1. Corinthians 1,26-31. Epiphany I

1. Corinthians 1,26-31 1024

1. Sonntang nach Epiphanias 15 

Lucian, Pastor in Antioch, Turkey, Martyr 312 (Diocletian, 284-311/12; persecution 302-11)

7. Januar 2024

1. ℣ I saw also Yahweh sitting upon a throne: 

    ℟ High and lifted up (Isaiah 6,1). 

О Loving Father, lead me, Your child, by Your hand; O Mighty King, protect me, Your servant, from mine enemies; O Faithful Shepherd, nurture me, Your little sheep, on green pastures; may Your goodness and merciful steadfast love accompany me from the beginning of the year to the end.  Amen. (Stack 489; English 65). 

2. »For consider your calling, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written: Let the one who boasts, boast in Yahweh [Jeremiah 9,24].« 

3. The Prophet Isaiah declares: »The haughty looks of man shall be brought low, and the lofty pride of men shall be humbled« (Isaiah 2,11). Augustine and Chrysostom said Adam’s sin was pride. The first sin is pride, which was the cause of the fall of the first man, and which is the root of all other sins (Augustine, The Confessions X,3). The sin of Adam was pride, and it was pride that caused his fall, and it is pride that is the root of all other sins (Chrysostom, Homilies on Genesis, Homily 13). Pride, which is the mother of error, is the chief of all heresies (WA IV,437.27-38). [1] Our fallen human nature is well adept at sinning through pride. Truly Solomon opined: »Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall« (Proverbs 16,18). 

4. When we fall, Jesus picks us up. In Christ we are a new creation, and as such pride becomes for the Christian a fruit of the Holy Spirit. »Let the wise person who boasts boast in this, that they understand and know Me, that I am Yahweh who practices merciful steadfast love, justice and righteousness in the earth« (Jeremiah 9,24). Christ, the Son of God, is merciful steadfast love made flesh, justice made flesh and righteousness made flesh. Christ brings us His Father’s mercy which declares us innocent of the crimes of our sins and makes us righteous. 

5. Paul expounds upon the Prophet Jeremiah and writes that Christ is wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. Solomon tells us: the fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight (Proverbs 9,10). To seek wisdom is to find that wisdom in Jesus Christ; He gives us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. Paul tells us to be proud of Christ and to boast in Christ; Paul exhorts us to simply know Christ and Him crucified (1. Corinthians 2,2). To boast in Christ is to boast in His crucifixion; to be proud of Christ is to put pride in His resurrection. The crucified and risen Christ is the Source of our righteousness and redemption.  

6. Human beings like to boast of their merits and take pride in whom they know. We boast in Christ’s merit of sacrifice and take pride in Him who for our sakes bore the punishment for our sins. To know Jesus is to know the Savior who loves His creation so much that He laid down His own life for it (John 15,13). Righteousness is a gift of the crucified Christ. 

7. „The righteousness of God is revealed [1, 17]. The righteousness of men is revealed and taught in human doctrines, i. e. who and how he is and becomes righteousness before himself and men. But in the gospel alone the righteousness of God is revealed (i.e. who and how he is and becomes righteous before God) through faith alone, by which the word of God is believed. According to Mark 16,16 below: ‘He who believes and is baptized will be saved. But he who does not believe will be condemned.’ For God’s righteousness is the cause of salvation. And here again the ‘righteousness of God’ is not to be understood as that by which He is righteousness in Himself, but by which we are justified by Him, which is done by faith in the gospel. | Therefore blessed Augustine writes in chapter XI of On the Spirit and the Letter: ‘For this reason it is called the righteousness of God, because by imparting it He makes righteous people. Salvation is the Lord’s, by which He makes salvation.’ [De spiritu et littera, 11,18, Patrologia, Series Latina, XLIV,211]  And he says the same in chapter 9. of the same writing. | And it is said to distinguish it between the righteousness of men that comes from works. As Aristotle clearly determines it in Book 3 of his Ethics, according to which righteousness follows actions and is made from actions. But according to God, righteousness precedes works, and works are made from righteousness. | Just as no one can do the works of a bishop or priest unless he has first been consecrated and sanctified for this purpose, and the works of righteousness of those who are not yet righteousness are like the works of a man who does the works of a priest and a bishop but are not yet a priest himself i.e. such works are silly and playful and are similar to what one finds in the market place“ (WA LVI,17-72.26-29, 1-15; AE 25,151-52).  

8. Let us therefore boast in Christ Jesus, for He is our Savior, our Righteousness and our Pride before our Heavenly Father. To Him be all glory, laud and honor on earth and in heaven now and forevermore. 

9. O highest Light, eternally shine,

Thou God and faithful Lord of mine;

From You grace radiantly emanates

And beautifully illumines early and late.

 (Du höchstes Licht, ewiger Schein elkg 389,1 2021 Johannes Zwick before 1542). 

This is most certainly true. 

11. The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4,7).  Amen. 

12. Let us pray. O Lord Jesus Christ, we beseech Thee, by the innocence and obedience of Thy holy childhood and by Thy reverence and love for little children, do Thou guard the children of our land, preserve their innocence, strengthen them when ready to slip, recover the wandering and remove all that may hinder them from being brought up in Thy faith and love.  Amen. (Epiphany I, Vespers Collect 2. The Daily Office. Copyright © 1965 Concordia Publishing House.) 

To God alone be the Glory 

Gode ealdore sy se cyneþrymm

✠

 

All Scriptural quotations are translations done by The Rev. Peter A. Bauernfeind using the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, 4. Edition © 1990 Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart, Septuaginta, Vol. I and II 2. Revised Edition © 2006 Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart and the Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 28. Revised Edition © 2012 Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart. 

Evangelisch-Lutherisches Kirchengesangbuch. Copyright © 2021 Selbständige Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche, Hannover. 

1 Vide b. Augustinum. Caput i.e. superbia, que est mater erroris, caput heresium omnium (WA IV,437, 27-28). 

2 Contritionem præcedit superbia, et ante ruinam exaltatur spiritus. (Proverbia 16,18 VUL)

3 Iustitia Dei reuelatur [1, 17]. In humanis doctrinis reuelatur et docetur Iustitia hominum, i. e. quis et quomodo sit et fiat Iustus coram se et hominibus. Sed in solo euangelio reuelatur Iustitia Dei (i. e. quis et quomodo sit et fiat Iustus coram Deo) per solam fidem, qua Dei verbo creditur. Vt Marci Vlt imo: 'Qui crediderit et baptisatus fuerit, saluus erit. Qui vero non crediderit, condemnabitur.' Iustitia enim Dei est causa salutis. Et hic iterum 'Iustitia Dei' non ea debet accipi, qua ipse Iustus est in seipso, Sed qua nos ex ipso Iustificamur, quod fit per fidem euangelii. | Vnde b. Augustinus c. XI. de spi. et lit.: 'Ideo Iustitia Dei dicitur, quod impertiendo eam Iustos facit. Sicut Domini est salus, qua saluos facit.' Et eadem dicit c. 9. eiusdem. | Et dicitur ad differentiam Iustitie hominum, que ex operibus sit. Sicut Aristoteles 3. Ethicorum manifeste determinat, secundum quem Iustitia sequitur et fit ex actibus. Sed secundum Deum precedit opera et opera fiunt ex ipsa. | Sicut in simili opera Episcopi Vel sacerdotis nullus potest facere, nisi sit prius consecratus et ad hoc sanctificatus, Et opera Iusta nondum Iustorum sunt sicut opera hominis facientis opera sacerdotis et episcopi nondum ipse sacerdos i. e. stulta et ludicra et circulatorum similia.