THE DISCIPLES & THE FRUITS OF GOD'S WORD
SECTION I. THE NATURE OF THE WORD SPOKEN HERE.
1. This Gospel treats of the disciples and the fruits, which the
Word of God develops in the world. It does not speak of the law nor
of human institutions; but, as Christ himself says, of the Word of God,
which he himself the sower preaches, for the law bears no fruit, just as
little as do the institutions of men. Christ however sets forth here
four kinds of disciples of the divine Word.
SECTION II. THE DISCIPLES OF THIS WORD.
2. The first class of disciples are those who hear the Word but
neither understand nor esteem it. And these are not the mean people
in the world, but the greatest, wisest and the most saintly, in short they
are the greatest part of mankind; for Christ does not speak here of those
who persecute the Word nor of those who fail to give their ear to it, but
of those who hear it and are students of it, who also wish to be called
true Christians and to live in Christian fellowship with Christians and
are partakers of baptism and the Lord's Supper. But they are of a
carnal heart, and remain so, failing to appropriate the Word of God to
themselves, it goes in one ear and out the other. Just like the seed
along the wayside did not fall into the earth, but remained lying on the
ground in the wayside, because the road was tramped hard by the feet of
man and beast and it could not take root.
3. Therefore Christ says the devil cometh and taketh away the
Word from their heart, that they may not believe and be saved. What
power of Satan this alone reveals, that hearts, hardened through a worldly
mind and life, lose the Word and let it go, so that they never understand
or confess it; but instead of the Word of God Satan sends false teachers
to tread it under foot by the doctrines of men. For it stands here
written both that it was trodden under foot, and the birds of the heaven
devoured it. The birds Christ himself interprets as the messengers
of the devil, who snatch away the Word and devour it, which is done when
he turns and blinds their hearts so that they neither understand nor esteem
it, as St. Paul says in 2 Tim 4:4: "They will turn away their ears
from the truth, and turn aside unto fables." By the treading under foot
of men Christ means the teachings of men, that rule in our hearts, as he
says in Mt 5:13 also of the salt that has lost its savor, it is cast out
and trodden under foot, of men; that is, as St. Paul says in 2 Ths.
2:11, they must believe a lie because they have not been obedient to the
truth.
4. Thus all heretics, fanatics and sects belong to this number,
who understand the Gospel in a carnal way and explain it as they please,
to suit their own ideas, all of whom hear the Gospel and yet they bear
no fruit, yea, more, they are governed by Satan and are harder oppressed
by human institutions than they were before they heard the Word.
For it is a dreadful utterance that Christ here gives that the devil taketh
away the Word from their hearts, by which he clearly proves that the devil
rules mightily in their hearts, notwithstanding they are called Christians
and hear the Word. Likewise it sounds terribly that they are to be
trodden under foot, and must be subject unto men and to their ruinous teachings,
by which under the appearance and name of the Gospel the devil takes the
Word from them, so that they may never believe and be saved, but must be
lost forever; as the fanatical spirits of our day do in all lands.
For where this Word is not, there is no salvation, and great works or holy
lives avail nothing, for [it is] with this, that he says: "They shall not
be saved," since they have not the Word, he shows forcibly enough, that
not their works but their faith in the Word alone saves, as Paul says to
the Romans: "It is, the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth"
(Rom 1:16).
5. The second class of hearers are those who receive the Word
with joy, but they do not persevere. These are also a large multitude
who understand the Word correctly and lay hold of it in its purity without
any spirit of sect, division or fanaticism, they rejoice also in that they
know the real truth, and are able to know how they may be saved without
works through faith. They also know that they are free from the bondage
of the law, of their conscience and of human teachings; but when it comes
to the test that they must suffer harm, disgrace and loss of life or property,
then they fall and deny it; for they have not root enough, and are not
planted deep enough in the soil. Hence they are like the growth on
a rock, which springs forth fresh and green, that it is a pleasure to behold
it and it awakens bright hopes. But when the sun shines hot it withers,
because it has no soil and moisture, and only rock is there. So these
do; in times of persecution they deny or keep silence about the Word, and
work, speak and suffer all that their persecutors mention or wish, who
formerly went forth and spoke, and confessed with a fresh and joyful spirit
the same, while there was still peace and no heat, so that there was hope
they would bear much fruit and serve the people. For these fruits
are not only the works, but more the confession, preaching and spreading
of the Word, so that many others may thereby be converted and the kingdom
of God be developed.
6. The third class are those who hear and understand the Word,
but still it falls on the other side of the road, among the pleasures and
cares of this life, so that they also do nothing with the Word. And
there is quite a large multitude of these; for although they do not start
heresies, like the first, but always possess the absolutely pure Word,
they are also, not attacked on the left as the others with opposition and
persecution; yet they fall on the right side, and it is their ruin that
they enjoy peace and good days. Therefore they do not earnestly give
themselves to the Word, but become indifferent and sink in the cares, riches
and pleasures of this life, so that they are of no benefit to any one.
Therefore they are like the seed that fell among the thorns. Although
it is not rocky but good soil; not wayside but deeply plowed soil; yet,
the thorns will not let it spring up, they choke it. Thus these have
all in the Word that is needed for their salvation, but they do not make
any use of it, and they rot in this life in carnal pleasures. To
these belong those who hear the Word but do not bring under subjection
their flesh. They know their duty but do it not, they teach but do
not practice what they teach, and are this year as they were last.
7. The fourth class are those who lay hold of and keep the Word
in a good and honest heart, and bring forth fruit with patience, those
who hear the Word and steadfastly retain it, meditate upon it and act in
harmony with it. The devil does not snatch it away, nor are they
thereby led astray, moreover the heat of persecution does not rob them
of it, and the thorns of pleasure and the avarice of the times do not hinder
its growth; but they bear fruit by teaching others and by developing the
kingdom of God, hence they also do good to their neighbor in love; and
therefore Christ adds, "they bring forth fruit with patience." For these
must suffer much on account of the Word, shame and disgrace from fanatics
and heretics, hatred and jealousy with injury to body and property from
their persecutors, not to mention what the thorns and the temptations of
their own flesh do, so that it may well be called the Word of the cross;
for he who would keep it must bear the cross and misfortune, and triumph.
field,
8. He says: "In honest and good hearts." Like a field that is
without a thorn or brush, cleared and spacious, as a beautiful clean place:
so a heart is also cleared and clean, broad and spacious, that is without
cares and avarice as to temporal needs, so that the Word of God truly finds
lodgment there. But the field is good, not only when it lies there
cleared and level, but when it is also rich and fruitful, possesses soil
and is productive, and not like a stony and gravelly field. Just
so is the heart that has good soil and with a full spirit is strong, fertile
and good to keep the Word and bring forth fruit with patience.
9. Here we see why it is no wonder there are so few true Christians,
for all the seed does not fall into good ground, but only the fourth and
small part; and that they are not to be trusted who boast they are Christians
and praise the teaching of the Gospel; like Demas, a disciple of St.
Paul, who forsook him at last (2 Tim. 4:10); like the disciples of
Jesus, who turned their backs to him (John 6:66). For Christ himself
cries out here: "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear," as if he should
say: O, how few true Christians there are; one dare not believe all to
be Christians who are called Christians and hear the Gospel, more is required
than that.
10. All this is spoken for our instruction, that we may not go
astray, since so many misuse the Gospel and few lay hold of it aright.
True it is unpleasant to preach to those who treat the Gospel so shamefully
and even oppose it. For preaching is to become so universal that
the Gospel is to be proclaimed to all creatures, as Christ says in Mk.
16:15: "Preach the Gospel to the whole creation;" and Ps. 19:4: "Their
line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the
world." What business is it of mine that many do not esteem it? It must
be that many are called but few are chosen. For the sake of the good
ground that brings forth fruit with patience, the seed must also fall fruitless
by the wayside, on the rock and among the thorns; inasmuch as we are assured
that the Word of God does not go forth without bearing some fruit, but
it always finds also good ground; as Christ says here, some seed of the
sower falls also into good ground, and not only by the wayside, among the
thorns and on stony ground. For wherever the Gospel goes you will
find Christians. "My word shall not return unto me void" (Is.
55:11).
PAGE 122 [pages 119-121 of THE SERMONS OF MARTIN LUTHER, VOL. II omitted
(section III) in this on-line edition]
SECTION IV. WHY CHRIST CALLS THE DOCTRINE CONCERNING THE DISCIPLES
AND THE FRUITS OF THE WORD A MYSTERY.
19. But what does it mean when he says: "Unto you it is given
to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God", etc.? What are the mysteries?
Shall one not know them, why then are they preached? A "mystery" is a hidden
secret, that is not known: and the "mysteries of the kingdom of God" are
the things in the kingdom of God, as for example Christ with all his grace,
which he manifests to us, as Paul describes him; for he who knows Christ
aright understands what God's kingdom is, and what is in it. And
it is called a mystery because it is spiritual and secret, and indeed it
remains so, where the spirit does not reveal it. For although there
are many who see and hear it, yet they do not understand it. just
as there are many who preach and hear Christ, how he offered himself for
us; but all that is only upon their tongue and not in their heart; for
they themselves do not believe it, they do not experience it, as Paul in
1 Cor. 2:14 says: "The natural man receiveth not the things of the
Spirit of God!" Therefore Christ says here: "Unto you it is given", the
Spirit gives it to you that you not only hear and see it, but acknowledge
and believe it with your heart. Therefore it is now no longer a mystery
to you. But to the others who hear it as well as you, and have no
faith in their heart, they see and understand it not; to them it is a mystery
and it will continue unknown to them, and all that they hear is only like
one hearing a parable or a dark saying. This is also proved by the
fanatics of our day, who know so much to preach about Christ; but as they
themselves do not experience it in their heart, they rush ahead and pass
by the true foundation of the mystery and tramp around with questions and
rare foundlings, and when it comes to the test they do not know the least
thing about trusting in God and finding in Christ the forgiveness of their
sins.
20. But Mark says (4:33), Christ spake therefore to the people
with parables, that they might understand, each according to his ability.
How does that agree with what Matthew says, 13:13-14: He spake therefore
unto them in parables, because they did not understand? It must surely
be that Mark wishes to say that parables serve to the end that they may
get a hold of coarse, rough people, although they do not indeed understand
them, yet later, they may be taught and then they know: for parables are
naturally pleasing to the common people, and they easily remember them
since they are taken from common every day affairs, in the midst of which
the people live. But Matthew means to say that these parables are
of the nature that no one can understand them, they may grasp and hear
them as often as they will, unless the Spirit makes them known and reveals
them. Not that they should preach that we shall not understand them;
but it naturally follows that wherever the Spirit does not reveal them,
no one understands them. However, Christ took these words from Is.
6:9-10, where the high meaning of the divine foreknowledge is referred
to, that God conceals and reveals to whom he will and whom he had in mind
from eternity.
