Martin Luther on Galatians 3:28

Verſe. 28. There is neither Ievve nor Grecian, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are allas one man. one in Chriſte Ieſus. Here might be added moreouer many moe names of perſons and offices which are ordained of God, as theſe: There is neither Magiſtrate nor ſubiect, neither teacher nor hearer, neither ſcholemaſter nor ſcholer, neither maſter nor ſeruaunt, neither miſtres nor maide &c: for in Chriſt Ieſu all ſtates, yea euen ſuch as are ordained of God, are nothing. In deede the male, the female, the bond, the free, the Iewe, the Gentile, the Prince, the ſubiect are the good creatures of God: but in Chriſt, that is, in the matter of ſaluatiō they are nothing, with all their wiſedom, righteouſnes, religion, and power. Wherfore, with theſe words: There is neither Ievve. &c. Paule mightely aboliſheth the lawe.There is neither Ievv nor Grecian. &c. For here, that is, when a man is renewed by baptiſme, and hath put on Chriſte, there is neither Iewe nor Grecian. &c. The Apoſtle ſpeaketh not here of the Iewe according to his nature and ſubſtaunce: but he calleth him a Iewe which is the diſciple of Moſes, is ſubiect to the lawe, is circumciſed, and with all his endeuour kepeth the ceremonies commaunded in the lawe. Where Chriſt is put on (ſayth he) there is neither Iew,Chriſt hath taken avvay the lavve. nor circumciſion, nor ceremonie of the law any more: for Chriſt hath aboliſhed all the lawes of Moſes that euer were.The beleuing conſcience knovveth no lavv. Wherfore the conſcience beleuing in Chriſt, muſt be ſo ſurely perſwaded that the law is aboliſhed, with all his terrours & threatnings, that it ſhould be vtterly ignoraunt whether there were euer any Moſes, any law, or any Iew. For Chriſt & Moſes can in no wiſe agree. Moſes came with the law, with many workes and with many ceremonies: but Chriſte came without any law, without any exacting of workes, geuing grace and righteouſnes. &c. Iohn. 1. For the lavv vvas geuen by Moſes, Iohn. 1.17. but grace and truth came by Ieſus Chriſt. Moreouer, when he ſayth: Nor Grecian, The vviſedom and righteouſnes of the Gē tiles reiected. he reiecteth alſo and condemneth the wiſedom and righteouſnes of the Gentiles. For among the Gentiles there were many notable men, as Xenophon, Themiſtocles, Marcus Fabius, Attilius Regulus, Cicero, Pomponius Atticus and many other, which being endued with ſinguler vertues, gouerned common weales excellently, and did many worthy actes for the preſeruation therof: and yet all theſe were nothing before God, with their wiſedom, their power, their notable actes, their excellent vertues, lawes,The Gentiles in all ages had their lavves, Religions and Ceremonies. religions and ceremonies. For we muſt not thinke that the Gentiles did contemne all honeſtie and religion. Yea all nations of all ages diſperſed thoroughout the world had their lawes, religions, and ceremonies, without the which it is not poſſible that mankinde ſhould be gouerned. All righteouſnes therefore concerning either the gouernment of families, or common weales, or diuine matters (as was the righteouſnes of the lawe) with all the obedience, execution and holines therof, be it neuer ſo perfect, is nothing worth before God. What then? The garment of Chriſt which we put on in baptiſme. So, if the ſeruaunt doe his duetie, obey his maſter, ſerue in his vocation neuer ſo diligently and faithfully: if he that is at libertie be in authoritie and gouerne the common wealth, or guide his owne family honeſtly and with praiſe: if the man doe that pertaineth to the man in marying a wife, in gouerning his familie, in obeying the Magiſtrate,There is neither free nor bond. &c. in behauing him ſelfe decently towardes all men: if the woman liue chaſtely, obey her huſband, ſee well to her houſhold, bring vp her children godly (which are in deede excellēt gifts & holy works) yet are all theſe nothing in cōpariſon of that righteouſnes which is before God. To be briefe, all the lawes, ceremonies, religiōs, righteouſnes & workes in the whole world, yea of the Iewes themſelues, which were the firſt that had the kingdom & prieſthode ordained & appoynted of God, with their holy lawes, religiōs, ceremonies, & worſhippings, all theſe (I ſay) take not away ſinne, deliuer not from death, nor purchaſe life. Therfore your falſe Apoſtles doe ſubtelly ſeduce you (O ye Galathians) when they teach you that the lawe is neceſſary to ſaluation: and by this meanes they ſpoyle you of that excellent glory of your newe birth and your adoption, and call you backe to your olde birth and to the moſte miſerable ſeruitude of the lawe, making you of the free children of God bonde children of the lawe,In the vvorld there is a difference of perſons, but not before God. whiles they will haue a difference of perſons according to the lawe. In deede there is a difference of perſons in the lawe and in the worlde, and there it ought to be: but not before God. All haue ſinned, and are deſtitute of the glory of God. Rom. 13.23. Let the Iewes therefore, the Gentiles, and the whole world keepe ſilence in the preſence of God. God hath in deede many ordinaunces, lawes, degrees and kindes of life, but all theſe helpe nothing to deſerue grace, and to obtaine eternall life. So many as are iuſtified therefore, are iuſtified, not by the obſeruation of mans lawe or Gods lawe, but by Chriſte alone, who hath aboliſhed all lawes.The Goſpell ſetteth forth Chriſt vnto vs. Him doth the Goſpell ſet forth vnto vs for a pacifier of Gods wrath by the ſheeding of his owne bloud, and a Sauiour: And without Faith in him, neither ſhall the Iewe be ſaued by the law, nor the Monke by his order, nor the Grecian by his wiſedom, nor the Magiſtrate or Maſter by his vpright gouernement, nor the ſeruaunt by his obedience.

Verſe. 28. For ye are all one in Chriſt Ieſu. There is a difference and an inequalitie of perſons in the vvorld.Theſe are excellent wordes. In the world and according to the fleſh there is a great differēce and inequalitie of perſons: and the ſame muſt be diligently obſerued. For if the woman would be the man, if the ſonne would be the father, the ſeruaunt would be the maſter, the ſubiect would be the magiſtrate, there ſhould be nothing elſe but a cō fuſion of all ſtates and of all things. Contrariwiſe, in Chriſte there is no lawe, no difference of perſons, there is neither Iewe nor Grecian, but all are one.Epheſ. 4.4. For there is one body, one ſpirite, one hope of vocation: There is but one Goſpell, one Faith, one Baptiſme, one God and Father of all, one Chriſt & Lord of all. We haue the ſame Chriſt, I, thou and all the Faithfull, which Peter, Paule, and all the Sainctes had. Here therefore the conſcience knoweth nothing of the lawe, but hath Chriſt onely before her eyes. Therfore Paule is alwayes wont to adde this clauſe:In Chriſt Ieſu. In Chriſte Ieſu. Who, if he be taken out of our ſight, then commeth terrour. The opinion of the Schoole diuines concerning Faith.The Popiſh Schoole diuines doe dreame that Faith is a qualitie cleauing in the heart, without Chriſte. This is a deueliſh errour. But Chriſte ſhould be ſo ſet forth, that thou ſhouldeſt ſee nothing beſides him, and ſhouldeſt thinke that nothing cā be more nere vnto thee, or more preſently within thy heart then he is. For he ſitteth not idly in heauen: but is preſent with vs, working and liuing in vs, as he ſayth before in the .2. chap. I liue: Galath. [illegible: 1 letter].[illegible: 1 letter]0. Tit. 3.5. [illegible: 1 letter]aith. yet not I, but Chriſte liueth in me. And here likewiſe: Ye haue put on Chriſte. Faith therefore is a certaine ſtedfaſt beholding, which looketh vppon nothing elſe but Chriſte the conquerour of ſinne and death, and the geuer of righteouſnes, ſaluation and eternal life. This is the cauſe that Paule nameth & ſetteth forth Ieſus Chriſte ſo often in his Epiſtles, yea almoſt in euery verſe.VVhy Paule ſetteth forth Chriſt ſo oftē in his Epiſtles. But he ſetteth him forth by the word: for otherwiſe he can not be comprehended then by the word. This was notably and liuely repreſented by the braſen Serpent, which is a figure of Chriſte.The braſen ſerpent a figure of Chriſt. Moiſes commaunded the Iewes which were ſtong of Serpents in the deſert, to doe nothing elſe but ſtedfaſtly behold the braſen Serpent, and not to turne away their eyes. They that did ſo,Num. 21.6.7.[illegible: 1 letter]. were healed onely by that ſtedfaſt and conſtant beholding of the Serpent. But contrariwiſe, they died which obeied not the commaundement of Moiſes, but looked vppon their woundes, and not vppon the Serpent. So if I would find comfort when my conſcience is afflicted, or when I am at the poynt of death, I muſt doe nothing but apprehend Chriſte by Faith, and ſay: I beleue in Ieſus Chriſte the ſonne of God, who ſuffered, was crucified, and died for me, &c: in whoſe woundes and in whoſe death I ſee my ſinne, and in his reſurrection victorie ouer ſinne, death, & the Deuil, alſo righteouſnes and eternall life. Beſides him I ſee nothing, I heare nothing. True Faith in Chriſt. Epheſ. 5.30. Actes. 17.20. This is true Faith concerning Chriſte and in Chriſte. Whereby we are made members of his body, flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bones. In him therefore vve liue, vve moue, and vve haue our being. Chriſt and our Faith muſt be throughly ioyned together. Chriſte and our Faith muſt be thoroughly ioyned together. We muſt be in heauen, and Chriſt muſt liue and worke in vs. Nowe, he liueth and worketh in vs, not by ſpeculation and naked knowledge, but in deede and by a true and a ſubſtantiall preſence.