shoes, bishop and cardinal hats, organ peals and smoke of
incense, sounding of bells and candle-snuffing, bawling in the
church and turkeys in their bellies, particularly in those who
fast, eating neither milk, eggs nor meat and the like, in which
the pope's holiness consists, every thing will be sustained.
And if the pope were in favor of doing away with such
spiritual, orderly, holy government, where would the world
be? Here we have what Herod and Christ are, two spiritual
kingdoms, one unbelieving and the other believing.

123. Now, what is the "star"? It is nothing else than the
new light, the oral and pubhc preaching of the Gospel. Christ
has two witnesses of his birth and kingdom ; the one is the
Scripture, the written Word; the other is the voice or the
word preached orally. The same word Paul calls in 2 Cor. 4, 6,
and Peter in 2 Pet. 1,19, a light and lamp.

124. The Scriptures are not understood until the light is
risen, for through the Gospel the prophets arose ; therefore
the star must first arise and shine. In the New Testament ser-
mons must be preached orally, with living voices publicly, and
that which formerly lay concealed in the letter and secret
vision must be proclaimed in language to the ear. Since the
New Testament is nothing else than a resurrection and revela-
tion of the Old Testament, as Rev. 5, 9 testifies, where the
Lamb of God opens the Book with its seven seals. We further-
more see that all the preaching of the apostles was nothing
else than a presentation of the Scriptures upon which they



372 lüThkr's church postil.

built. Christ did not write his doctrines himself as Moses did,
but he gave them orally, and commanded that they should be
published abroad by preaching, and he did not command that
they should be written. Likewise the Apostles wrote very little,
except Peter, Paul, John, Matthew and a few others ; from the
rest we have nothing, for many do not consider the epistles
of James and Jude apostolic writings. Those who have written
do nothing more than direct us to the Scriptures of the Old
Testament, just as the angel directed the shepherds to the
manger and the swaddling clothes and the star led the wise
men to Bethlehem.

125. Nor do we need any more New Testament books con-
cerning Christian doctrine, but we need good, learned, spiritual,
faithful preachers in every locality who without books can
draw forth the living Word from the old Scriptures and make
it plain and simple to the people, just as the apostles did ; for
previous to their writing they preached and conferred with
the people by word of mouth, which was strictly the apostolic
and New Testament mode of evangelical work. This is also
the right star, testifying of Christ's birth and the angelic
message concerning the swaddling clothes and the manger.

126. That there was a necessity of writing books was in
itself a great detriment and denotes an infirmity of the human
spirit and does not arise cut of the nature of the New Testa-
ment. For instead of pious preachers there came heretics,
false teachers and all kinds of errorists giving the sheep of
Christ poison in the place of pasture. Hence in order to rescue
at least some of the sheep from the wolves it was necessary
to write books in harmony with the Scriptures, so that as much
as possible the lambs of Christ might be fed and the Scrip-
tures preserved in their purity, thereby enabling the sheep to
protect themselves against the wolves and to be their own
guides when their false shepherds would not lead them into the
green pastures.

127. Luke says in his preface, Luke 1,1, that he vv^as in-
lluenced to write his Gospel by the fact that some had under-
taken to write the history of Christ in whose reliableness he
did not have full confidence. It was the object of all the epistles



EPIPHANY. 373

of Paul to guard and foster what he had taught before, doubt-
ing not that he had preached much more abundantly than he
wrote. If wishing did any good, one could wish nothing better
than that all books were simply destroyed and that nothing
remained in the world except that wliich Christians formerly
had, namely, the pure Scriptures alone or the Bible. It con-
tains more than is necessary of all kinds of art and doctrine
which man ought to know, but wishing is now to no purpose;
would to God there were only good books besides the Bible.

128. Let it suffice for the present that this star is the visible
sermon and the bright revelation of Christ as he is concealed
and foreshadowed in the promises of the Scriptures. Therefore,
whoever sees the star certainly recognizes the king of the
Jews, the newly-born Christ. For the Gospel teaches nothing
else but Christ and therefore the Scripture contains nothing
else than Christ. But he who does not recognize Christ may
hear the Gospel, or indeed carry the book in his hands, but he
has not yet its real meaning. To have the Gospel without its
meaning is to have no Gospel ; and to have the Scripture with-
out recognizing Christ means to have no Scripture and is
nothing else than to let this star shine and yet not see it.

129. Therefore the Herodites and the people of Jerusalem
fare thus : the star rises over their land and over their heads,
but they do not see it. Hence, when the Gospel arose over the
Jewish people, as Isaiah says in the Epistle, Rom. 10, 21, they
let it shine but did not acknowledge it. Of this Paul writes, 2
Cor. 4, 3, 4, ''And even if our Gospel is veiled, it is veiled in
them that perish : in whom the god of this world," that is, the
devil, "hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light
of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God,
should not dawn upon them." From this it is evident, that
unbelief alone is the cause of blindness, on account of which
they do not see the Gospel although it shines and is preached
without «ceasing. That it is impossible for Christ and his Gos-
pel to be acknowledged by reason, but by faith alone, is here
plainly taught. And the seeing of the star signifies this indi-
vidual star.



374 Luther's church posth..

130. The wise men signify, and are themselves the first fruit
of heathendom converted unto faith through the Gospel. For
the heathen were the wise men, that is, people of nature, living
according to their reason, who did not have the law and the
prophets, as the Jews, but walked only according to nature,
without the divine law and the Word. Now, as the natural
masters, the wise men, generally deviated from the line of right,
and converted the natural art into witchcraft and sorcery, as
stated above, so the natural reason when left to itself, and not
assisted by the doctrines of God, most certainly will go astray,
and will loose itself in error and blindnes, as a veritable witch,
full of all manner of unbelief.

131. Thus Paul writes, Rom. 2, 14, that the heathen, al-
though the law of God had not been given to them, neverthe-
less had a natural law of conscience and performed the works
of the law, which they found written in their hearts. But
though they were far from the truth, and were without the law
of God, they were brought to faith much more easily and much
sooner than the Jews, for the reason, that the Jews, having the
law depended upon it, and thought they had sufficiently satis-
fied it by their works. Therefore they despised the Gospel as
something entirely superfluous and false, because it rejected
works, concerning which they boasted so much, and lauded
faith alone. The heathen had no ground for such vain boasting,
because they were without the law; hence they more easily
yielded to the Gospel, acknowledged its necessity, and their
need of it.

132. That the wise men came to Jerusalem and inquired
after the new born king signifies nothing else than that the
heathen were enlightened through the Gospel, came Into the
Christian church and sought Christ. For Jerusalem is a figure
of the Christian church, into which God's people are gather-
ed, which in German may be called, vision of peace, because in
the Christian church peace is seen, that is, when all have a
good conscience, and peaceful confidence of heart, who, being
in the Christian church and being true Christians, have for-
giveness of sins through the grace of God.

133. Now in this peaceful place, Herod the devourer of



KPIPHANY. .^75

men, would reign at all times ; for all the doctrines and works
of men, have in them this vexatious evil, that they in their very
nature mislead, oppress, and destroy the true Jerusalem, en-
snaring good consciences and pious hearts, teaching them
to trust in themselves and in their good works, thereby causing
faith to perish, peace and a good conscience to be destroyed,
while the rule of Herod with its great show and clamor and
faithless works, alone remains. This is what our Gospel
wishes to say, that thus Christ was born and sought after at
the time of Herod, in "the very city of his kingdom. For evan-
gelical truth wages its whole warefare with the false holiness
of Herod, and every time it renews the strife it finds Herods,
who rule the people with their doctrines and human works, and
these things are so for no other reason than that the truth con-
demns these doings of theirs and teaches the pure grace of God
instead of works and pure faith instead of law, in order to
rescue the people of God from the reign of Herod, and save
them for the true Jerusalem.

134. When Herod heard this he was troubled and all Jeru-
salem with him. Why? Because Herod was afraid of another
king, the true king, for he himself, with force wanted to be the
only king. It came to pass, that through the Gospel the heathen
began to praise Christ and to have faith, contrary to the works
and doctrines of men; thereupon the Jews became enraged,
because they could easily perceive that if this matter should
grow and spread, their affairs would soon be considered worth-
less, and their great and false doings would surely be brought
to shame. This they could not endure, and therefore they be-
gan to rage, as is shown by the history of the apostles. For
they knew very wxU that the progress of the Gospel, their
government, honor, power and riches, which they had in such
abundance under the spiritual reign of Herod, would receive a
powerful blow.

135. Human works and doctrines at all times yield much
revenue and carnal gain, while the doctrines of God and the
work of Christ bring the cross, poverty, ignomy, and all kinds
of calamity, which the holiness of Herod can not endure. Thus
it happens always, that they who have ensnared and oppressed



876 Luther's church fostil.

the poor with an erring conscience and with human doctrines,
do not Hke to hear that poor, miserable consciences receive
instruction, atain a right understanding, and seek the simple,
pure Word of God and faith. J\Iany say that they want a new
king, and have seen his star ; for thus the pope, bishops, holy
fathers and lords could not hidulge their car nal desires.

136. Therefore, it is not at all agreeable nor serviceable to
the reign of Herod that the wise men, the learned, the laity,
who know nothing, should begin to speak of the light of the
Gospel, and to inquire about another matter in the midst of
Jerusalem, paying no atention to spiritual pomp of the rulers.
This must indeed have frightened Herod and his associates
because it concerned their purses and their belly. Yes, it also
frightened all Jerusalem; for many pious people, though they
hated the reign of Herod and wished that it were not thus,
also were afraid that the truth might be brought to light at an
unpropiti'ous time, that through it a tumult and confusion might
be caused in the world, that the government might be attacked,
and that perhaps this tumult could not without great detriment,
be suppressed. Therefore they thought that it might be better
to withhold the truth for a time, or to bring it forth in such a
manner as not to frighten Herod, and arouse him to some des-
perate action.

137. But the wise men do not inquire after his fright and
anger, but speak openly of the star and the new king and are
not in the least concerned that the heavens might fall. For one
must neither confess nor deny the Gospel on account of any
particular person ; it is God's Word, Herod must yield to it and
follow it. Does he rage however? Then let him rage, Christ
must remain in preference to him.

138. And now behold ! Herod is foremost to learn of the
new king, not with sincerity but with deceit, and so he gathers
together all the learned men and diligently searches the Scrip-
ture, as though he were anxious to learn the truth, and yet we
know that it was his determination to accomplish his own will
and intention instead of obeying the Scripture. Here we arrive
at the real character of Herod ; here we see the pope and his
followers truly portrayed.



KPIPHANY. 377

139. But that no one may blame me for applying this to
the pope, and comparing his holy order and its reign so con-
temptuously with that of Herod. I want it understood that I
do it because it is my Christian duty and a debt of faithfulness
which I feel in my conscience that I owe every one. If the
truth and experience do not prove all that I say, then let any
one who will chastise me for lying; I will fulfil my fraternal
office satisfactorily and be excused before God. If any one de-
spises my faithful warning, let him answer for it himself, I
want to say to him, that Christ and his doctrine shall not suf-
fer on account of the pope and his spiritual rule. Therefore let
every one guard himself against them, as against his eternal
destruction, and adhere alone to Christ. Whether it brings the
pope and his divines any fortune or honor, does not concern
me in the least ; I must preach Christ and not the fortune and
honor of the pope and his divines. What is said of the pope
and his divines, is said of all those who oppress the people with
their works and doctrines, and do not teach the true faith,
the pure Scripture and the one Christ, as the Jews also did
but accomplished very little against the pope and his associates.
He who will suffer himself to be misled has herewith heard
my warning : I am innocent of his blood and ruin.

140. That Herod called the princes, priests and scribes of
the people together and inquired of them concerning the birth
of Christ, is the same as our spiritual kingdom, and is what the
unbelieving tinkers are doing; they keep the Scriptures to
themselves, and what they* teach is presumably contained in the
Scripture, but in this sense, that their own opinion comes
first, and the Scriptures must be twisted so as to agree with
their opinion. For their intention is to use the Scripture only
to this end, that it may suppress the truth and satisfy, their own
doings, just as Herod searched in the Scriptures for no other
purpose than that he might slay Christ.

141. Thus our Herod is doing, with his Herodites, the
people; he indeed searches the Scriptures and uses it, but he
explains it only in such a way that he may destroy its real
sense, and read into it his own sense. With such show even
the elect are deceived; for there is no greater show, which



878 luthkr's church posth,.

frightens and deceives every conscience, than that which sets
forth the name of God and claims only to search and follow
God's Scripture and Word, while at the same time it seeks
thereby only to oppose and to quell the Scriptures with all their
contents. Therefore the wise men do not see the star of Jeru-
salem, and do not know where they shall go. And all who
walk among such genteel and glittering folks will be deceived
and will lose the real Christian sense on account of the great
bustle and glittering exterior of unbelieving divines, unless
they grasp firmly the pure Scripture.

142. Although both Herod and the wise men received the
Scriptures here from the priest, Herod received them in
a false and vicious sense. The wise men received them in a
right and good sense ; therefore they see again the star shining,
and are rescued from Herod's hypocrisy under which they had
lost the star. As here the strife beween Herod and the wise men
is signified, so also is signified the strife between the true and
the false divines v.dio place themselves over the Scriptures, that
the true divines are indeed a trifle in error, and for a little while
lose the true light, but they do not continue in error. They
finally grasp the true sense of Scripture, come again to the clear
light, and let the Herods praise themselves in their false under-
standing of the Scripture.

143. Concerning this St. Paul writes, 2 Tim. 3, 1-9: "But
know this, that in the last days, grievous times shall come.
For men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful,
haughty, railers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy.
Without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, without self-
control, fierce, no lovers of good, traitors, headtsrong puffed
up, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God; holding a
form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof : from
these also turn away. For of these are they who creep into
houses, and take captive silly w^omen laden with sin, led away
by divers lusts, ever learning, and never able to come to the
knowledge of the truth. And even as Jannes and Jambres
withstood Moses, so do these also withstand the truth; men
corrupt in mind, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall
proceed no further for their folly shall be evident unto all men,
as theirs also came to be." etc.



EPIPHANY. B79

144. I think that here St. Paul has spoken freely, and
pointed out our spiritual lords, and Herod's holy domestics.
Indeed there is not a letter here, which cannot be seen by any
one publicly verified in the spiritual order. But they have a
petrified pate, and imagine that this does not speak of them-
selves at all ; and fancy that because the pope fortifies them with
parchment and pencil, they are greatly wronged if one under-
stands Paul's words to mean them. Therefore we must con-
sider this rich text of Paul's a little more closely so that we
may clearly see and recognize Herod. He says that in
the last times there should come people who had been running
for many years already, and who were dangerous, because on
account of such deceivers, few people would be saved, destroy-
ing the faith and slaying souls with their human doctrines and
individual nonsense.

145. The apostle would not be understood to mean the
common people, whom they now call wordlings or laymen, but
his words are clear and forcibly point to the tonsure crowned
and hooded people, the spiritual kingdom. For among others
of their noble virtues, he mentions very notably their chief
virtue, namely , that they affect the appearance of the Christian
life and of the service of God, but renounce the realtiy. Who
does not know who they are. Where is the spiritual life, God's
service, holy orders, except in their institutions and cloisters.
Likewise he says, ''They creep into houses, and lead captive
silly women," teaching them constantly, which is clearly said
of teachers and preachers, particularly of mendicant friars and
vagabonds. Likewise the statement that they withstand the
truth, as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, signifies plainly
that he is speaking of those who preach and rule among tne
people. But let us give attention to another class.

146. First, they are the Philaiiti, who think much of them-
selves and are well pleased with themselves ; everything they
do is well done and right : they alone will get to heaven, and are
the only ones who have found the right way ; they alone are the
Christian church, and they are the only people who rule heaven
and earth. Compared with them, other people are poor sinners,
in a dangerous relation, and must buy from them intercessions,



380 LUTHl^R S CHURCH POSTIL.

good works and merit. Finally, they have accomplished so
much, that all other Christians are called worldlings, while
they are the divines. It cannot be expressed how this title
pleases them, how they think themselvs too good for other
relations, and how there are other people on earth to whom
the name Philauti can be given than to themselves. The apostle
has indeed hit them well; but above all, their chief lord, the
pope, who fairly stinks with self-esteem and self-complacency
in all the world, so that they must confess themselves how his
spiritual claims are nothing but Philautia, purely his own satis-
faction.

147. God help ! how much the abomination thinks of him-
self, how well his station pleases him, how insolently he dis-
tinguishes between himself and all other Christians, not only
in the temporal but also in spiritual things, doing no more than
tickling himself until he laughs himself nearly to death from
sheer wantonness, as everyone who sees his life, his kingdom,
his bulls, his laws and his doctrines must publicly confess. Such
poison others in their respective stations, draw from him, and
he helps them in it with liberties, protection, blessing and praise.
Afterward the laymen learn it also from them, each one in his
good little prayer and peculiar manner. In this way Christian
faith must perish, which has its pleasure and good intention in
Christ alone, all other affairs being indifferent to it. and it has
no preference among them.

148. Secondly, they are haughty. This follows from the
first, their own self-esteem, that they exalt themselves in their
hearts over all others, thinking themselves better than every-
body else. This you can abundantly see in the people and the
ministers ; how they, beyond measure ; shamelessly say and
boast of themselves, that the spiritual station is better than
the temporal, although Christians are in the latter ; but the fact
is that the Christian relation alone is good, which will either
not suffer such a distinction or it will perish. Yes, this spirit-
ual pride is the foundation upon which their entire kingdom
stands; for if it were not respectable and better, all its affairs
and government must be destroyed.

149. These two great, low and horrible vices are so artful



EPIPHANY. 881

and so entirely spiritual that they do not see a glimpse of
them ; yes, they hold them as the very truth and as established
righteousness. They go right on also in their satanical would-
be holy life, allowing themselves, in their frightful vices, to be
called and honored as holy, spiritual and blessed people.

150. Thirdly, they are arrogant. This follows from the
former, namely their liaughtiness. For haughtiness is not
satisfied with honoring one's self, but it breaks forth and soars
so high, esteems itself so highly, hovers entirely in the regions
above, sits on the very highest seat and acts outwardly accord-
ing to its internal sentiment. The difference between haughti-
ness and arrogance is that haughtiness possesses the heart,
while arrogance consists in the external lofty bearing and de-
meanor. Who cannot see this in the pope and the entire spirit-
ual order? Do they not veritably carry themselves above em-
perors, kings and princes, and everything both great and small
on earth ? They have set themselves over man's possessions,
and with free and malicious strength govern both body and
soul, as though they had the best right and cause. And if they
are told that Christ forbids such arrogance, when he says to
his disciples, Luke 22, 20, "But he that is fhe greater among
you let him become as the younger," and verse 25, "Ye shall
not have lordship over them as the kings of the Gentiles", they
wrest the entire force of the passage unto themselves by giving
an explanation, which no one except themselves can give, by
saying that Christ has thereby not forbidden the authority and
rulership over others, but that this refers to the intention of the
heart, namely that they are not to exalt and esteem themselves
better than others. For, say they, there can be a prelate, indeed,
who is humble and does not exalt himself in his heart over
others, and yet he must soar above them outwardly. Hence
they quote several passages from the fathers and thereby blind
and fool themselves, and everybody else.

151. The apostle would say of this external imperiousness :
I know very well that he who would teach and rule others must
be spiritually superior, but they make spiritual that which is
bodily ; for they want to soar high bodily ; their goods, honor,
behavior, persons, affairs, right and rule must be over all other



382 Luther's church posth..

goods, honor, persons, affairs and rule. They want to have