one. Christ's words stand firm and are clear; do not follow
their works. But their doctrine is their own work, and not
God's. They are a people exalted only to lie and to pervert
the Scriptures. IMorever, if one's life Is bad, it would be
strange indeed if he should preach right; he would always
have to preach against himself, which he will hardly do
without additions and foreign doctrines. In short, he who
does not preach the Gospel, identifies himself as one who is
sitting neither on Moses' nor on Christ's seat. For this reason
you should do neither according to his words nor according
to his works, but flee from him as Christ's sheep do, John
10, 4-5: "And the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
And a stranger will they not follow, but flee from him." But
if you wish to know what their seat is called, then listen to
David: "Blessed Is the man that w^alketh not In the counsel
of the wicked, nor standeth In the way of the sinner, nor
sitteth in the seat of scoffers, Ps. 1,1. Again: "Shall the



96 IvUThkr's church POSTIL.

throne of wickedness have fellowship with thee, which frameth
mischief by statute ? Ps. 94, 20.

18. But what does it mean when Christ says: *'The poor
have good tidings preached to them?" Is it not preached
also to the rich and to the whole world? Again, why is the
Gospel so great a thing, so great a blessing as Christ teaches,
seeing that so many people despise and oppose it? Here we
must know what Gospel really is, otherwise we can not
understand this passage. We must, therefore, diligently ob-
serve that from the beginning God has sent into the world a
two-fold word or message, the Law and the Gospel. These
two messages must be rightly distinguished one from the other
and properly understood, for besides the Scriptures there
never has been a book written to this day, not even by a saint,
in which these two messages, the Law and the Gospel, have
been properly explained and distinguished, and yet so very
much depends on such an explanation.

'The Difference Betzveen The Law and
The Gospel.

19. The Law is that word by which God teaches what we
shall do, as for instance, the Ten Commandments. Now, if
human nature is not aided by God's grace, it is impossible to
keep the law, for the reason that man since the fall of Adam
in Paradise is depraved and full of sinful desires, so that he
cannot from his heart's desire find pleasure in the law, which
fact we all experience in ourselves. For no one lives who
does not prefer that there were no law, and everyone feels
and knows in himself that it is difficult to lead a pious life and
do good, and, on the other hand, that it is easy to lead a wicked
life and to do evil. But this difficulty or unwillingness to do
the good is the reason we do not keep the Law of God. For
whatever is done with aversion and unwillingness is con-
sidered by God as not done at all. Thus the Law of God con-
victs us, even by our own experience, that by nature we are
evil, disobedient, lovers of sin. and hostile to God's laws.

20. From all this either self-confidence or despair must
follow. Self-confidence follows when a man strives to ful-



THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 97

fil the law by his own good works, by trying hard to do as
the words of the law command. He serves God, he swears
not, he honors father and mother, he kills not, he does not
commit adultery, etc. But meanwhile he does not look into
his heart, does not realize with what motives he leads a good
life, and conceals the old Adam in his heart. For if he would
truly examine his heart, he would realize that he is doing all
unwillingly and with compulsion, that he fears hell or seeks
heaven, if he be not prompted by things of less importance,
as honor, goods, health and fear of being humiliated, of being
punished or of being visited by a plague. In short, he would
have to confess that he would rather lead a wicked life if it
were not that he fears the consequences, for the law only re-
strains him. But because he does not realize his bad motives
he lives securely, looks only at his outward works and not into
his heart, prides himself on keeping the law of God perfectly,
and thus the countenance of Moses remains covered to him,
that is, he does not understand the meaning of the law, name-
ly, that it must be kept with a happy, free and willing mind.

21. Just as an immoral person, if you should ask him why
he commits adultery, can answer only that he is doing it for
the sake of the carnal pleasure he finds in it. For he does not
do it for reward or punishment, he expects no gain from it,
nor does he hope to escape from the evil of it. Such willing-
ness the law requires in us, so that if you should ask a virtuous
man why he leads a chaste life, he would answer: Not for
the sake of heaven or hell, honor or disgrace, but for the sole
reason that he considers it honorable, and that it pleases him
exceedingly, even if it were not commanded. Behold, such a
heart delights in God's law and keeps it with pleasure. Such
people love God and righteousness, they hate and fear naught
but unrighteousness. However, no one is thus by nature. The
unrighteous love reward and profit, fear and hate punishment
and pain ; therefore they also hate God and righteousness, love
themselves and unrighteousness. They are hypocrites, dis-
guisers, deceivers, liars and self-conceited. So are all men
without grace, but above all, the saints who rely on their
good works. For this reason the Scriptures conclude, ''All



98

men are liars," Ps. 116, 11. ''Every man at his best estate is
altogether vanity," Ps. 39, 5. "There is none that doeth good,
no, not one," Ps. 14, 3.

22. Despair follows when man becomes conscious of his
evil motives, and realizes that it is impossible for him to love
the law of God, finding nothing good in himself; but only
hatred of the good and delight in doing evil. Now he realizes
that the law can not be kept only by works hence he despairs
of his works and does not rely upon them. He should have
love; but he finds none, nor can have any through his own
efforts or out of his own heart. Now he must be a poor,
miserable and humiliated spirit whose conscience is burdened
and in anguish because of the law, commanding and demand-
ing payment in full when he does not possess even a farthing
with which to pay. Only to such persons is the law beneficial,
because it has been given for the purpose of working such
knowledge and humiliation; that is its real mission. These
persons well know how to judge the works of hypocrites and
fraudulent saints, namely, as nothing but lies and deception.
David refered to this when he said, "I said in my haste, all
men are liars," Ps. 116, 11.

23. For this reason Paul calls the law a law unto death,
saying, "And the commandment, which was unto life, this I
found to be unto death," Rom. 7, 10; and a power of sin. 1
Cor. 15. 56: "And the power of sin is the law," and in 2 Cor.
o, 6 he says, "For the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life."
All this means, if the law and human nature be brought into
a right relation, the one to the other, then will sin and a
troubled conscience first become manifest. Man, then, sees
how desperately wicked his heart is, how great his sins are,
even as to things he formerly considered good works and no
sin. He now is compelled to confess that by and of himself he
is a child of perdition, a child of God's WTath and of hell.
Then there is only fear and trembling, all self-conceit van-
ishes, while fear and despair fill his heart. Thus man is
crushed and put to naught, and truly humbled.

Inasmuch as all this is caused only by the law, St. Paul
truly says, that it is a law unto death and a letter that killeth,



THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 99

and that through the commandment sin becomes exceeding-
ly sinful, Rom. 7, 13, provoking God's wrath. For the law
gives and helps us in no way whatever; it only demands and
drives and shows us our misery and depravity.

Concerning the Gospel

24. The other word of God is neither law nor command-
ments, and demands nothing of us. But when that has been
done by the first word, namely, the law, and has worked deep
despair and wretchedness in our hearts, then God comes and
offers us his blessed and life-giving word and promises; he
pledges and obligates himself to grant grace and help in
order to deliver us from misery, not only to pardon all our
sins, but even to blot them out, and in addition to this to create
in us love and delight in keeping his law.

25. Behold, this divine promise of grace and forgiveness
of sin is rightly called the Gospel. And I say here, again, that
by the Gospel you must by no means understand anything else
than the divine promise of God's grace and his forgiveness
of sin. For thus it was that Paul's epistles were never under-
stood, nor can they be understood by the Papists, because
they do not know what the Law and the Gospel really mean.
They hold Christ to be a law-maker, and the Gospel a mere
doctrine of a new law. That is nothing else than locking up
the Gospel and entirely concealing it.

26. Now, the word Gospel is of Greek origin and signifies
in German Fröhliche Botschaft, that is glad tidings, because
it proclaimes the blessed doctrine of life eternal by divine prom-
ise, and offers grace and forgiveness of sin. Therefore, works
do not belong to the Gospel, as it is not a law ; only faith be-
longs to it, as it is altogether a promise and an offer of divine
grace. Whosoever now believes the Gospel will receive grace
and the Holy Spirit. This will cause the heart to rejoice and
find delight in God, and will enable the believer to keep the
law cheerfully, without expecting reward, without fear of
punishment, without seeking compensation, as the heart is
perfectly satisfied with God's grace, by which the law has been
fulfilled.



100 IvUTHDr'S church POSTlIv.

27. But all these promises from the beginning are founded
on Christ, so that God promises no one this grace except
through Christ, who is the messenger of the divine promise
to the whole world. For this reason he came and through the
Gospel brought these promises into all the world, which before
this time had been proclaimed by the prophets. It is, there-
fore, in vain if anyone, like the Jews, expects the fulfilment of
the divine promises without Christ. All is centered and de-
creed in Christ. Whosoever will not hear him shall have no
promises of God. For just as God acknowledges no law be-
sides the law of Moses and the writings of the prophets, so
he makes no promises, except through Christ alone.

28. But you may reply, is there not also much law in the
Gospel and in the Epistles of Paul ? and, again, many promises
in the writings of Moses and the Prophets? I answer: There
is lio book in the Bible in which both are not found. God has
always placed side by side ])Oth law and promise. For he
Vaches by the law what we are to do, and by th^ promises
whence we shall receive power to do it.

29. But the New Testament especially is called the Gospel
above the other books of the Bible, because it was written after
the coming of Christ, who fulfilled the divine promises, brought
them unto us and publicly proclaimed them by oral preaching,
which promises were before concealed in the Old Testament
Scriptures. Therefore, hold to this distinction, and no matter
what books you have before you, be they of the Oil or of the
Kcw Testament, read them v/ith a discrimination so as to ob-
serve that when promises are made in a book, it is a Gospel-
book; when commandments are given, it is a law-book. But
because in the New Testament the promises are found so
abundantly, and in the Old Testament so many laws, the
former is called the Gospel, and the latter the Book of the
Law. We now come back to our text.

''And the poor have good tidings preached unto them."

30. From what has just been said it is easily understood
that among the works of Christ none is greater than preaching
the Gospel to the poor. This means nothing else than that
to the poor the divine promise of grace and consolation in



THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 101

and through Christ is preached, offered and presented, so
that to him who beHeves all his sins are forgiven, the law is
fulfilled, conscience is appeased and at last life eternal is be-
stowed upon him. What more joyful tidings could a poor
sorrowful heart and a troubled conscience hear than this?
How could the heart become more bold and courageous than
by such consoling, blissful words of promise? Sin, death,
hell, the world and the devil and every evil are scorned, when
a poor heart receives and believes this consolatibn of the
divine promise. To give sight to the blind and to raise up
the dead are but insignificant deeds, compared with preaching
the Gospel to the poor. Therefore Christ mentions it as the
greatest and best among these works.

31. But it must be observed that Christ says: "The Gospel
is preached to none but to the poor only, thus without doubt
intending it to be a message for the poor only. For it has
always been preached unto the whole world, as Christ says,
"Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to the whole
creation," Mark 16, 15. Surely these poor are not the beg-
gars and the bodily poor, but the spiritually poor, namely,
those who do not covet and love earthly goods; yes, rather
those poor, broken-hearted ones who in the agony of their
conscience seek and desire help and consolation so ardently
that they covet neither riches nor honor. Nothing will be of
help to them, unless they have a merciful God. Here is true
spiritual weakness. They are those for whom such a message
is intended, and in their hearts they are delighted with it.
They feel that they have been delivered from hell and death.

32. Therefore, though the Gospel is heard by all the world,
yet it is not accepted but by the poor only. Morever, it is to
be preached and proclaimed to all the world, that it is a mes-
sage only for the poor, and that the rich men can not receive
it. Whosoever would receive it must first become poor, as
Christ says, Math. 9, 13, that he came not to call the righteous
but only sinners, although he called all the world. But his
calling was such that he desired to be accepted only by sin-
ners, and all he called should become sinners. This they re-
sented. In like manner all should become poor who heard the



102 Luther's church postii..

Gospel, that they might be worthy of the Gospel; but this
they also resented. Therefore the Gospel remained only for the
poor. Thus God's grace was also preached before all the
world to the humble, in order that all might become humble,
but they would not be humble.

33. Hence you see who are the greatest enemies of the
Gospel, namely, the work-righteous saints, who are self-con-
ceited, as has been said before. For the Gospel has not the
least in common with them. They want to be rich in works,
but the Gospel wills that they are to become poor. They will
not yield, neither can the Gospel yield, as it is the unchange-
able word of God. Thus they and the Gospel clash, one with
another, as Christ says, "And he that falleth on this stone
shall be broken to pieces; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it
will scatter him as dust." Math. 21, 44.

Again, they condemn the Gospel as being error and heresy ;
and we observe it comes to pass daily, as it has from the be-
ginning of the world, that between the Gospel and the work-
righteous saints there is no peace, no good will and no recon-
ciliation. But meanwhile Christ must suffer himself to be
crucified anew, for he and those that are his must place
themselves, as it were, into this vise, namely, between the
Gospel and the work -righteous saints, and thus be pressed and
crushed like the wheat between the upper and nether mill-
stones. But the lower stone is the quiet, peaceable and im-
movable Gospel, while the upper stone is the works and their
masters, who are ranting and raging.

34. With all this John contradicts strongly the fleshly and
worldly opinion his disciples entertained concerning Christ's
coming. They thought that the great king, whom John ex-
tolled so highly, namely, that the latchet of whose shoe he was
not worthy to unloose (John 1, 27), would enter in such splen-
dor that everything would be gold and costly ornaments, and
immediately the streets would be spread with pearls and silks.
As they lifted up their eyes so high and looked for such splen-
dor, Christ turns their look downward and holds before them
the blind, lame, deaf, dumb, poor and everything that con-
flicts with such splendor, and contrariwise he presents himself



THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 103

in the state of a common servant rather than that of a great
king, whose shoe's latchet John considered himself unworthy
to unloose, as though Christ would say to them : "Banish your
high expectations, look not to my person and state, but to the
works I do. Worldly lords, because they rule by force, must
be accompanied by rich, high, healthy, strong, wise and able
men. With them they have to associate, and they need them,
or their kingdom could not exist; hence they can never at-
tend to the blind, lame, deaf, dumb, dead, lepers and the poor.

But my kingdom, because it seeks not its own advantage,
but rather bestows benefits upon others, is sufficient of itself
and needs no one's help; therefore, I can not bear to be sur-
rounded by such as are already sufficient of themselves, such
as are healthy, rich, strong, pure, active, pious, and able in
every respect. To such I am of no benefit; they obtain noth-
ing from me. Yea, they would be a disgrace to me, because
it would seem that I needed them and were benefited by them,
as worldly rulers are by their subjects. Therefore, I must do
otherwise and keep to those who can become partakers of me,
and I must associate with the blind, the lame, the dumb, and
all kinds of afflicted ones. This the character and nature of
my kingdom demand. For this reason I must appear in a way
that such people can feel at home in my company.

35. And now very aptly follow the words, ''And blessed
is he, whosoever shall find no occasion of stumbling in me.''
Why? Because Christ's humble appearance and John's excellent
testimony of Christ seemed to disagree with each other. Hu-
man reason could not make them rhyme. Now all the Scrip-
tures pointed to Christ, and there was danger of misinterpret-
ing them. Reason spoke thus: Can this be the Christ, of
whom all the Scriptures speak? Should he be the one, whose
shoe's latchet John thought himself unworthy to unloose, though
I scarcely consider him worthy to clean my shoes? There-
fore, it is surely true that it Is a great blessing not to find oc-
casion of stumbling In Christ, and there is here no other help
or remedy than to look at his works and compare them with
the Scriptures. Otherwise it is Impossible to keep from being
offended at Christ.



104 IvUThdr's church postii,.

Two Kinds of Offenses,

36. Here you observe that there are two kinds of offenses,
one of doctrine, and the other of Hfe. These two offenses
must be carefully considered. The offense of doctrine comes
when one believes, teaches or thinks of Christ in a different
way than he should, as the Jews here thought of and taught
Christ to be different than he really was, expecting him to be
a temporal king. Of this offense the Scriptures treat mostly.
Christ and Paul always dwell upon it, scarcely mentioning
any other. Note well, that Christ and Paul speak of this
offense.

37. It is not without reason that men are admonished
faithfully to remember this. For under the reign of the pope
this offense has been hushed entirely, so that neither monk
nor priest knows of any other offense than that caused by open
sin and wicked living, which the Scripture does not call an of-
fense ; yet they thus construe and twist this word.

On the contrary, all their doings and all their teachings by
which they think to benefit the world, they do not consider to
be an offense, but a great help; and yet these are dangerous
offenses, the like of which never before existed. For they
teach the people to believe that the mass is an offering and a
good work, that by works men may become pious, may atone
for sin and be saved, all of which is nothing else than reject-
ing Christ and destroying faith,

38. Thus the world today is filled with oft'enses up to the
very heavens, so that it is terrible to think of it. For no one
now seeks Christ among the poor, the blind, the dead, etc.;
but all expect to enter heaven in a different way, which ex-
pectation must surely fail.

39. The offense of life is, when one sees an openly wicked
work done by another and teaches it. But it is impossible to
avoid this offense, inasmuch as we have to live among the
wicked, nor is it so dangerous, since everybody knows that such
offense is sinful, and no one is deceived by it, but intentionally
follows the known evil. There is neither disguise nor decep-
tion. But the offense of doctrine is that there should be the



THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVKNT. 105

most beautiful religious ceremonies, the noblest works, the
most honorable life and that it is impossible for common reason
to censure or discern it; only faith knows through the spirit
that it is all wrong. Against this ofifense Christ warns us, say-
ing, *'But whoso shall cause one of these little ones that be-
lieve on me to stumble, it is profitable for him that a great
millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should
be sunk in the depth of the sea," Math. 18, 6.

40. Whosoever does not preach Christ, or who preaches
him otherwise than as one 'caring for the blind, the lame, the
dead and the poor, like the Gospel teaches; let us flee from
him as from the devil himself, because he teaches us how to
become unhappy and to stumble in Christ ; as it is now done by
the pope, the monks and the teachers in their high schools.
All their doings are an offense from head to foot, from the
skin to the marrow, so that the snow is scarcely anything but
water; nor can these things exist without causing great of-
fense, inasmuch as offense is the nature and essence of their
doings. Therefore, to undertake to reform the pope, the
convents, and the high schools and still maintain them in their
essence and character, would be like squeezing water out of
snow and still preserving the snow. But what it means to
preach Christ among the poor, we shall see at the end of our
text.

III. HOW AND WHY CHRIST PRAISES JOHN.

**And as these went their zvay, Jesus began to say unto the
multitudes concerning John, What went ye out in the zvilder-
ness to heholdf a reed shaken by the zvindf But what went
ye out to see? a man clothed in soft raiments? Behold, they
that wear soft raiment are in kings' houses. But wherefore
went ye out? to see a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much
more than a prophet."

41. Inasmuch as Christ thus lauds John the Baptist, be-
cause he is not a reed, nor clothed in soft raiment, and be-
cause he is more than a prophet, he gives us to understand
by these figurative words, that the people were inclined to
look upon John as a reed, as clad in soft raiment, and as a



106 luthkr's church posTit.

prophet. Therefore we must see what he means by them, and
why he censures and rejects these opinions of theirs. Enough
has been said, that John bore witness of Christ, in order that
the people might not take offense at Christ's humble appear-
ance and manner.

42. Now, as it was of great importance for them to be-
lieve John's witness and acknowledge Christ, he praised John
first for his steadfastness, thus rebuking their wavering on
account of which they would not believe John's witness. It
is as though he would say: You have heard John's witness
concerning me, but now you do not adhere to it, you take of-
fense at me and your hearts are wavering; you are looking
for another, but know not w^ho, nor when and where, and
thus your hearts are like a reed shaken by the wind to and fro ;
you are sure of nothing, and would rather hear something else
than the truth about me. Now do you think that John should
also turn his witness from me and, as is the case with your
thoughts, turn it to the winds and speak of another whom you
would be pleased to hear? Not so. John does not waver, nor
does his witness fluctuate ; he does not follow your swaying
delusion ; but you must stay your wavering by his witness, and
thus adhere to me and expect none other.

43. Again, Christ lauds John because of his coarse raiment,
as though to say: Perhaps you might believe him when he