PATTERN OF SOUND WORDS

Tag: Holy Innocents

  • 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 2:13–18 from Das Weimarische Bibelwerk (1877)

    The following is my translation of the notes and useful applications for the Holy Gospel of the Feast of the Holy Innocents, Matthew 2:13–18, 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.

    II. The flight of Joseph and Mary with the little Child, and what soon followed thereafter, namely, Herod’s Slaughter of the Innocents. (v. 13–18)

    Annotated Text

    13. Now when they had departed (and before the child was presented to the Lord in the temple at Jerusalem, Luke 2:22, and His parents had returned to Nazareth, Luke 2:39),1 behold, then the Angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, and said, “Stand up and take the little Child and His mother (which little Child is far more noble than the mother, and therefore is properly set forth before her; which Child is also born of your wife, but not begotten of you) to yourself, and flee (with haste, without any delay) into the land of Egypt, and remain there, until I tell you (that you should come back. From which, then, Joseph could conclude that He would not always remain in Egypt); for it is the case that Herod seeks the little Child,2 to kill Him.“

    (Matthew 1:20)

    1 † This last event some bring in somewhat of a different chronological order, and not without any basis.

    2 Greek: “for Herod will seek out the little Child” [μέλλει γὰρ Ἡρῷδης ζητεῖν τὸ παιδὶον]

    14. And he (Joseph) stood up and took the little Child and His mother to himself, during the night (still in the same night in which he received the command), and escaped into the land of Egypt (He made upon the way at night so that no one would notice his flight).

    15. And he remained there (with the Child Jesus and His mother Mary) until the death of Herod, so that it would be fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the * prophet (Hosea), when He said, “Out of Egypt, I have called My Son.” (The prophet indeed speaks properly of the Israelite people, whom God loved with a fatherly manner as His son, Exodus 4:22, and led out of Egypt. However, the holy evangelist can apply this saying to the Lord Christ very well and justifiably, as the One in whom God loves His own, and who is the Head of the spiritual body [i.e., the Church, including the Israelites who looked forward to the Messiah], for what is ascribed to the body can also certainly be applied to the Head, Acts 9:4–5, as, on the other hand, what belongs to the Head can also be ascribed to the members to a certain measure, Ephesians 2:6; Revelation 12:5)1

    * Hosea 11:1

    1 Some understand this prophecy to be of Christ Himself, namely, that God in the future would call His own Son out of Egypt out of love for the Jews, beyond the former benefits. Hosea’s own words will give the best decision.

    16. Now when Herod saw that he was deceived by the wise men (because they did not come back to him in Jerusalem on their return, which he falsely interpreted as though he had been deceived by them), he became very wrathful and sent out and had all the children who were two years old and under put to death in Bethlehem and in all its surrounding areas, according to the time which he had diligently learned from the wise men. (Because he had diligently inquired at to which time the new star had first appeared to them, therefore he made an assumption as to approximately how old the newborn King might be. However, because he nevertheless could not be certain of His age, so He also wanted both the younger and older children strangled together, not only at Bethlehem, but also in the nearest adjacent surrounding areas. According to some who draw their opinion from Macrobius[2], among these boys was also [Herod’s] own son, whom, according to his own thoughts, [He had killed] so that he might not miss the right one.)

    1 † Whether this happened secretly or publicly by force is not certain. However, the former is more probable because Josephus does not think of it.

    [2] [This is a reference to Ambrosius Theodosius Macrobius, who in his Saturnalia (2.4.11) recorded that Herod had also killed his own son.]

    17. Then was fulfilled what had been said by the * prophet Jeremiah, when he said:

    * Jeremiah 31:15

    18. “Upon the mountain (at Ramah, which was a mountain-city in the tribe of Benjamin not far from Bethlehem, Joshua 18:25; Judges 19:13) one has heard a cry—much lamentation, weeping, and wailing—Rachel (the wife of the patriarch Jacob, who died and was buried in that same region, Genesis 35:19, from whom, as the matriarch, the descendants of Jacob and Benjamin come from) weeping for her children (her descendants) and not allowing herself to be comforted (from great resentment and grieving), for they were no more (as far as their earthly and temporal life is concerned; however, the souls of these holy tender martyrs live in heavenly joy and blessedness. Luther: “St. Matthew has especially drawn in this saying that he thereby might show how it always is for Christianity, for it always allows itself to be seen before the world as though it were all over with Christianity, yet it is, against the power of hell, wonderfully preserved by God. And one sees here in these children how a Christian existence rightly consists in suffering.” The saying cited from the prophet properly speaks of the misery that befell the descendants of Rachel, namely, the Israelites of the tribe of Benjamin, for the ten tribes, among whom the tribe of Benjamin was the foremost, were led away into the Assyrian captivity; this misery was so great, that their matriarch, Rachel, who had been deceased for many years, might well have risen from the dead and bewailed them.  However, the evangelist does not apply this saying to the strangled Bethlehemite children unjustifiably, because their misery was not less than the former, and the gruesome murders occurred around the region where Rachel lay buried. And although the strangled Bethlehemite children do not come directly from Rachel as those who sprang up from the tribe of Joseph and Benjamin, nevertheless, they are properly also regarded as Rachel’s children because they come from Jacob, the husband of Rachel).1

    * Genesis 35:19

    1 † Many, not without reason, understand Jeremiah to be speaking properly of this Bethlehemite slaughter of children, since especially the entire thirty-first chapter deals with the spiritual redemption expected after the [Assyrian] captivity through Christ, in which manner Rachel, as a mother anguished unto death over the misery of her children, would be set forth as [a type] of each [of these mothers].

    Useful Applications

    II. DOCTRINE: Concerning the state of humiliation of Christ on earth, when he, as a poor human child, was brought by Joseph to Egypt away from the madman Herod so that He might not be killed. (v. 13–14)