Martin Luther preaches a sermon on the resurrection of Christ. Today’s Quotation is taken from the conclusion of this brief sermon. [1]
Quotation:
[continued from the previous post] Who can comprehend such exceeding joy, much less utter it? That a wretched and defiled sinner may be so bold as to call God his Father and his God, even as Christ himself does. The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews did well remember the words of the Psalm [22:23] and pondered in his heart how it speaks of Christ, who, as he says, is not ashamed to call the believers his brethren, saying: “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation will I sing your praise.” [Heb. 2:11-12] If any worldly prince or nobleman would humble himself so low that he would say to a thief or robber, or to one who is infected with some loathsome disease, “you are my brother,” everyone would marvel at it. But that this King, who sits in glory at the right hand of his Father, says of some poor sinner, “this is my brother” — no one takes that to heart, neither does anyone consider it in his mind, and yet on this depends our chief comfort and confidence against sin, death, the devil, hell, the Law, and all sinister perils of both body and soul.
Moreover, since we are flesh and blood and, therefore, subject to all kinds of adversity, it follows that this must also be the case with our brother. Otherwise, he would not be like us in all respects. Therefore, so that he might be like us, he tasted and experienced all things as we have (sin only excepted) so that he might be our true brother, and show himself openly unto us. The Epistle to the Hebrews sets this forth clearly: “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” [Heb. 2:14–18] St. Paul has gathered very briefly the profit, use, and fruit of the Lord’s passion and resurrection into, as it were, one short summary, when he says: “Christ was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.” [Rom. 4:25] Let this suffice on this theme for now.
Note
[1] Our source is: Thirty-four Sermons on the Most Interesting Doctrines of the Gospel (London, 1816), a republication of Thirty-four Special and Chosen Sermons of Dr. Martin Luther: Discovering Most Clearly, Excellently, and Evidently to Every Ordinary Capacity Or Understanding the Difference Betwixt Faith and Workes, Law and Gospel, the Christian and Creature Opperations, Troubles and Consolations, and the Best Way to Make Christians, Keep Them So, and in Case of Relapses to Recover Them Again by Christ, the Onely Cure of All Soule Maladies (translated by William Gace and published by Tho. Paine in 1649). Our source does not specify the date on which this sermon was preached. It is very similar to Luther’s sermon on the Gospel for Easter (Mark 16:1-8) of April 21, 1527.
Today's Luther 