Martin Luther on Galatians 6:17

Verſe. 17. From hence forth let no man put me to buſines. He concludeth his Epiſtle with a certaine indignation. As if he ſayd: I haue faithfully taught the Goſpel as I haue receaued it by the reuelation of Ieſus Chriſt: Who ſo will not folow it, let him folowe what he will, ſo that hereafter he trouble me no more. At a word, this is my cenſure, that Chriſte which I haue preached is the onely high Prieſt and Sauiour of the world. Therefore either lette the world walke according to this rule, of which I haue ſpoken here & thorough out all this Epiſtle, or elſe let it periſh for euer.

Verſe. 17. For I beare in my body the markes of the Lord Ieſus. This is the true meaning of this place: The markes that be in my body doe ſhew well enough whoſe ſeruaunt I am. If I ſought to pleaſe men, requiring circumciſion & the keeping the law as neceſſary to ſaluation, and reioyſing in your fleſh as the falſe apoſtles doe, I needed not to beare theſe markes in my body. But becauſe I am the ſeruaunt of Ieſus Chriſte, and walke after a true rule: that is, I openly teach and confeſſe that no man can obtaine the fauour of God, righteouſnes and ſaluation but by Chriſte alone, therfore it behoueth me to beare the badges of Chriſte my Lord: which be not markes of mine owne procuring, but are laid vppon me againſt my will by the world and the Deuill, for none other cauſe but for that I preach Ieſus to be Chriſte. He calleth therefore the ſtripes and ſufferings which he did beare in his body, markes: alſo the fierie dartes of the Deuill,Epheſ. 1.16. anguiſh and terrour of ſpirite, &c. Of theſe ſufferings he maketh mention euery where in his Epiſtles: As Luke alſo doth in the Acts.1. Cor. 4.9. I thinke (ſayth he) that God hath ſette forth vs the laſt Apoſtles as men appoynted to death: For vve are made a gaſing ſtocke vnto the vvorld, and to the aungels, and to men. Againe:1. Cor. 4.11.12.13. Vnto this houre vve both hunger and thirſt, and are naked, and are buffeted, and haue no certaine dvvelling place, and labour vvorking vvith our ovvne handes: VVe are reuiled, vve are perſecuted, vve are euill ſpoken of, 2. Cor. 6.4.5.6. vve are made as the filth of the vvorld, the ofſcouring of all things. Alſo in an other place. In much patience, in afflictions, in neceſſities, in diſtreſſes, in ſtripes, in priſonmentes, in tumultes, in labours, by vvatchings, by faſtings, &c. And againe:2. Cor. 11.2[illegible: 1 letter].24.25.[illegible: 2 letters]. In labours more aboundant, in ſtripes aboue meaſure, in priſon more plenteouſly, in death oft. Of the Ievves fiue times receiued I fortie ſtripes ſaue one. I vvas thriſe beaten vvith roddes, I vvas once ſtoned, I ſuffered thriſe ſhippevvracke, night and day haue I bene in the deepe ſea. In iourneyings I vvas often, in perilles of vvaters, in perilles of robbers, in perilles of mine ovvne nation, in perilles among the Gentiles, in perilles in the Citie, in perilles in the vvildernes, in perilles in the ſea, in perilles among falſe brethren, &c. Theſe be the true markes and imprinted ſignes,The markes vvhich vve beare at this day. of which the Apoſtle ſpeaketh in this place. The which we alſo at this day by the grace of God, beare in our bodies for Chriſtes cauſe. For the world perſecuteth & killeth vs, falſe brethren deadly hate vs, Sathā inwardly in our heart wt his fiery dartes terrifieth vs,Epheſ. 6.16. and for none other cauſe but for that we teach Chriſt to be our righteouſnes & life. Theſe markes we chooſe not of any deuotion, neither do we gladly ſuffer them: but becauſe the world and the Deuill do lay them vpon vs for Chriſtes cauſe we are compelled to ſuffer them, and we reioyce in ſpirite with Paule (which is alwayes willing,Math. 26.41. glorieth, and reioyceth) that we beare them in our body: for they are a ſeale and moſt ſure teſtimonie of true doctrine and faith. Theſe things Paule ſpake (as I ſhewed afore) with a certaine diſpleaſure and indignation.