The following is my translation of the notes and useful applications for the Holy Gospel of the First Sunday after Epiphany, Luke 2:41–52, 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. A report, how Christians ought to give themselves entirely to God the Lord, live according to this commandment, and keep themselves from the godless world. (v.1–2)
II. Some rules concerning various good works which one chiefly ought to pay heed to in private matters toward one another. (v. 3–21)
Annotated Text
1. I admonish you,1 (you my) beloved brothers, through the mercy of God (which He has shown you in His Son Christ Jesus, the only Savior and Mediator), that you (as spiritual priests) * that you give (present) your bodies (and souls) as a sacrifice that is living (not taken from slaughtered animals, but rather made alive through the Holy Spirit), holy (sanctified through Christ’s blood) and pleasing to God (through faith), which (sacrifice) is your rational (arranged according to the Word of God, and grounded upon the many benefits previously adduced) worship (such a worship, which is moved from a heart enlightened and indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and not consisting in external Levitical ceremonies, but rather is carried out in the Spirit and in truth, John 4:23. Luther: “St. Paul here calls all sacrifices, works, and worship irrational when they happen without faith and the knowledge of God”).
1 Greek: “Therefore” (or “according to such”) [οὖν]. This is a little word of conclusion whereby Paul derives special Christian duties from the doctrine of justification by faith as he did in general in Romans 6:1ff; cf. 2 Corinthians 6:1ff.
* Romans 6:13; 1 Thessalonians 4:3 (1 Peter 2:5)
2. And do not conform yourselves to this world (do not be minded as the children of the world who only strive after how they may please men and at the same time place God’s favor away from their eyes), but rather be changed * through the renewal of your mind (put on a different mind than the children of the world have; give room and place to the Holy Spirit that He may renew your understanding and heart more and more through the renewal of the Divine image), that you may prove (recognize and learn) † that which is the good, the pleasing, and the perfect will of God (as He has revealed it to us in His Word, according to which your spiritual sacrifices offered in Christ to God are pleasing to Him).
* Ephesians 4:23
† Ephesians 5:10, 17 (1 John 2:15; Philippians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; Wisdom 9:10)
3. For I say through the grace which has been given to me (as an apostle of Christ), to each among you, that no one ought to consider himself more than is fit for him to consider (that no one think of himself too highly out from pride); but rather that he consider himself with moderation (remain within his limits, and not ascribe to himself to much, nor entangle himself in things too high), each, according to * God has divided the measure of faith (according to as God has distributed to each His saving knowledge and His gifts).
* 1 Corinthians 7:17, 12:11; Ephesians 4:7
4. For in like manner, as we have many members in * one body, but not all members have one business (or performance);
* 1 Corinthians 12:2; Ephesians 4:25
5. in this way we who are many are * one body in Christ (who is the Head in this spiritual body); but among one another (under this Head) is one (a true believer) a member of the other.
* 1 Corinthians 12:27 (1 Corinthians 10:17)
6. And * has various gifts (gifts of grace, in particular the ability to serve others) according to the grace (gracious distribution, Ephesians 4:7ff.), which has been given to us.
* 1 Corinthians 12:4 (1 Peter 4:10)
Useful Applications
I. CORRECTION: That we ought to give ourselves entirely to God, with our body and soul, as a living, holy, and pleasing sacrifice, through the rejection of the godless world and through the renewal of the Holy Spirit. (v. 1–2) [There are no applications for v. 3–6.]
PATTERN OF SOUND WORDS 