Collected Works of Martin Luther

by Martin Luther

  But with this the devil cannot rest content, for he knows that thereby his interests are thrown to the ground; therefore he devises what he can to suppress such doctrine, incites monks and priests to cry out, “Do you say that our matters are nothing at all? that is for you to talk like the devil.” But reply to them then, Do you not know that there must be good works, whereof St. Peter here speaks, — to wit, that we be brotherly affectionate, heartily kind, and courteous? if these are the best, as must be confessed, you must be false in regard to your works, if you think they are better. I am really astonished that such blindness could come upon us; for Thomas, the preaching monk, has written, and says, shamelessly, that monks and priests are in a better state than ordinary Christians. This the high schools have confirmed, and men have been Doctorated for it. After them the Pope and his multitude have gone, and have exalted those to be saints, who teach such doctrine.

  Therefore understand this, as I have said, — for Christ Himself and all His Apostles have so taught, — if you would do the most excellent good works, and be in the best condition of life, you will find them nowhere else but in faith and love; that is the highest state of all. So that it must be an error, when they choose to say, their state is better than faith and love; for if it be better than faith, it is better than God’s word, but if it be better than God’s word, it is better than God Himself. Therefore Paul has truly said, that Anti-Christ should exalt himself before God. Be informed in this way so as to judge of these things; where love and friendship are wanting, there, certainly, all works are condemned and trodden under foot. Thus we see why St. Peter has so confidently expatiated on the external character of a truly christian life, as he taught us above, in a masterly manner, how the inward (spiritual) life should be ordered toward God. Wherefore this epistle is to be regarded as a truly golden epistle. Whereupon it follows, further:

  V. 9. Render not evil for evil, nor railing for railing, but on the other hand blessing, and know that ye are called thereunto, that ye should inherit the blessing. But this is a still further illustration of love, showing how we should act toward those that injure and persecute us. If any one does you evil — this is his meaning — do him good; if any one rails at and curses you, then you are to bless and wish him well; for this is an important part of love. O Lord God! what a rarity such Christians are! But why should we return good for evil? Because, says he, ye are called thereunto that ye should inherit the blessing, so that ye should suffer yourselves to be attracted towards it.

  In the Scriptures we Christians are called a people of blessing, or a blessed people. For thus said God to Abraham, Gen. xii.: “In thy seed shall all nations of the earth be blessed.” Since God has so richly shed down this blessing upon us, in that He takes away from us all the malediction and the curse which we have derived to ourselves from our first parents, as well as that which Moses suffered to go forth upon the disobedient, so that we are now filled with blessing, we ought so to conduct ourselves that it shall be said of us, That is a blessed people. So that this is what the Apostle here means: See, God has shown you His favor, and has taken away from you the curse, and the reviling wherewith you have dishonored Him; He neither imputes nor punishes, but has bestowed upon you such rich grace and blessing, while ye were only worthy of all malediction, inasmuch as ye reviled God without intermission (for where there is unbelief the heart must ever curse God): do ye also as has been done toward you; curse not, rail not, do well, speak well, even though you are treated ill, and endure it where you are unrighteously used. Hereupon he quotes a passage out of the xxxiii. Ps., where the prophet David speaks thus:

  V. 10. Whoso will love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil, and his lips that they do not deceive. That is, whoever would have a pleasure and a joy in life, and would not die the death, but see good days, so that it shall go well with him, let him keep his tongue that it speak not evil, not only in respect to his friends, for that is a small virtue and a thing which even the wickedest of all may do, even snakes and vipers, — but also, he says, maintain a kind spirit, and keep your tongue silent even against your enemies, though you are even incited thereto — though you have cause to rail and speak evil.

  Besides, keep your lips, he says, that they do not deceive. There are probably many who give good words, and say good morning to their neighbor, but they think in their heart, The devil take you. These are people who have not inherited the blessing; they are the evil fruit of an evil tree. Therefore St. Peter has introduced a passage which refers to works, even to their root, — that is, what springs from within out of the heart.* Furthermore, the passage in the prophet says:

  * “A guileful heart makes guileful tongue and lips. It is the workhouse where is the forge of deceits and slanders, and other evil speakings; and the tongue is only the outer shop where they are vended, and the lips the door of it. So then such ware as is made within, such and no other can be set out. That which the heart is full of, runs over by the tongue.” — Leighton.

  V. 11. Let him turn away from evil and do good, let him seek peace and pursue after it, for the eyes of the Lord behold the righteous. The world considers this as satisfaction when one man does injustice to another, that his head should be cut off. But this brings one none the nearer to peace. For no king, even, ever attained to be in peace before his enemies. The Roman empire was so powerful that it struck down all that set itself against it; still for all this it could not be preserved. Therefore this method is of no avail toward reaching peace, for though a man should prostrate and silence his foe, ten and twenty rise up again after it, till at length he is compelled to yield. But he who seeks after the true peace, and moreover would find it, let him restrain his tongue; let him turn away from evil and do good: this is a course different from that which the world pursues. To turn from evil and to do good is, that when a man hears evil words, he be able to overlook the wickedness and injustice. Seek thus after peace, so shall you find it; when your enemy has wasted his breath and done all that he can, if you hear him, but rail and rant not back, he must subdue himself by his own violence. For thus Christ also on the cross subdued his enemies, not by the sword or by violence. Therefore is it a saying, which should be written with gold, where it says, “Striking back again makes hatred, and whoever strikes back again is unjust.” Thence it must follow that not to strike back again makes peace. But how can this be? Is it then a thing not human? Certainly it does not accord with human nature; but if you in this manner suffer unjustly and do not strike back again, but let the matter go, it shall come to pass as hereafter follows:

  V. 12. The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry, but the face of the Lord is against those that do evil. If you do not revenge yourself and do not repay evil with evil, there is the Lord in heaven above who cannot tolerate wrong, wherefore he that does not strike back must have his right. These He beholds; their prayer reaches His ear; He is our protector and will not forget us, while if we cannot escape from His eyes, we should comfort ourselves with the thought: — that is, this should induce a christian man to endure all injustice with patience, and not return evil. If I properly reflect, I see that the soul which does me wrong must burn forever in hell-fire. Therefore a christian heart should speak on this wise: Dear Father, since this man falls so sadly under Thy wrath and so miserably throws himself into hell-fire, I pray that Thou wouldest forgive him, and do to him even as Thou hast done toward me since Thou hast rescued me from condemnation. But how comes this? Thus: while He graciously looks down upon the righteous, He also looks angrily at the wicked, wrinkles His brow and turns it in indignation upon them; when we know then that He looks upon us graciously and upon them with disfavor, we ought to suffer ourselves to pity and mourn for them, and pray for them. Furthermore, St. Peter says:

  V. 13-16. And who is he that will harm you, if ye follow after that which is good. Blessed are ye if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, and be not afraid for their terror, neither be troubled, but san
ctify the Lord God in your hearts. But be ready always to give an answer to every man who asks the reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear, and have a good conscience, so that they who speak of you as evil-doers may be put to shame, that they have falsely accused your good conduct in Christ.

  If we follow after that which is good, — that is, do not reward evil with evil, but are heartily kind and courteous, etc., then there is none that can injure us. For though our honor, life and property should be taken away, we are still uninjured. Hence we have a blessing that is incomparable, — one that none can take from us. Those who persecute us have nothing but prosperity on earth, but thereafter, eternal condemnation, while we have an eternal, incorruptible good, although we lose a small temporal blessing.

  V. 14. Blessed are ye if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake. Not only, he says, can no one injure you if ye suffer for God’s sake, but blessed are ye also, and ye should rejoice that ye are to suffer, as Christ also says in the sixth of Matthew: “Happy are ye when men deride and persecute you for my sake, and speak every kind of evil against you, falsely; rejoice, and be exceeding glad.” Whoever then apprehends this, that it is the Lord speaks such things, and so tenderly speaks comfort to his heart, he stands well; but to whom this does not bring strength, it makes him sad and complaining, — he may well remain unstrengthened.

  But be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled, but sanctify God in your hearts. Here St. Peter quotes a passage from Isaiah viii., where he says: “Be not afraid of their terror, nor be frightened, but sanctify the Lord in your hearts, and let Him be your fear and your dread.” There we have a great support and reliance, whereon we may trust, assured that no one can injure us. Let the world terrify, defy and threaten as long as it will, it must have an end, but our confidence and joy shall have no end; thus we shall have no fear on account of the world, but shall be courageous, while before God we shall humble ourselves and be afraid.

  But how does St. Peter mean that we should sanctify God; how can we sanctify Him; must He not sanctify us? Answer. So it is that we pray, even in the Our Father, hallowed be Thy name, that we may sanctify His name, as He Himself also sanctifies His name. Therefore it comes to this: in your hearts, says St. Peter, ye are to sanctify Him; that is, if the Lord our God appoints anything for us, be it good or evil, bring it weal or woe, be it shame or honor, prosperity or adversity, I am not only to consider it as good, but even as holy, and say, this is nothing but a precious blessing that I am unworthy of, that comes to me. So the prophet says, Ps. cxliv., “The Lord is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works.” If I give God praise in regard to such matters, and consider such doings good, holy, and excellent, then I sanctify Him in my heart. But they who scruple accounts, and complain that they are treated unjustly, and say God sleeps, and will not help the just and restrain the unjust, these dishonor Him, and account Him neither just nor holy. But whoever is a Christian, should attribute righteousness to God and unrighteousness to himself — should account God holy and himself unholy, and say that He in all His deeds and works is holy and just; this is what he requires. So also speaks the prophet Daniel, iii.: “O Lord, in all that Thou hast done towards us, hast Thou done in accordance with right and true judgment. For we have sinned; therefore be the shame ours, but the honor and the praise Thine.” If we sing, Deo gratias, and Te Deum laudamus, and say, God be praised and blessed, when misfortune overtakes us, that is called by Peter and Isaiah a true hallowing of the Lord. But He does not by this require that you should say that he has done right and well who has injured you, for it is an entirely different judgment between God and me, and between me and thee. I may have within me anger, hatred, and wicked lusts, whereby I intend your damage, while you are yet still uninjured, and have nothing against me; but in God’s sight I am unjust, — therefore He does right if He punishes me; I have well deserved it. If he does not punish me in that case, He shows me favor, and thus is right in every way. But it does not therefore follow, that he does right who persecutes me, for I have not done injustice to him as I have done in the sight of God. If God sends the devil or wicked people upon you to punish you, He uses them to this end, that they may execute His righteousness; so wicked wretches and injustice itself become a blessing.

  So we read in Ezekiel, xxix., of King Nebuchadnezzar, where God says by the prophet, “Knowest thou not that he is My servant, and has served Me?” Now, says he, “I must give him his hire, I have not paid him as yet; well, then, I will give him Egypt, and that shall be his hire.” The king had no right to the land, but God had a right to it, so that He might punish it through him; for, in order that even wicked wretches might serve Him, and eat not their bread in vain, He gives them enough, lets them serve Him even to this end, that they persecute His saints. Here reason is at fault, and thinks He does well and right when He remunerates them only here; gives them much land, and does it simply for this, to make them His executioners, and persecutors of pious Christians.

  But when you endure and sanctify God, and say, Just Lord, then you do well, while He casts them into hell and punishes them because they have done wickedly, but takes you into His favor and gives you — Eternal Salvation. Therefore let Him manage them; He will give a just reward.

  Of this we have an example in holy Job, when all his cattle and all his sons were slain, and his property was taken away; when he said, “The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away; as it was well pleasing to God, so has it been ordered, therefore praised be His name.” And when his wife came, deriding him, and railed at him, and said: “See! what hast thou now, abiding in thine integrity? Curse God and die:” then he answered her— “Thou hast spoken like a foolish woman: are we to receive good at God’s hands, — why should we not also receive evil from Him, for He hath done as it hath pleased Him? God hath given, and God hath taken away,” he says; not God has given it, the devil hath taken it away, while yet it was the devil that did it. This man truly sanctified the Lord; therefore is he so highly praised and exalted of God. It follows, further:

  V. 15. But be always ready to give an answer to every man that asketh you, the reason of the hope that is in you. We must here acknowledge that St. Peter addressed these words to all Christians, clergy and laity, male and female, young and old, of whatever state or condition they may be. From thence it will follow that every Christian should know the ground and reason of his faith, and be able to maintain and defend it where it is necessary. But up to this time, the idea that the laity should read the Scriptures has been treated with derision. For in this matter the devil has hit on a fine measure, in tearing the Bible out of the hands of the laity, — and this is what he has thought: “If I can keep the laity from reading the Scripture, I will then bring the priests over from the Bible to Aristotle, so that gossip they what they will, the laity must hear just what they set forth; while if the laity should read the Scripture, the priests must study it too, in order that they may not be detected and overcome.” But look you now at what St. Peter tells us all, that we should give answer and show reason for our faith. When you come to die I shall not be with you, neither will the Pope; and if you know but this one reason of your hope, and say, “I will believe as the Councils, the Pope and the Fathers believed,” then the devil will answer, “Yes! but how if they were in error?” Then will he have won, and will drag you down to hell. Therefore must we know what we believed, — namely, what God’s word is, not what the Pope and holy Fathers believe or say. For you must not put your faith at all in persons — but on the word of God.

  So when any one assaults you, and like a heretic asks why you believe that you shall be saved through faith — here is your answer: “Because I have God’s word and the clear declarations of Scripture.” As St. Paul says, “The just shall live by faith,” and St. Peter, where he speaks of Christ, the living stone, quoting from the prophet Isaiah, “Whosoever believeth on him shall not be confounded; thereon do I build, and know that the word will not deceive me.” But if you will speak l
ike other fools, “Yes, we will hear how the council decides, and with that we will abide,” then are you lost. Wherefore you should say, “Why do I then ask what this one or that believes or decides; if they speak not the word of God, I will hear nothing of it.”

  Do you say, then, it is so confusedly difficult a thing, that no one knows what he should believe, and so one must wait till it is determined what one shall hold? Answer. Then will you go to the devil the while; for if it comes to the pinch, and you should die and not know what you should believe, neither I nor any one else could help you. Therefore you must know for yourself, and turn to no one else, and cling fast to the word of God, if you would escape hell. And for such as cannot read, it is necessary that they should learn and retain some clear texts out of the Scriptures — one or two at least, and on this ground abide firmly. As for instance that of Gen. xii., where God says to Abraham, “In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.” If you have learned that, you may stand thereon and say, “Though Pope, bishop, and all the councils stood yonder and said otherwise, yet do I declare this is God’s word, that I can rely on, and that does not deceive me.” Whoever will be blessed, must be blessed through “the seed,” and whoever is blessed is ransomed from the curse — that is, from sin, death and hell. Therefore it follows, from the text — whoever will not be blessed through “the seed,” he must be lost. So that my works or good deeds can help nothing to my salvation.