PATTERN OF SOUND WORDS

Tag: All Saints’ Day

  • Notes and Useful Applications for Revelation 14:1–5 from Das Weimarische Bibelwerk (1877)

    The following is my translation of the notes and useful applications for the Epistle Reading of the Feast of the Holy Innocents, Revelation 14:1–5, as they are found in Das Weimarische Bibelwerk (1877). Square brackets indicate my own notes and additions. For the useful applications, I recommend the reader see this very helpful article by Dr. Benjamin T. G. Mayes.

    I. An assurance for the elect here on earth. (v. 1–5)

    Annotated Text

    1. And I saw a Lamb standing on Mount Zion (this Lamb signifies Christ, Revelation 5:6, who lets Himself be seen here on Mount Zion, by which the Christian Church is understood, which was prefigured in the Old Testament by Mount Zion, on which the city of David was built, Psalm 2:6; Zechariah 9:9; Hebrews 12:22. So that no one may think that no true Church remained anymore under such universal seduction of the Antichrist, the Lamb of God allows Himself to be seen here on Mount Zion to indicate that Christ preserved a Church for Himself even under the antichristian persecution and deception, and support it with His gracious presence. Luther: “Here He comforts Christians that such woe and abomination shall be overthrown through the Gospel.”), and with Him a hundred and forty-four thousand (by this a great host of the true believers  of every age and estate is signified, whom God has preserved in His grace and truth under the Antichrist), who had the name of their Father written on their forehead. (This is set forth against the mark of the beast which the Antichrist give upon the forehead to those who confess themselves to his kingdom, Revelation 13:16, and thereby is signified that although the Antichrist rages and rampages, nevertheless the first foundation of God stands and has this seal: “The Lord knows His own,” 2 Timothy 2:19, so truly as if He had made a mark upon their foreheads, Revelation 7:3; these also bear the name of the heavenly Father upon their foreheads in such a manner that they are not ashamed of the Gospel, Romans 1:16, but rather confess it boldly.)

    2. And I heard * a voice from heaven, as of a great (rushing) water (by which is signified the great host of the elect who praise God), and as a voice of great thunder (by which is signified the wondrous power of the Spirit, with which the elect are clothed form on high, Luke 24:49, as also the undaunted courage and the piercing voice of those who praise God); and the voice which I heard was as harpists playing upon their harps (by which there is prefigured the loveliness of the divine praise in the mouth of the elect, and at the same time, with an eye toward the royal prophet David, who praised God upon his harp with lovely Psalms, 1 Samuel 16:23; Psalm 43:4; Psalm 71:22; likewise, that they serve and praise their God in quietness without a great racket).

    * Revelation 1:15 (5:8, 15:2)

    3. And they sang as * a new song before the throne (of the Lamb), and before the four creatures and the (twenty-four) elders (Because the antichristian rout worships the Beast and blasphemes God, Revelation 13:5, 6, 8; meanwhile, these sing to God the Lord a new song, by which is understood a lovely and glorious song concerning the great benefits that Christ bestows upon the elect in the New Testament and renews them through His Spirit); and no one could learn the song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were purchased from the earth (who were purchased by Christ through His blood, 1 Corinthians 6:20, 7:23; 1 Peter 1:18–19, so that they should no longer hang on to earthly things through disordered love, but rather should dwell in heaven with their mind; who also with true faith appropriate to themselves this redemption which has happened through Christ. These alone have been able to learn and sing this song, for without true faith in Christ, no one can rightly call upon God or praise Him, Romans 10:14; 1 Corinthians 12:3. Also it is hereby signified that only those who are true disciples of the Gospel, who have been purchased from earthly things, are eager to learn this new song.).

    * Revelation 5:9 (4:5, 7:4; Psalm 96:1; Proverbs 2:6; Ephesians 1:17ff.)

    4. These are those who are not tarnished with women (who have not defiled themselves through spiritual adultery and harlotry, that is, through idolatry, heresy, and false worship, but rather have maintained the purity of doctrine undefiled); for they are virgins (thereby is signified the virginity of faith, of which the holy apostles speaks in this way to the Corinthians, “I have betrothed you to one husband, that I might bring you to Christ as a pure virgin,” 2 Corinthians 11:2; likewise, thereby is signified the purity of a godly walk to which true believers diligently apply themselves), and they follow the Lamb wherever He goes1 (as His beloved entrusted Bride, they walk in the footsteps of His holy life, Matthew 16:24, and they do not yield back when the Lam leads them through the thorns of tribulation to the roses of heavenly glory and majesty, Acts 14:22. Therefore, they will also be with Him in eternal joy, John 17:24; 1 Thessalonians 4:17.). They are * those purchased from men to be firstfruits of God and the Lamb (God has elected them from eternity in Christ to be His firstfruits, and in the fullness of time “He has begotten them according to His will through the Word of truth, so that they would be first fruits of His creatures,” James 1:18. They are consecrated to God the Lord, just as in the Old Testament the firstfruits were consecrated to Him, in whom Christ, the only High Priest of the New Testament takes pleasure, just as the offering of the firstfruits in the Old Testament was pleasing to God).

    * Revelation 5:9 (3:4; 1 Corinthians 6:20)

    1 Greek: “For (true) virgins (chaste and pure souls who love God, Matthew 5:8) are those who follow the Lamb wherever He goes (who hold fast only to Christ’s Word).” [παρθένοι γάρ εἰσιν, οὗτοι οἱ ἀκολουθοῦντες τῷ ἀρνίῳ ὅπου ἄν ὑπάγῃ] Thus, the saying here is not about abstention from marriage.

    5. And in their mouth is found nothing false (in which they also follow the Lamb in other ways, Isaiah 53:9; 1 Peter 2:22); for they are irreproachable before the throne of God. (“They have washed their garments and made them bright in the blood of the Lamb,” Revelation 7:14, and they diligently apply themselves to a blameless walk, 1 Corinthians 1:8; Ephesians 1:4; Philippians 2:15; 2 Peter 3:14. What they believe from the heart they also confess with the mouth [Romans 10:10], and how they present themselves with words, they also prove with their works [James 2:18]. They are no hypocrites that they should ascribe to themselves the praise of their own perfect righteousness, rather, they confess their weakness and imperfection, and they comfort themselves in this, that one day they will be entirely perfect and without all sin before the throne of God in eternal life, Ephesians 5:27.)

    (Psalm 32:2; Zephaniah 3:13; Ephesians 5:27)

    Useful Applications

    I. DOCTINE: Those who hereafter want to follow the Lamb of God into eternal life wherever He goes, that is, those who want to be with Christ eternally and remain with Him, they must diligently attend to the purity of faith and Christian life (as virgins). (v. 4)

  • Notes and Useful Applications for Matthew 5:1–12 from Das Weimarische Bibelwerk (1877)

    The following is my translation of the notes and useful applications for the Holy Gospel for the Feast of All Saints, Matthew 5:1–12, as they are found in Das Weimarische Bibelwerk (1877). Square brackets indicate my own notes and additions. For the useful applications, I recommend the reader see this very helpful article by Dr. Benjamin T. G. Mayes.

    I. An instruction for Christ’s disciples, that they, even though they will have a miserable appearance before the world, nevertheless are blessed before God. (v. 1–12)

    Annotated Text

    1. Now when He (Christ) saw the people (that they followed Him in heaps), He went up on a mountain (situated not far from the Sea of Galilee, Mark 3:7, 13) and sat down (in a somewhat elevated place), and His disciples came to Him (stood around Him).

    2. And * He opened His mouth (He began to speak concerning high important matters deliberately and frankly), and spoke to them and said:

    * Luke 6:20ff.

    3. Blessèd are those (it is well for those), * who are spiritually poor ** (who recognize their spiritual poverty, that they lack the righteousness which counts before God, Romans 3:23, 25, and seek it only in and with Me through true faith), for the Kingdom of Heaven (heavenly joy and eternal life) are theirs (because they believe in me, they have eternal life, John 3:36, 1 John 5:13, and are blessèd in hope, Romans 8:24).

    * Isaiah 57:15 (Revelation 3:17)

    ** Greek: Or, “Blessèd are the poor in the Spirit.” See Matthew 11:5; Luke 6:20, 24, which referred to the disciples of Christ, that even though they poor, saddened, miserable, and despised, they nevertheless ought to be certain that they are nevertheless blessèd in their God and have His gracious protection as well as a special gracious reward.

    4. Blessèd are those, * who bear grief (who feel their spiritual poverty and misery in their hearts, that they have merited God’s wrath, as well as temporal and eternal punishment, and therefore are sorrowful, 2 Corinthians 7:10, and pray to God in faithful humility for grace and forgiveness of sins), for they shall be comforted (inwardly through the Word of the Gospel and through the Spirit of comfort).

    * Psalm 126:5; Isaiah 61:2; Luke 6:21 (Matthew 11:5, 28)

    5. Blessèd are the meek (who are neither hot-tempered nor hungry for revenge, nor who repay evil for evil, but rather overcome evil with good, Romans 12:17, 21), for they will * inherit the earth (they will not only have their livelihood with good rest according to God’s good pleasure, but also will inherit the new heaven and the new earth someday, Isaiah 66:22, 2 Peter 3:13, Revelation 21:1. Luther: “The world supposes to possess the earth and to protect that which is theirs when they exercise force, but Christ teaches that one possesses the earth with meekness”).

    * Psalm 25:13, 37:11; Isaiah 60;21.

    6. Blessèd are those * who are hungering and thirsting after righteousness (who have a heartfelt yearning desire for the true fully valid righteousness, which is the righteousness of faith in Christ and not the righteousness of works), for they shall be satisfied (richly fed in their soul; they shall obtain that same righteousness after which they have hungered and there in eternal life will be satisfied with all heavenly goods, so that they may neither hunger nor thirst eternally, Psalm 36:9, Revelation 7:16).

    * Luke 6:21 (Isaiah 55:1; Psalm 17:15; John 6:35)

    7. Blessèd are the * merciful (who allow the need of the neighbor to go to their heart and serve him according to all their ability), for they will (on the other hand) obtain mercy (not only with men, but rather also with God the Lord Himself).

    * Proverbs 21:21; James 2:13

    8. Blessèd are those * who are pure of heart (whose heart has been purified through faith in Christ, Acts 15:9, and who is minded toward God without hypocrisy and falsehood), for they will see God (they will see God someday face to face in heavenly joy, 1 Corinthians 13:2).

    * Psalm 51:12; 1 John 3:2–3 (Psalm 24:4; Psalm 15:2)

    9. Blessed are the * peacemakers (who not only live peaceably for themselves and who yield their right for the sake of the maintenance of peace, but rather also those who establish peace among others who have fallen into disunity. Luther: “The peacemakers are more that the peaceable, namely, they are those who make, promote, and maintain peace among others, as Christ has made peace for us with God”), for they will be called God’s children (be recognized as God’s children because they are minded as their heavenly Father, who is a God of peace and who delights in love, peace, and unity, Romans 15:33, 16:20; 1 Corinthians 14:33; Philippians 4:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 13:20).

    * Hebrews 12:14; James 3:18

    10. Blessèd are those who for the sake of * righteousness (for the sake of the truth and for the sake of the steadfast confession of the Gospel) are persecuted, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven (see v. 3).

    * 1 Peter 3:14 (2 Timothy 2:12)

    11. Blessèd are you, * when men shame you (when private persons slander and blaspheme you) and persecute you (when those who sit in public offices drive you out into misery, take away your possessions and goods, and even also seek after your life) and speak all kinds of evil against you (in that judges and witnesses attribute terrible vices and evil deeds to you before the court) on My account (for the sake of My name and My Word) **, when they lie about it (since it is nevertheless not true what they say of you).

    * Luke 6:22; 1 Peter 4:14 (Proverbs 22:4)

    ** It is something other when a man is punished for the sake of his wickedness, see Jeremiah 2:19; Psalm 32:10.

    12. Be joyful and comforted (do not become fainthearted over it, but rather take courage, indeed, rejoice over it from your heart, leap and spring for joy, that you have been counted worthy to suffer shame and hardship for My sake), you will be well rewarded in heaven (it will be repaid to you bountifully in that life, yet not from merit, but from pure grace, Romans 8:18), for (such is not something new, but rather) * in this way they had persecuted the prophets who were before you (in whom the promise of the gracious reward has already been fulfilled).

    * James 5:10 (Acts 7:52; James 1:2)

    Useful Applications

    I. DOCTRINE: That those who are persecuted for the sake of Christ are blessèd people and will have a great reward in the Kingdom of Heaven. (v. 10–12)