Martin Luther on Galatians 5:14

Verſe. 14. For the vvhole lavve is fulfilled in one vvord, vvhich is this: Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy ſelfe. Paule, after that he hath laid the foundation of Chriſtian doctrine, is wont to build gold, ſiluer and precious ſtones vpon it. Now, there is no other foundation, as he himſelfe ſayeth to the Corinthians,1. Cor. 3.11.1[illegible: 1 letter]. than Ieſus Chriſt, or the righteouſnes of Chriſte. Vpon this foundation he buildeth now good workes, yea good workes in deede: all which he comprehendeth in one precept: Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy ſelfe. As if he ſhould ſay: when I ſay that ye muſt ſerue one an other through loue, I meane the ſelfe ſame thing that the lawe ſayeth in an other place: Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy ſelfe. Leuitis. 19.1[illegible: 1 letter]. And this is truely to interprete the Scriptures and Gods commaundements. Now, in geuing preceptes of loue, he couertly toucheth by the way the falſe teachers: againſt whom he ſetteth him ſelfe mightely, that he may defend and ſtabliſh his doctrine of good workes againſt them. As if he ſayd: O ye Galathians, I haue hetherto taught you the true and ſpirituall life, and now alſo I will teach you what be good workes in deede. And this will I doe to the ende ye may know that the vaine and fooliſh workes of ceremonies which the falſe Apoſtles doe onely vrge, are farre inferiour to the workes of charitie. For ſuch is the fooliſhnes and madnes of all wicked teachers and fantaſticall ſpirites,Meritmōgers & hypocrites vnderſtād not the doctrine of faith and of good vvorks. 1. Cor. 3.12.15. that not onely they leaue the true foundation and pure doctrine: but alſo continuing alwayes in their ſuperſtitions, they neuer attaine to good workes. Therefore (as Paule ſayeth) they build nothing but woode, hay and ſtubble vppon the foundation. So the falſe apoſtles, which were the moſt earneſt defenders of workes, did not teach or require the workes of charitie, as that Chriſtians ſhuld loue one an other, that they ſhould be ready to helpe their neighbours in all neceſſities, not onely with their goods, but alſo with their body: that is to ſay, with tounge, hand, heart, and with their whole ſtrength: but onely they required that circumciſion ſhould be kept,Galath. 4.1[illegible: 1 letter]. that dayes, monethes, yeres and times ſhould be obſerued: and other good workes they could teach none. For after they had deſtroyed the foundation which is Chriſt, & darkened the doctrine of Faith, it was impoſſible that there ſhould remaine any true vſe, exerciſe, or opinion of good workes. Take away the tree, & the frute muſt needes periſh. The Apoſtle therfore diligently exhorteth the Chriſtians to exerciſe themſelues in good workes, after that they haue heard and receaued the pure doctrine of Faith. For the remnauntes of ſinne doe yet ſtill remaine euen in thoſe that be iuſtified: which, as they are contrary to Faith and hinder it: ſo doe they hinder vs from doing good workes.Reaſon is naturally delited vvith ſuperſtition. Moreouer, mans reaſon and the fleſh, which in the ſainctes them ſelues reſiſteth the ſpirite, and in the wicked doth mightely raigne, is naturally delited with Phariſaicall ſuperſtitions: that is to ſay, it taketh more pleaſure in meaſuring God by her owne imaginations, than by his word, and doth the works that ſhe her ſelfe hath choſen, with farre greater zeale then thoſe which God hath commaunded. Wherfore it is neceſſary that the godly preachers ſhould as diligently teach and vrge the doctrine of good workes, as the doctrine of Faith: for Satan is a deadly enemie to both. Notwithſtanding faith muſt firſt be planted: for without Faith it is impoſſible to vnderſtand what a good worke is, or what pleaſeth God. Let no man thinke therefore that he thorowly knoweth this commaūdement: Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy ſelfe. In deede it is very ſhort and eaſy as touching the wordes:No mā loueth his neighbour as himſelfe. but ſhew me the teachers and hearers that in teaching, learning, and liuing doe exerciſe and accompliſh it rightly. Therefore theſe wordes: Serue ye one an other through loue: and theſe alſo, Thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy ſelf, are incomprehenſible, & no man, no not euen the godly doe ſufficiently conſider, teach, and exerciſe the ſame. And (which is a wōderful thing) the faithfull haue this tentation, that if they omit neuer ſo light a matter which they ought to do, by and by their conſcience is wounded: but they are not ſo troubled if they neglect the dueties of charitie (as daily they doe),Naturall corruption & ſuperſtition remaining in the faithfull. or beare not a ſincere and brotherly loue and affection towards their neighbour. For they doe not ſo much regard the commaundement of charitie, as their owne ſuperſtitions: from the which they be not altogether free during this life. Paule therfore reprehendeth ye Galathians in theſe words: For the vvhole lavv is fulfilled in one vvord. As if he had ſaid: ye are drowned in your ſuperſtitions & ceremonies concerning places & times, which profit neither your ſelues nor others: and in ye meane while ye neglect charitie which ye ought onely to haue kept. What madnes is this? So ſayth Ierome: We weare & cōſume our bodies with watching,A ſaying of Hierome. faſting and labour: but we neglect charitie, which is the onely lady & miſtreſſe of workes. And this may be wel ſeene in the Monkes, who ſtraitly obſerue their traditions concerning their ceremonies, faſting, watching, apparel & ſuch like. In this caſe if they omitte any thing, be it neuer ſo litle, they ſinne deadly. But whē they do not only neglect charitie, but alſo hate one an other to the death, they ſinne not, nor offend God at all. Therefore by this commaundement Paule, Paul teacheth good vvorks, and condemneth euill vvorkes. not onely teacheth good works, but alſo cōdemneth fantaſticall and ſuperſtitious works. He not onely buildeth gold, ſiluer and precious ſtones vpon the foundation, but alſo throweth downe the woode, and burneth vp the hay & ſtubble. God witneſſed by examples in the olde Teſtament how much he did alwayes eſteme of charitie: whervnto he would haue yt very law it ſelf and the ceremonies therof to geue place.1. Sam. 31.6. At ſuch time as Dauid and they that were with him were hungrie, and had not what to eate, they did eate the holy ſhewbread, which by the lawe the lay people might not eate, but onely the prieſts.Math. 12.3.[illegible: 2 letters]. Chriſtes diſciples brake the Saboth in plucking the eares of corne: yea and Chriſt him ſelfe brake the Saboth (as ſayd the Iewes) in healing the ſicke on the Saboth day. All theſe things ſhew that charitie or loue ought to be preferred before all lawes & ceremonies, & that God requireth nothing ſo much at our handes as loue towardes our neighbour. The ſame thing Chriſte alſo witneſſeth when he ſayeth: And the ſecond is like vnto this. Math. 22.2[illegible: 1 letter].

Verſe. 14. For all the lavv is fulfilled in one vvord. As if he ſayd: Why doe ye burden your ſelues with the lawe? Why doe ye ſo toile and tormoile your ſelues about the ceremonies of the law, about meates, dayes, places and ſuch other things: as how ye ought to eate, drinke, keepe your feaſtes, ſacrifice? &c. Leaue of theſe follies, and hearken what I ſay: All the lawe is fully comprehended in this one ſaying: Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy ſelfe. God deliteth not in the obſeruation of the ceremonies of the lawe, neither hath he any neede of them. The onely thing that he requireth at your hands is this, that ye beleue in Chriſt whom he hath ſent:Epheſ. 1.2. in whom ye are made perfect, and haue all things. But if vnto Faith, which is the moſt acceptable ſeruice of God, ye will alſo adde lawes, then aſſure your ſelues that all lawes are comprehended in this ſhort commaundement: Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy ſelfe. Endeuour your ſelues to keepe this commaundement: which being kept, ye haue fulfilled all lawes. Paule is a very good expounder of Gods commaundementes: For he draweth all Moiſes into a briefe ſumme,A brief ſumme of all Moiſes lavves. ſhewing that nothing elſe is cōtained in all his lawes (which are in a maner infinite) but this ſhort ſentence: Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy ſelfe. Naturall reaſon is offended with this baſenes and ſhortnes of wordes: for it is ſoone ſayd:The shortnes of the doctrin of all true chriſtianitie. Beleue in Chriſt. And againe: Loue thy neighbour as thy ſelfe. Therefore it deſpiſeth both the doctrine of Faith and true good works. Notwtſtanding this baſe & vile word of faith (as reaſon taketh it): Beleue in Chriſt, is ye power of God to the faithfull, whereby they ouercome ſinne, death, ye Deuill, &c. wherby alſo they attaine ſaluation & eternall life.To ſerue our neighbour through charitie. Thus to ſerue one an other through loue, that is, to inſtruct him that goeth aſtray, to comfort him that is afflicted, to raiſe vppe him that is weake, to helpe thy neighbour by all meanes poſſible, to beare wt his infirmities, to endure troubles, labours, ingratitude & contempt in the Church, & in ciuile life & conuerſation to obey the Magiſtrate, to geue due honour to thy parentes, to be patient at home with a froward wife and an vnruely familie. &c: theſe (I ſay) are workes which reaſon iudgeth to be of no valew. But, beleue me, they are ſuch workes, that the whole world is not able to comprehend the excellencie and worthines thereof (for it doth not meaſure workes or any other thing by the word of God, but by the iudgement of wicked, blinde and fooliſh reaſon): Yea it knoweth not the valew of any one of the leaſt good works yt can be, which are true good works in deede. Therfore, when men dreame that they well vnderſtand the commaundement of charitie, they are vtterly deceaued. In deede they haue it wrytten in their heart: for they naturally iudge that a man ought to doe vnto an other, as he would an other ſhould do vnto him. But it foloweth not therefore that they vnderſtand it: For if they did, they would alſo performe it in deede, and would preferre loue and charitie before all their workes.A deſcription of an hypocrite. They would not ſo highly eſteme their owne ſuperſtitious toyes, as to goe with an heauie countenaunce hanging downe the head, to be vnmarried, to liue with bread and water, to dwell in the wildernes, to be poorely apparelled, &c. Theſe monſtrous and ſuperſtitious workes, which they haue deuiſed and choſen vnto themſelues, God neither commaunding nor approuing the ſame, they eſteme to be ſo holy and ſo excellent, that they ſurmount and darken charitie, which is as it were ye Sunne of all good works.Charitie the bright ſunne of all good vvorkes. So great and incomprehēſible is the blindnes of mans reaſon, that it is vnable, not onely to iudge rightly of the doctrine of Faith, but alſo of external conuerſation and workes. Wherfore we muſt fight ſtrongly, as well againſt the opinions of our owne heart (to the which we are naturally more enclined in the matter of ſaluation then to the word of God), as alſo againſt the counterfet viſour & holy ſhew of our owne wilworkes: that ſo we may learne to magnifie the workes which euery man doth in his vocation, although they ſeeme outwardly neuer ſo baſe and contemptible, if they haue the warrant of Gods worde: and contrariwiſe, to deſpiſe thoſe workes which reaſon chooſeth without the commaundement of God, ſeeme they neuer ſo excellent and holy. Of this commaundement I haue largely entreated in an other place, and therfore I will now but lightly ouerrunne it.A briefe expoſition of this commaundement: Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy ſelfe. In deede this is briefly ſpoken: Loue thy neighbour as thy ſelfe, but yet very aptly and to yt purpoſe. No man can geue a more certaine, a better or a nearer example then a mans owne ſelfe. Therfore, if thou wouldeſt know how thy neighbour ought to be loued,Hovv our neighbour ought to be loued. and wouldeſt haue a plaine example therof, conſider well how thou loueſt thy ſelfe. If thou ſhouldeſt be in neceſſitie or daunger thou wouldeſt be glad to haue the loue and frendſhip of all men, to be holpen with the counſell, the goods and the ſtrength of all men & of all creatures. Wherfore thou haſt no neede of any booke to inſtruct and to admoniſh thee how thou oughteſt to loue thy neighbour: for thou haſt an excellent booke of all lawes euen in thy heart. Thou needeſt no Scholemaſter in this matter: aſke counſell onely of thine owne heart, and that ſhall teach thee ſufficiently that thou oughteſt to loue thy neighbour as thy ſelfe. Moreouer,Charitie a ſingular vertue. loue or charitie is an excellent vertue, which not onely maketh a man willing and ready to ſerue his neighbour with tounge, with hand, with money and worldly goods: but with his body, and euen with his life alſo. And thus to doe, it is not prouoked by good deſertes or any thing elſe, neither is it hindred through euill deſertes or ingratitude. The mother doth therefore nouriſh and cheriſh her child, becauſe ſhe loueth it. Now, my neighbour is euery man,VVho is our neighbour. ſpecially which hath neede of my helpe, as Chriſt expoundeth it in the .10. chapt. of Luke. Who although he hath done me ſome wrong, or hurt me by any maner of way: yet notwithſtanding he hath not put of the nature of man, or ceaſed to be fleſh and bloud, & the creature of God moſt like vnto my ſelfe: briefly, he ceaſeth not to be my neighbour. As long then as the nature of man remaineth in him,The cōmaundement of charitie. ſo long alſo remaineth the commaundement of loue, which requireth at my hād, that I ſhould not deſpiſe mine own fleſh, nor render euill for euill, but ouercome euill with good: or elſe ſhall loue neuer be as Paule deſcribeth it .1. Cor. 13.1. Cor. 13.7. Paule therefore commendeth charitie to the Galathians, and to all the faithfull (for they onely loue in deede), and exhorteth them that through charitie one of them ſhould ſerue an other. As if he would ſay: Ye neede not to burden your ſelues with circumciſion, and with the ceremonies of Moiſes law: but aboue all things continue in the doctrine of faith which ye haue receaued of me. Afterwards, if ye will doe good workes, I will in one word ſhew you the chiefeſt and greateſt works, and how ye ſhall fulfill all lawes: Serue ye one an other through loue. Ye ſhall not lacke them to whom ye may doe good, for the world is ful of ſuch as neede the helpe of others. This is a perfect and a ſound doctrine of Faith and loue:The doctrine of faith and charitie the shorteſt and longeſt. and alſo the ſhorteſt and the longeſt Diuinitie. The ſhorteſt as touching the words and ſentences: but as touching the vſe and practiſe it is more large, more longe, more profound, and more high then the whole world.