Collected Sermons, Christ's genealogy
A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER, OF THE GENEALOGIE OR PEDEGREE OF CHRIST.
Matth. 1.
Verſe 1. THis is the booke of the generation of Ieſus Chriſt the ſonne of Dauid, the ſonne of Abraham.
2. Abraham begat Iſaac, Iſaac begat Iacob, Iacob begat Iudas and his brethren.
3. Iudas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar, Phares begat Eſrom, Eſrom begat Aram.
4. Aram begat Aminadab, Aminadab begat Naaſſon, Naaſſon begat Salmon.
5. Salmon begat Booz of Rachab, Booz begat Obed of Ruth, Obed begat Ieſſe.
6. Ieſſe begat Dauid the king, Dauid the king begat Salomon of her that was the wife of Vrias.
7. Salomon begat Roboam, Roboam begat Abia, Abia begat Aſa.
8. Aſa begat Ioſaphat, Ioſaphat begat Ioram, Ioram begat Hozias.
9. Hozias begat Ioatham, Ioatham begat Achaz, Achaz begat Ezekias.
10. Ezekias begat Manaſſes, Manaſſes begat Amon, Amon begat Ioſias.
11. Ioſias begat Iechonias and his brethren, about the time they were caried away to Babylon.
12. And after they were brought to Babylon, Iechonias begat Salathiel, Salathiel begat Zorobabel.
13. Zorobabel begat Abiud, Abiud begat Eliacim, Eliacim begat Azor.
14. Azor begat Sadoc, Sadoc begat Achim, Achim begat Eliud.
15. Eliud begat Eleazar, Eleazar begat Matthan Matthan begat Iacob.
16. Iacob begat Ioſeph the husband of Marie, of whom was borne Ieſus that is called Chriſt.
The ſumme of this text.
1 MAtthew beginneth his booke with a title or inſcription, by which the beleuer is prouoked with greater pleaſure to heare and reade it. For he ſayth thus much in effect: Whom the Law and Prophets hauehave hetherto promiſed & preached, Ieſus, that is, a Sauiour, and Chriſt, that is an eternall king, that he according to the promiſe of God, ſhould ſpringe and come of the ſeede of Abraham and Dauid, euen him doe I deſcribe in this booke, to wit, that he is now borne, and made man, and already come into the world. This I handle through this whole booke.
2 Three lines or degrees are here rehearſed. In the firſt is contained the ſtocke of the fathers, in the ſecond of the kings, in the third is contained the decaying ſtocke of Dauid: after the decay whereof it behoued that Chriſt ſhould come. For ſo the goodnes of God is wont to doe, when all thinges ſeeme euen paſt hope and recouerie, then at the laſt he commeth.
3 Matthew omitteth one in his rehearſall, but that maketh no matter, ſeeing that he obſerueth this one thing, that he counteth by the right line from Dauid by Salomon to Ioſeph the huſband of Marie. Luke counteth otherwiſe, and vſeth an other order.
The expoſition of the text.
WHen Adam our firſt father hauing fallen by a notable offence, was gilty of death with all his children, as well in body as in ſoule, it was notwithſtanding promiſed vntounto him, although obſcurely, that both he and his poſteritie ſhould be deliuered, in thoſe wordes which God ſpake to the Serpent:Gen. 3.15. I will put enmitie betwene thee and the woman, betwene thy ſeede & her ſeede, and it shall treade downe thy head. Of theſe wordes Adam tooke comfort, that a woman ſhould come, by whoſe frute ſuch guile and ſutteltie of the Serpent ſhoulde be againe amended, and Adam redeemed. This comfort did vphold Adam with his poſteritie vntill Noe. For then the promiſe was renued, whē God made a couenant with the ſonnes of Noe, and ſet the rainebowe for a ſigne of the couenant, whereby men might conceiue a truſt and confidence, that God is yet fauorable vntounto them, and doth not purpoſe their deſtruction: whereby mankinde was againe vpheld and comforted euen vntill Abraham.
In the time of Abraham God did ſomewhat ſhewe forth his mercy, he declared that he would ſend a Sauiour, who ſhould deliuer vsus againe from death both of body and ſoule: for albeit the body ſhould dye, yet it ſhould not alwayes remayne in death, but riſe againe with the Lord Chriſt: The wordes which God ſpake to Abraham Gen. 22. are thus: In thy ſeede shall all the nations of the earth be bleſſed. Here miſerable men had a cauſe to hope and looke for a Sauiour which ſhould deliuer them. From that time all the Prophets did diuerſly foretell of this aboue meaſure flowing fountaine of all mercy, that is, of this ſeede, of the Lord Chriſt, how that he at the laſt ſhould come, that all which beleued in him, might obtaine ſaluation by that promiſe which can not be reuoked. If ſo be that men would now open their eyes, they muſt needes confeſſe and ſay, that a ſtraunge and incredible thinge is done with vsus, that man being in the ſtate of damnation, curſed, & deſperate, ſhould be reſtored by the natiuitie of one man. Hereupon the Prophets cryed out with ardent prayers and vnſpeakeable groning, that God would vouchſafe to ſende the Sauiour whom he had promiſed. By faith in this Sauiour the Iſraelites afterward obtained the lawe, and this honour before all people, that they were called the elect people of God. By which ordinances written of Moſes the anointed was plainely figured and ſignified, whom this text which we hauehave now in hand ſetteth forth, what he is, from whence he is, and by the afore ſayd faith all obtayned ſaluation from Abraham vntounto Dauid, euen as many as were ſaued.
In the time of Dauid God made the comming of the Meſſias to be more manifeſtly declared, that it might be certainly knowne of what ſtocke he ſhould come: namely, of the ſtocke of Dauid, as when God ſayd vntounto Dauid:2. Sam. 7.12. VVhen thy dayes be fulfilled, thou shalt ſleepe with thy fathers, and I will ſet vp thy ſeede after thee, which shall proceede out of thy body, and wil ſtablish his kingdom. He shall build an houſe for my name, and I vvill ſtablish the throne of his kingdom for euer. I will be his father, and he shall be my ſonne. And yet more plainely in the Pſalme: The Lord hath made a faithfull othe vntounto Dauid, Pſal. 132.11.and he shall not shrinke from it: Of the frute of thy bodye shall I ſet vppon thy ſeat. Here Chriſt is deſcribed, that he ſhall be a king, and an eternall king,Pſal. 45.6. as it is mentioned of him in an other Pſalme: Thy throne, O Lord endureth for euer, the ſcepter of righteouſnes is the ſcepter of thy kingdome. Who pertaineth to the kingdom of Chriſt, and who to the kingdom of Satan.Howebeit he is a ſpirituall king, which ruleth the worlde by his worde: and whoſoeuer receiueth his word, pertaineth to his kingdom. But he that is not vnderunder this ſcepter, neither heareth his worde, is not of God, neither pertaineth to his kingdom, but is ſubiect to the kingdom of Satan, vnderunder whoſe tyrannie we all are, vntill the Lord doth deliuer vsus from it, & defend vsus with his ſcepter, which is then done when we beleeue in him. Foraſmuch therefore as our ſaluation doth come meerly by the promiſe of God, let eueryevery one aſſuredly perſwade him ſelfe, yt he ſhal neuer obtaine ſaluation wtout this promiſe: although he ſhould do the workes of all Sainctes, yet they ſhould profit him nothing hereunto. Contrariwiſe, if we lay hold on the ſcepter of this king, that is, of the promiſe of God, we ſhal not periſh, although the ſinnes of the whole world ſhould lye vponupon vsus, they ſhal be all ſwallowed vp in him, albeit no good worke be done of vsus. As we ſee in the theefe, which hong by the Lord on the croſſe, who layd hold on the word of God, & beleued in Chriſt, and therefore he obtayned the promiſed Paradiſe. Here is no dout left, let vsus onelyonly beleue that it is ſo, and it is ſo in deede, all thinges which men teach, or which we hauehave done or can doe, being ſet aſide. Here all thinges muſt giuegive place, at the comming of this new king, that he alone may rule & reigne in vsus. Let a man intermedle with thoſe thinges that are written of this king, as being his owne matters, and as pertaining all vntounto him.Whatſoeuer is written of Chriſt, it is written for our comfort. For whatſoeuer is written any where of Chriſt, it is written for our comfort, that we may thereby feede and cheriſh our faith. To the eſtabliſhing of ſuch faith God hath mercifully left vntounto vsus his promiſe written, and hath ſuffered to be publiſhed, that he will performe that which he hath promiſed. Whoſoeuer apprehendeth this in his hart, it muſt needes be that with ſighing he thirſt for ſuch Scripture and promiſe of God, who of his grace being not prouoked of vsus, offereth vntounto vsus and beſtoweth vponupon vsus ſuch goodnes and mercy.
But let vsus now come to our preſent text, which not with words only, but alſo with a certeine force pearſeth the hart, and poureth into it louelove, pleaſure, ioy, gladnes, &c. As if an Angell ſhould now come from heauen, and ſay vntounto vsus miſerable and condemned wretches, after this ſort: Behold O man, thou haſt ſinned, wherfore thou haſt deſerued to be condemned for euer. (This being heard the hart muſt needes tremble.) Now although all this be true, yet neuertheles God of his grace hath mercy vppon thee, & ſendeth to thee a Sauiour, as he promiſed to Abraham and his ſeede. Be of a good cheere, and giuegive thankes to God. Loe, here is the booke of the generation of Ieſus Chriſt, who is the ſonne of Dauid, the ſonne of Abraham, ſo that this is not onelyonly done, but alſo written, that thou mayſt be certaine thereof: Neither will he, neither can he deceiue: beleue onelyonly, and thou ſhalt hauehave all things. Now it is to be noted that Matthew ſetteth Dauid before Abraham, although the promiſe was firſt made to Abraham, and came afterward to Dauid, which promiſe made to Dauid the Prophets did afterward publiſh more abroad, and did by it comfort the people. As in the 11. chapter of Eſai, where the Prophet ſayth thus: There shall come a rod forth of the ſtocke of Ieſſe, and a graffe shall growe out of his roote. Ieremie likewiſe ſayth thus chap. 23. Behold the time commeth, ſayth the Lord, that I wil raiſe vp the righteous braunch of Dauid, which king shall beare rule, and he shall proſper with wiſedom, and shall ſet vp equitie & righteouſnes againe in the earth. And many other ſuch prophecies there are to be found in the writings of the Prophetes, which they foretold of Dauid, that his kingdom ſhould be rayſed vp, as yt Angell alſo declared vntounto Marie, when he ſayd:Luke 1.32. The Lord God shall giuegive vntounto him the throne of his father Dauid, Why Matthew ſetteth Dauid before Abraham. Luke. 1.54.& he shall reigne ouer the houſe of Iacob for euer, and of his kingdome shall be none ende. Wherefore Matthew thought good here to ſet Dauid firſt as the better knowne, & next vntounto him, Abraham, vntounto whom the promiſe was firſt made, as Marie in her ſong ſayth: He remembring his mercy hath holpen his ſeruaunt Iſraell, as he promiſed to our fathers, Abraham & his ſeede for euer. And that promiſe is now performed, and in this our text deſcribed, as we ſhal ſee hereafter. S. Matthew maketh a triple difference of fathers, of whom Chriſt came, foureteene Patriarkes, foureteene Kings, & foureteene Princes. For it behoued that the ſcepter & kingdom ſhould be taken from Iuda,Gen. 49.10. according to ye propheſie of Iacob, which is thus: The ſcepter shall not depart from Iuda, and a lawegiuer from betwene his feete, vntill Silo come: and vntounto him shall the gathering of the people be. Here all thinges muſt be fulfilled: and there are thriſe foureteene generations, euen as Matthew rehearſeth them: from Abraham to Dauid foureteene generations, from Dauid til they were caried away into Babylon likewiſe foureteene generatiōs. Howbeit there is a perſon omitted in Matthew, that is Iakim, & it ought thus to be written: Ioſias begat Iakim, & Iakim begat Iechonias and his brethren, this the Chronicles witnes. And after they were caried away into Babylon vntill Chriſt, foureteene generations. Which triple diſtinction hath a great myſterie as we ſhall ſee.
The Iewes among other lawes were commaunded to obſerue theſe three precepts, namely, to worſhip that God whom their fathers had worſhipped. Secondly to chooſe no Prieſt of any other ſtocke then of their owne, that is, of ye tribe of Leui. Thirdly to chooſe no king but of their owne people. Theſe three precepts did very wel agree in our Lord Chriſt, to wit, that he is that one God, that he is an eternall Prieſt, of our fleſh & blood, & a King, our brother, who hath taken our nature vponupon him: Who by his diuine power is able to help & ſaue vsus, & being an eternal Prieſt, continually maketh interceſſion for vsus. He is a King alſo, that he may defend & preſerue vsus, who is not to be feared of vsus, ſeing that he is a man as we are, yea & was made a moſt contemptible man, that our hart might be wholy quieted & appeaſed in him our Sauiour, who can neuer forſake vsus. Who were able to ſtand in the ſight of God, & not be terrified, if that Prieſt did not ſtand before God? Who ſhould defend vsus, if he were not a King? Who ſhould ſaue vsus, if he were not God? How ſhould he hauehave care of vsus, if he were not a man, and our brother? with whom we may ſpeake as wel as we may one with an other among our ſelues. O moſt gracious Sauiour, how wiſely haſt thou done all thinges? I knowe that thou art my brother, as it is in the Pſalme:Pſal. 22.21. I will declare thy name vntounto my brethren, as it is alleaged in the Epiſtle to the Hebr. Albeit thou art God, my Lord Chriſt, and king of heauen and earth, yet I can not be afraide of thee: for thou art my friend and brother. This is no hinderance vntounto me, that I am a ſinner, and thou holy. For if I had not bene a ſinner, there had bene no neede that thou ſhouldeſt ſuffer puniſhment for me.Why both good and euill are rehearſed in the genealogie of Chriſt. I ſee alſo in thy genealogie that both good and euill are rehearſed, of whoſe poſteritie thou wouldeſt come, that thou mighteſt comfort timorous and weake conſciences, that they ſhould confidently & cheerefully put their truſt in thee, which haſt taken away our ſinnes. And that we might be certaine hereof, thou haſt left vntounto vsus thy word, which aſſuredly declareth it vntounto vsus.
Among ye Kings & Princes which Matthew rehearſeth, ſome were exceeding euil, as we may read in the bookes of the Kings. Yet God ſuffereth them to be rehearſed in his genealogie, as if they were worthy, that he ſhould come of them. But he ſuffered not ſo much as one honeſt woman to be rehearſed therin. Fower women are named, which all had an euill report, and were counted lewd.Gen. 38. As Thamar, of whom Iudas the father of her huſband, begat Phares and Zara,Ioſ. 2.1. as in the firſt booke of Moſes it is mentioned. Rahab is called an harlot in the booke of Ioſua. Ruth was a heathen woman, of whom although we read no euill written, yet foraſmuch as ſhe was a heathen, ſhe was deſpiſed of the Iewes as a dogge, and was deteſted of them. Bethſabe the wife of Vrias was an adultereſſe before ſhe was maried to Dauid, & of her he begat Salomon. Which women are vndoutedly therefore rehearſed, that we may ſee how God hath ſet forth as it were a certaine glaſſe vntounto all ſinners, wherein they may ſee that he would be borne of the poſteritie of ſinners, that the greater ſinners we be, ſo much more certaine and greater refuge we might hauehave to ſo gracious a God, Prieſt, & King, who is our brother, in whom onelyonly and in none other we are able to fulfill the law, & obtaine the grace of God: he came downe from heauen therefore, neither doth he require any thing of vsus, but that we aſſuredly beleue that he is our God,By faith in Chriſt we become the ſonnes of God, and heires of the heauenly kingdom. Gal. 3.26. Prieſt & King, and then all thinges ſhal be wel with vsus. By him alone we become the ſonnes of God, & heires of the heauenly kingdom, as S. Paule ſayth to the Galathians: Ye are all the ſonnes of God by faith in Chriſt Ieſus. Here the hartes of all ſinners may leape for ioy, that they are counted worthy of ſuch a Sauiour. Muſt not he needes be regenerate, whoſe hart vnderſtandeth and feeleth this? yea he is caried with a moſt ardent louelove to leade a newe life, for he is inſpired with the grace of God, inaſmuch as he layeth hold of the promiſe of remiſſion of all his ſinnes.
If we will count vppon our fingers the perſons rehearſed in this text, we ſhall finde them to be forty and two, which were in time paſt figured by the two and forty manſion places, which the children of Iſraell had, before they came into the promiſed land, as it is written in ye fourth booke of Moſes. If we alſo will come into the promiſed land, which our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt hath prepared for vsus by his natiuitie, we muſt alſo occupie two and forty manſion places, that is, we muſt ceaſſe from our owne purpoſe, & be regenerate man by man, vntill we come to Marie and Ieſus, there at the laſt we ſhall finde reſt vntounto our ſoules. But this natiuitie is hard: for our euill & corrupt nature is very loth to leaue her owne wil and purpoſe. And againe the caſe of nature is ſuch, that no natiuitie can be without griefe, yet one hath more griefe, tentation and affliction then an other. The theefe on the croſſe leapt at one leap two and forty degrees, and came ſodainely to Chriſt. So did many Martyrs alſo, and other holy men. Notwithſtanding none can goe ſo great a iorney with ſmall griefe, vnleſſe he be caried with a great winde, that is by the holy Ghoſt. We muſt goe fayre and ſoftly from Abraham to Iſaac, from Iſaac to Iacob, and ſo forth. But we muſt begin at Abraham, that we may be found endued with like faith as he was, and obtaine the bleſſing promiſed vntounto him, then we ſhall more eaſily and cheerefully goe from one Patriarch to an other. That is, we ſhal paſſe ouer one affliction after an other, vntill we be called out of this trauell and iorney vntounto our reſt.Why the godly muſt ſuffer afflictions in this world. For a man muſt be ſo long exerciſed with afflictions, and ſo oft renounce his owne will, vntill at the laſt he be brought vnderunder, and his fleſh by this meanes be ſubdued, that it may obey the ſpirit, and walke ioyfully in the will and obedience of God. Wherefore let no man purpoſe with him ſelfe to come vntounto heauen by leading a quiet life,Luk. 18.25. and following pleaſure, thus Chriſt ſayth in Luke: It is eaſier for a camell to goe through a needles eye, Act. 14.22.then for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And in the Actes of the Apoſtles Paule teacheth that we muſt through many tribulations enter into the kingdom of God. Againe,Luk. 16.25. in Luke Abraham ſayd to the rich glutton: Sonne, remember that thou in thy life time receiuedſt thy pleaſures, and likewiſe Lazarus paines: nowe therefore he is comforted, and thou art tormented. So it behoued Chriſt alſo to ſuffer & by the croſſe to enter into his glorie.2. Tim. 3.12. And S. Paule ſayth: All that will liue godly in Chriſt Ieſus, shall ſuffer perſecution.
Hereupon we may learne, that all that is poyſon which is according to the luſt of the fleſh.Rom. 8.13. Wherfore Paule ſayth to ye Rom. If ye liue after the flesh, ye shal die, but if ye mortifie the deedes of the bodye by the ſpirite, ye shall liue. The fleſh ſtriueth againſt the ſpirit.The ſpirit which is of God, is ready to ſuffer, but the fleſh reſiſteth. This Ieſus ſignified by his aunſwer vntounto Peter: when he ſhewed vntounto his Diſciples, that he muſt goe vntounto Ieruſalem,Matth. 16.21 and ſuffer many thinges of the Iewes, and be ſlayne alſo, Peter tooke him aſide, and ſayd vntounto him: Maiſter, pitie thy ſelfe, this ſhall not be vntounto thee. But Chriſt turned him backe, and ſayd vntounto Peter: Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou ſauereſt not the thinges that are of God, but the thinges that are of men. Here it is manifeſt that the reaſon of man doth flatly ſtriue againſt the will of God. God will hauehave vsus enter into glory by the croſſe and perſecution, but the fleſh reſiſteth, and is troubled in afflictions. Moreouer they that are endued with the ſpirit of God, doe reioyce, if they be afflicted for God his ſake,Act. 5.41. as it is writtē of the Apoſtles: They departed, as Luke ſayth, from the councell, reioycing that they were coūted worthy to ſuffer rebuke for his name. Iam. 1.2.Wherefore Iames ſayth in his Epiſtle: My brethren, count it exceeding ioy, when ye fall into diuerſe tentations, knowing that the trying of your faith bringeth forth patience: And let patience hauehave her perfect worke, that ye may be perfect and entier, lacking nothing. O how neceſſary is patience for a Chriſtian man? that we may poſſeſſe our ſoules by patience,Luk. 21.19. as Chriſt ſayth in Luke, otherwiſe we ſhall loſe them. Wherefore we muſt enter into a new kinde of life, and if at any time calamitie commeth, we muſt not by and by burſt forth into euill ſpeeches, & take it vnpatiently, but we muſt alwayes lift vp our hart to God, and beare his will with a patient minde, he will well deliuer vsus in his time, when it ſeemeth good to him,God euen when he chaſteneth and correcteth vsus, doth louelove vsus, and care for vsus. Heb. 12.5. and we muſt alwayes thinke, that he beareth a fatherly affection toward vsus, euen when he ſendeth perſecutions, anguiſhes, afflictions, and aduerſities, as the Epiſtle to the Hebrewes ſayth: Ye hauehave forgotten the exhortation, which ſpeaketh vntounto you as vntounto children: My ſonne, deſpiſe not the chaſtening of the Lord, neither faint whē thou art rebuked of him. For whom the Lord loueth, he chaſteneth: and he ſcourgeth eueryevery ſonne that he receiueth. If ye endure chaſtening, God offereth him ſelfe vntounto you as vntounto ſonnes: for vvhat ſonne is it, vvhom the father chaſteneth not? If therefore ye be vvithout correction, vvhereof all are partakers, then are ye baſtards and not ſonnes. God giuegive vsus his diuine grace, that we may courageouſly paſſe theſe two and forty degrees, & with the Lord Chriſt be regenerate into a new life. Amen.