexperienced at court and know very little about the treachery and deceit that prevail there,3 still, on the basis of much that I have heard and gathered from others, and with the assistance of the historical records, I will try to understand and interpret the words of the psalm as clearly as possible and to the best of my ability.
After explaining what it means to love the one and only God – Father, Son and Holy Ghost – above all else and that with all Your heart, soul and might always and everywhere … Dr. Martin Luther continues to paraphrase the holy prophet Moses´s in Deuteronomy in the 6th chapter about our faith in God and that we should not tempt God. He writes:
You shall not have other Gods. What does this mean? We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things.
As in the preceding passage he taught the fear of the Lord—that in prosperity we should do what is right, lest we be complacent—so in this statement he teaches us to endure adversity properly, to be secure, safe, and sure that we are in the care of God, who does not leave us, but is close at hand in all our needs. This the unbelieving and godless do not do, for they cling to things.
God is, however, tempted in two ways.
The first way is not to use the necessary things that are at hand but to seek others, which are not at hand. So Satan tempted Christ, commanding Him to cast Himself from the pinnacle of the temple, although there were steps by which He could walk down. So he would tempt God who would refuse to use clothing in cold weather but would expect a sign from heaven to keep him from freezing. Just so the Jews despised the signs at hand and sought another one from heaven (Luke 11:16). So he tempts God who snores and does not want to work, taking for granted that he must be sustained by God without work, although God has promised to provide for him through his work, as Prov. 10:4 says: “The hands of the busy prepare wealth, but the slack hand will hunger.” This vulgar celibacy is like that too. God takes care of sin and the infirmity of the flesh by making a woman and joining her to the man, but foolish men leave her aside and presumptuously attempt continence by a heavenly miracle. It was said earlier too that under the surface sign of things at hand God shows His works and wants us to use them but not to trust in them. For while it is true that the busy hand produces riches, nevertheless what Solomon also said is true, that only the blessing of the Lord makes wealthy men, namely, through the busy hand (Prov. 10:22). For if the busy hand were to be hindered by force, the blessing of the Lord would still enrich. So through the sword He alone gives safety. Nevertheless, the safety of a man is empty, and “my sword [he says] will not save” (Ps. 44:6). But God will save through the sword if it is at hand, and without the sword if it is not available. Hence one must use things, but one must not trust in them. Only in God should one trust, whether that which you may use is at hand or lacking.
Secondly, God is tempted when nothing needed is at hand except the bare and lone Word of God. Of this temptation Moses is really speaking here when he adds: “Just as you tempted in Massah,” where they said quarrelsomely (Ex. 17:2, 7): “Is God among us or not?” For here the godless are not content with the Word; and unless God does what He promised at the time, in the place, and in the manner prescribed by themselves, they give up and do not believe. But to prescribe place, time, or manner to God is actually to tempt Him and to feel about, as it were, whether He is there. But this is nothing else than to want to put limits on God and subject Him to our will; in fact, to deprive Him of His divinity. He should be free, not subject to bounds and limitations, and be the one who prescribes place, means, and time to us. Therefore both temptations are against the First Commandment, that which happens because of sheer lust and prying when things are abundant and that which happens when poverty urges a man and weakness of faith gives him advice. Here you see the most spiritual First Commandment explained by Moses in a most spiritual and perfect way. For he has not yet come to images, but he is first concerned with condemning the desires of godlessness, which are at the root of external idolatries and images.
Martin Luther: Lectures on Deuteronomy LW9 Vol.9 Pages 74-75
O good and gracious God, heavenly Father + Grant us Your Spirit of Truth and Peace, that we may understand Your holy Will and follow Your Directions and trust Your Promises from the bottom of our heart all our life. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit – one God – now + forever.
Amen
Jesus rejected …
Now when the days drew near for him to be taken up, Jesus set out resolutely to go to Jerusalem.
He sent messengers on ahead of him. As they went along, they entered a Samaritan village to make things ready in advance for him,but the villagers refused to welcome him, because he was determined to go to Jerusalem.
Now when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to call fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”But Jesus turned and rebuked them,and they went on to another village.
Preach you the word and plant it home to those who like or like it not. The word that shall endure and stand when flowers and mortals are forgot.
We know how hard, O Lord, the task your servant bade us undertake: to preach your word and never ask what prideful profit it may make.
The sower sows his reckless love scatters abroad the goodly seed, intent alone that all may have the wholesome loaves that all men need.
Though some be snatched and some be scorched and some be choked and matted flat, the sower sows; his heart cries out, “Oh, what of that, and what of that?”
Preach you the word and plant it home and never faint; the Harvest Lord who gave the sower seed to sow will watch and tend his planted word.
For only one year Hans Luder sends his fourteen year old son Martin – it is 1497 – to the cathedral school attached to the St. Mauritius abbey founded in Magdeburg back in 937 AD. Another reason to look a bit closer at the legendary saint Mauritius/Moritz of the church dating back to the 3rd century.
He was an Egyptian commander the Theban legion in the Roman army in a time, when Christianity was still very much persecuted and under duress by the heathen authorities in Rome. When the Roman emperor…
Maximian ordered them to harass some local Christians, they refused. Ordering the unit to be punished, Maximian had every tenth soldier killed, a military punishment known as decimation. More orders followed, the men refused as encouraged by Maurice, and a second decimation was ordered. In response to the Theban Christians’ refusal to attack fellow Christians, Maximian ordered all the remaining members of his legion to be executed. The place in Switzerland where this occurred, known as Agaunum, is now Saint-Maurice, Switzerland, site of the Abbey of St. Maurice…
Saint Maurice became a patron saint of the German Holy Roman Emperors. In 926, Henry the Fowler (919–936), even ceded the present Swiss canton of Aargau to the abbey, in return for Maurice’s lance, sword and spurs. The sword and spurs of Saint Maurice were part of the regalia used at coronations of the Austro-Hungarian emperors until 1916, and among the most important insignia of the imperial throne. In addition, some of the emperors were anointed before the Altar of Saint Maurice at St. Peter’s Basilica.
In 929, Henry the Fowler held a royal court gathering (Reichsversammlung) at Magdeburg. At the same time the Mauritius Kloster in honor of Maurice was founded. In 961, Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor, was building and enriching Magdeburg Cathedral, which he intended for his own tomb. To that end, in the year 961 of the Incarnation and in the 25th year of his reign, in the presence of all of the nobility, on the vigil of Christmas, the body of St. Maurice was conveyed to him at Regensburg along with the bodies of some of the saint’s companions and portions of other saints. Having been sent to Magdeburg, these relics were received with great honor by a gathering of the entire populace of the city and of their fellow countrymen. They are still venerated there, to the salvation of the homeland…
Maurice is traditionally depicted in full armor, in Italy emblazoned with a red cross. In folk culture he has become connected with the legend of the Holy Lance, which he is supposed to have carried into battle; his name is engraved on the Holy Lance of Vienna, one of several relics claimed as the spear that pierced Jesus‘ side on the cross. Saint Maurice gives his name to the town St. Moritz as well as to numerous places called Saint-Maurice in French speaking countries. The Indian Ocean island state of Mauritius was named after Maurice, Prince of Orange, and not directly after Maurice himself.
Wikipedia: St. Moritz / Maurice
Luther in Coburg and Ratzinger´s emblem
Today there are many reminders of the holy martyr St. Maurice (Moritz) in churches, schools, cities (Coburg) and even Pope Benedikt XVI included him in his emblem. I wonder, if Martin Luther thought much about this venerated Saint from Africa – the holy St. Maurice? Perhaps not much as a teenager in Magdeburg, but perhaps some more when in 1530 he sat it out on the Coburg, whilst the rest of the Lutheran vanguard stood up for the Christian faith at the diet of Augsburg.
More than 7x Luther preached in the unfinished chapel of St Maurice during the holy week of Easter – and I´m sure, this faithful man from that great continent would have encouraged his pressured faith very much like our Lord and master must have been encouraged and strengthened by the African Simon from Cyrene, who helped him carry his cross on that last stretch to Golgotha, where finally he was pierced by that holy lance, supposedly later on belonging to that very St. Maurice! Well, it is true, what Luther confessed with his lovely Confitemini:
“I will not die, but live, and I will proclaim what the Lord has done!”
Here Moses points out the difference between the New and the Old Testament.
The New Testament is the older, promised from the beginning of the world, yes, “before the times of the world,” as Paul says to Titus (1:2), but fulfilled only under Christ. The Old Testament promised under Moses was fulfilled under Joshua.
However, there is this difference between the two: the New is founded wholly on the promise of the merciful and faithful God, without our works; but the Old is founded also on our works. Therefore Moses does not promise beyond the extent to which they keep the statutes and judgments.
For this reason the Old Testament finally had to become antiquated and be put aside; it had to serve as a figure of that New and eternal Testament which began before the ages and will endure beyond the ages. The Old, however, began in time and after some time came to an end…
Wilhelm's space 
