On Psalm 82:1: "God stands in the congregation of God and is Judge among the gods." He confesses, and does not deny that they are gods. He will not be seditious or lesson their honor or power, as the disobedient rebels do, and the mad saints, the heretics and fanatics. Nevertheless he makes a true distinction between God's power and theirs. Whoever resists them or is disobedient to them or despises them, whom God names with His own name and calls "gods," and to whom He attaches His own honor—whoever, I say, despises, disobeys, or resists them is thereby despising, disobeying, and resisting the true Supreme God, who is in them, who speaks and judges through them, and calls their judgment His judgment. What they win by it St. Paul shows (Rom. 13:4), and this is abundantly shown by experience.

It is as the writer is saying: Let no one undertake to judge the gods, to punish them, or to correct them. But be quiet, keep the peace, be obedient, and suffer. But neither are the gods to be proud and self-willed. For they are not gods among the people and overlords of the congregation in such a way that they have this position all to themselves and can do as they. Not so! God Himself is there also. He will judge, punish, and correct them; and if they do not obey, they will not escape. (V. 13, p. 44-45)

These next three verses, indeed the whole psalm, every prince should have painted on the wall of his chamber, on his bed, over his table, and on his garments. For here they find what lofty, princely, noble virtues their estate can practice, so that temporal government, next to the preaching office, is the highest service of God and the most useful office on earth. And this ought surely to strengthen a lord, and incite him to conduct his office with joy and to practice these virtues. For how could one praise this rank more highly than by saying that they are called, and are, gods? The virtues they can practice are these: The first is that they can secure justice for those who fear God and repress those who are godless; the second virtue of a prince is to help the poor; and the third virtue is that they protect and guard against violence and force. This is called peacemaking.

For by the first virtue, the furtherance of the Word of God, he helps many to blessedness, that they may be redeemed from sin and death and attain salvation. By the second virtue, the administration of just laws, he supports all his subjects, as a father supports his children; for, as has been said, if it were not for law, no one could keep anything from another. By the third virtue, the suppression of violence and the punishment of the wicked, he protects the poor and preserves peace; thus he is a true rescuer, or knight, and justly wears the golden spurs. (V. 21, p.p. 51-55 and 58)

The fourth commandment also teaches that we obey government. In Romans 13 Paul enumerates three points concerning government. First, the payment of taxes, namely that each shall give the authorities such money and labor as is required of him (Rom. 13:6ff). Second, respect, that is, that we have sincere respect for government. Even if government cannot in every instance punish our violations, still we should know that God will punish, for he has established and maintains government. Also we can be assured that all the rebellious will be punished, as Paul says in Rom. 14:27: Therefore he who resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment." So also Solomon declares in Prov. 24:21-22: "My son, fear the Lord and the king, and do not disobey either of them; for disaster from them will rise suddenly, and who knows the ruin that will come from them both?"

It is well to remind the people of examples of God's punishment of the rebellious, as we read of Datham and Abiram who set themselves against Moses, in Num. 16:31ff: "The ground under them split asunder; and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men that belonged to Korah and all their goods. So they and all that belong to them went down alive into Sheol; and the earth closed over them… And fire came forth… and consumed the two hundred and fifty men offering the incense.

Clearly, God lets no wickedness go unpunished. Murder never goes unavenged, as Christ in Matt. 26:52: "For all who take the sword will perish by the sword." That is, whoever takes the sword on his own initiative without the authority of government will be punished. Scripture abounds in such passages, which the people should be taught diligently. For instance Solomon says in Prov. 16:14: "A king's wrath is a messenger of death, and a wise man will appease it." Or, in Prov. 20:2: "The dread wrath of a king is like the growling of a young lion; he who provokes him to anger, sins against his soul."

The third duty we owe government is honor. For how can we imagine that we have paid the government something when we have given it tax or tithe or served it with physical labor? God requires a much higher service toward the government, namely, honor. This means, first, that we recognize that government is from God and that through it he gives us much greater benefits. For if God did maintain government and justice in the world, the devil, who is a murderer, would everywhere bring about murder, so that none of us could be sure of life, wife, or children.

Whoever, thus, might see God in government would have sincere love towards government. Whoever could estimate the blessings which we receive through government, would be heartily thankful toward government. If you knew that someone had saved your child from death, you would thank him warmly. Why then are you not grateful to the government which saves you, your children, your wife, daily from murder? If the government did not restrain the wicked, when could we be secure? Therefore when you look on wife and children, bear in mind that these are gifts of God which you may possess through government. And as you love your children, you should also love the government. Because the common man does not acknowledge such blessings as peace, justice, and punishment of the wicked, we need often to remind him of them and diligently explain them to him.

We give the greatest honor to government when we pray for it, that God may give those in authority grace and understanding to rule peacefully and wisely, as St. Paul taught in I Rim. 2:1ff): First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be made for all men, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life, godly and respectful in every way. This is good, and it is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior." For since peace is a divine gift we need to ask and pray for it from God.

When in Rom… 13:1 Paul says that the government is of God, this is not to be understood in the sense that government is an affliction in the way that murder or any other crime is inflicted by God, but in the sense that government is a special function of God, just as the sun is a creature of God or marriage is established by God. An evil man who takes a wife with evil intent can abuse the ordinance of marriage. So also a tyrant can abuse the ordinance of God, as Julian or Nero did. The ordinance, by which peace and justice is maintained, remains a divine creation even if the person who abuses the ordinance does wrong. (V. 40, pp. 281-284)

On Isaiah 57:3: "Sons of the sorceress and offspring of the adulterer." These are extremely harsh rebukes. "You children of whores and witches." Away with those who accuse us of being revilers. We justly reprove ungodliness. It is not reviling, because reviling does not take place unless it is done by one who has no right to do it. So it is a sin for a private individual to kill, but God and judges are not murderers. So also curses and revilings are neither revilings nor curses, because it is not I who is doing it but the ministry of the Word, since the Word was established for this purpose. Just as taking a man's life is forbidden to private individuals, so reviling is forbidden to private individuals. For my own person I would never want to wound anyone. So it is with theft as far as the individual is concerned. But if Caesar would take my property (which is his anyway), even my body, he would not be a thief and a robber, because a public office would be doing this. They are therefore not revilings when they are uttered for rebuke by public ministers, but they are censures commanded by divine authority. If an equal would do it to equals, or an inferior to an inferior, it would be bad. Here, however, it is not done from wrath or with intent to do harm, but it is done for the purpose of correction and with fatherly intent. (V. 17, p. 269-70)

We see the whole world seeking its own advantage in the Gospel. This has brought the rise of so many sects, whose only aim is their own advancement and aggrandizement, together with the extermination of others. Even real Christians are sometimes tempted this way. They see the world at large, and particularly their own government, being so poorly managed that they feel like jumping in and taking over. But this is wrong. No one should suppose that God wants to have us govern and rule this way with the law and punishment of the world. The Christians' way is altogether different. They neither deal with such things nor care about them. They are perfectly content to leave such things to the care of those who are authorized to distribute property, to do business, to punish, and to protect. As Christ teaches (Matt. 22:21): "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's." For we have been transferred to another and a higher existence, a divine and an eternal kingdom, where the things that belong to the world are unnecessary and where in Christ everyone is a lord for himself over both the devil and the world, as we have said elsewhere.

It is the duty and obligation of those who participate in this earthly regime to administer law and punishment, to maintain the distinctions that exist among ranks and persons, to manage and distribute property. This way everything will be in good shape, and everyone will know what he is to do and to have; no one will meddle in another man's office or pry into his affairs or take his property. That is what lawyers are for, to teach and manage such matters. But the Gospel does not trouble itself with these matters. It teaches about the right relation of the heart to God, while in all these other questions it should take care to stay pure and not to stumble into a false righteousness. You must grasp and obey this distinction, for it is the basis on which such questions can be easily answered. Then you will see that Christ is talking about a spiritual existence and life and that He is addressing Himself to His Christians. He is telling them to live and behave before God and in the world with their heart dependent upon God and uninterested in things like secular rule or government, power or punishment, anger or revenge.

There is no getting around it, a Christian has to be a secular person of some sort. As regards his own person, according to his life as a Christian, he is in subjection to no one but Christ, without any obligation either to the emperor or to any other man. But at least outwardly, according to his body and property, he is related by subjection and obligation to the emperor, inasmuch as he occupies some office or station in life or has a house and home, a wife and children; for all these are things that pertain to the emperor. You see, now we are talking about a Christian in relation: not about his being a Christian, but about this life and his obligation in it to some other person, whether under him or over him or even alongside him, like a lord or a lady, a wife or children or neighbors, who he is obliged, if possible, to defend, guard, and protect. Here it would be a mistake to teach: "Turn the other cheek, and throw your cloak away with your coat. That would be ridiculous, like the case of the crazy saint who let the lice nibble at him and refused to kill any of them on account of this text, maintaining that he had to suffer and could not resist evil. What kind of crazy mother would it be who would refuse to defend and save her child from a dog or a wolf and who would say: "A Christian must not defend himself"? Should we not teach a lesson with a good whipping and say: "Are you a mother? Then do your duty as a mother, as you are charged to do it. Christ did not abrogate this but rather confirmed it." (V. 21, pp. 107-10)

The spiritual birth does not abrogate the duty of obedience to parents and to government, but confirms it. Each, the physical and the spiritual birth, has its own proper domain. According to your spiritual birth, you are a child of God and lord of all; but according to the physical, your parents and rulers are your betters and superiors, even though they may be less pious in God's sight than you. For it is God's intent and order that we esteem our parents and our government more highly than ourselves. The servant and the maid must have their master and mistress. Therefore you must say: "When I move in the sphere of creation, then father and mother, master and mistress, king and prince rank far above me. Here I propose to be a pious son, for I must honor father and mother and acknowledge their higher station in life. And why? Well, this is God's design and order. He wants me to be a son, a servant, or a subject."

Parents were not accorded their position solely that they may delight in their children or that they might enforce their every whim, much less that they might provoke them to anger and embitter them with harsh penalties, but that they might rear them in the fear and admonition of the Lord (Eph. 6:4). Similarly, God did not bestow power on rulers and regents that they might defiantly boast of this, levy taxes on their subjects at will, plague and suppress them in various ways, but that their subjects may lead a "quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way" (I Tim 2:2), under their protection and patronage.

But the world does not do this; it misuses all creatures, money, wine, and grain. It is niggardly and stingy, it is ostentatious about everything. Whoever is rich, learned, or of noble birth, flaunts this showily before others and despises those who are not fortunate. Nobody bears in mind that on Judgment Day God will demand from everyone an accounting of how he carried on his office or calling. (V. 22, pp. 94-95)

Moses and the prophets preached, but in their sermons we do not hear God himself. For Moses received the Law from the angels (Gal. 3:19). Moreover, his is also a different and lesser commission; for the proclamation of the Law merely drives people to good works. Thus when I hear the emperor speak, I do not hear God, although it is God's will that I obey the emperor's commands, as it is that I honor my parents. Now when I hear Moses exhort me to good works, I hear him as I would a herald who brings the command and decree or an emperor or prince. But that is not the same as hearing God Himself. For when God Himself speaks to men, they hear only sheer grace, mercy, and goodness. His are fatherly and friendly speeches, as He Himself is by nature gracious, merciful, and kind (Joel 2:13). But when you hear God speak through a master, you hear nothing but a preacher of works. God's words, however, cannot be different from His nature and disposition, and He is goodness, grace, and mercy. That is the message you hear the Father speak—not through a servant or any other medium, as He did in times past through angles, or through Moses or any other governor, all of whom gave commands. No, since that day God communicates with us directly through His Son and through the Holy Spirit. Now we hear a paternal voice proclaiming a message that abounds in unfathomable, ineffable love and grace, uttering nothing but blessing, nothing but what is good, sweet, and pleasant; for that is what it means to God. (V. 23, p. 98)

An evil judge has God's gift, office, and command just as much as a pious judge who bears the sword. He has body and soul, which are also created by God. Furthermore, he must eat and drink, and God gives to knaves the use of His creatures just as He does to the pious. An evil judge is a creature ordained by God, just as sun and moon are created by Him. Thus the wicked princes, just as the godly, have the duty of the sword and the obligation to use it. A knave, just as a pious man, is expected to eat and drink and to clothe himself; for he should not impair his health or bring himself to death.

The Pharisees should have remained within the bounds of their own office and position. They should have passed sentence in their capacity as rulers. Then they would have remained satisfied, and they would not have been silenced. But when they pretend to be holy, crawl into God's domain, ask what our Lord God has to say about them and their piety, and make bold to exonerate themselves and whitewash their roguery, they get the answer: "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her." The Lord Christ says, as it were: "Before the world I acknowledge your piety, your jurisdiction, and your office, even though you are rogues and rascals. But here in My realm you must surrender your office, your jurisdiction, and your sword like a wretched knave; here you are condemned to hell."

This is the sense of His Words, "He who is without sin, etc." They are words of strong, powerful, and effective defiance, and who will impeach that verdict? I defy anyone to show me such a saint as the Pharisees were. They were patterns and paragons of virtue among all men. They were the very holiest, and yet they have to hear these words: "He who is without sin among you, etc." What contempt for these holiest of men! Fie upon you! Out with you! And don't return after being silenced this way! That is what I would do if I claimed holiness and perfection, and then were so thoroughly slapped down with the words: "Whoever is without sin, etc." With these words Christ laid bare their hearts and revealed a record of their sin, causing them to forget the sins of others. Those who pretend to be so holy and parade their works so ostentatiously must be chased out of the church and blown from the kingdom of Christ. Here Christ says in effect: "I will blow you out in short order."

The difference between Christ's kingdom and the kingdom of the world is this, that Christ reduces all men to sinners. Yet Christ does not stop there, for then He absolves them. The poor harlot finds herself in dire straits. It is no joke to her; she is actually convicted, and now she stands accused before the Judge. Sentence according to Jewish Law has already been pronounced: Death by stoning. This was no music for dancing! Her blood must have run cold with fear, and she can see nothing but bitter death staring her in the face. The council and the witnesses confront her, accuse and condemn her, and conclude that she deserves to die. When the heart despairs and says: "I am guilty," and judges and witnesses resolve that she is guilty of death, then she is already dead in her heart. There is nothing but death, and she has but a feeble hold on life. She may have harbored one faint hope; she may have sought one ray of light in the Man who wrote on the ground. At first He pays no attention to her at all. But what great comfort she hears as He says: "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her"! Yet she is still in a quandary, and this becomes still worse.

Years ago, while I was a monk, I belonged to this class. I would say: "Today I have committed no sin. I have obeyed my prior, and I have fasted and prayed." Therefore—may God be merciful to me!—I thought that God should forgive the sins which I did not regard as sins, yes, which were no sins. I am still plagued with this. Self-invented sins are stupid sins, but real sins are the ones that matter. God's mercy does not deal with insignificant sins, half sins, imaginary sins, or sins that are no sins, but with real sins that are felt. For example, not to fear God, not to trust Him and believe in Him, not to love one's neighbor, not to pray, not to hear preaching, not to keep the commandments of Moses, and any violation of God's command, something that cannot be ignored—these call for a genuine, not a meaningless forgiveness.

Thus the kingdom of Christ concerns itself with sinners who feel their sins and are tortured, tormented, and frightened by them, with those whose heart feels death when Law and conscience declare: "This is what you did; you deserve to die." The other sinners do not experience this; even if they realize that they have sinned, they do not reform. They do not feel sin. They even jest about it, and tomorrow they are just as they are today. But whoever is really struck down by a sense of guilt, as this little harlot is, will be on his guard in the future. (V. 23, pp. 315-317)

It is a confusion and a mingling of the secular and the spiritual realms when those sublime and meddlesome spirits want to change and correct the civil law in a dictatorial and dominating fashion, even though they have no directive or authority to do so, either from God or from men. The same is true when spiritual or secular princes and lords want to change and correct the Word of God in a dictatorial and dominating fashion, when they themselves dictate what should be preached and taught, even though they have no more right to do this than the lowest beggar. (V. 21, p. 196)

I have no sympathy for Master Smart Aleck, who wants to correct secular laws, or for all those who want to do it better. Sometimes it seems to me that the government and jurists may well be in need of a Luther, but I am worried that they might get a Munzer. God does not esteem the secular government as highly as His own eternal government in the church; therefore I cannot and will not hope that they may get a Luther. Because there is no hope of getting another government in the Roman Empire, as Daniel also indicates (Dan. 2:40), it is not advisable to change it. Rather, let him who is able darn and patch it up as long as we live; let him punish the abuse and put bandages and ointment on the smallpox. But if someone is going to tear out the pox unmercifully, then no one will feel the pain and the damage more than those clever barbers who would rather tear out the sores than heal them. Very well, Germany is perhaps ripe and, I fear, worthy of stout punishment. God be gracious to us! I know very well that I am not like a Munzer (praise God). Whoever is able to do it better, to him I yield my poor Pater Noster with a glad heart. Just let me have the chance to add the Amen at the end. For I have often said—but who want to believe me until he experiences it?—that changing and improving are two different things. One is in men's hands and God's decree, the other is in God's hands and grace. (V. 21, p. 217)

From now to the end of the world these two realms are not to be confused, as was done in the Jewish nation during the period of the Old Testament. The schismatic spirits will not content themselves with the oral sword but reach rebelliously for the secular sword and will insist on reigning in the city hall. All this is due to the devil's maneuvers, who will not desist until he has brought about confusion with respect to these two swords.

I exhort you who are one day to instruct consciences in the Christian Church to take heed that you abide by the distinction between the two realms. For if these are confused, neither will prosper. As soon as a prince says: "Give ear to me, pastor, and teach this or that! Do not chide and rebuke in this way!" the two spheres are confused. And again, it is wrong for a pastor to say: "Listen, government or judge, I want you to administer justice as I wish!" But I must say: "You have your powers, laws, practice, and usage; therefore do not administer justice according to my opinion, will, or books but according to your own laws.

I scarcely know any longer what to do; for the devil is too violently active in both camps today; he is turning everything topsy-turvy. Either the pope insists on ruling with both swords; or the princes, nobleman, burghers, and peasants want to lord it over their pastors, and also aspire to both swords. But the oral sword must remain with the clergy, and the fisted office with the secular rulers.

Let this serve as a reply to the question why Christ used force for the purpose of driving the money-changers from the temple. In doing this He is following the example of Moses. He might even have put those people to death, had He wished to. But we dare not adduce Christ's action in defense of similar action by us; for we do not possess both swords, the oral sword and the fisted sword, as Moses did. Rather, after the abolition of the Law the secular emperors, kings, and princes were entrusted with the sword of iron, and the oral sword was assigned to the apostles and to us preachers. This distinction must remain intact; and let all who can, lend a hand to that end. But if the princes continue to jumble the two, as they are now doing, then may God in His mercy shorten our lives that we may not witness the ensuing disaster. For in such circumstances everything in the Christian religion must go to wrack and ruin. This is what happened in the papacy when the bishops became secular princes. And if the secular lords now become popes and bishops and insist on sermons that defer to their wishes, then let the wretched devil preach to them; for he preaches too. But let us pray God that neither the spiritual nor the secular realm abuses its office that way! (V. 22, pp. 225-28)

The government of Christ are we, whom He carries on His shoulders. Other kings are carried like rods by their subjects. All kingdoms of the world are carried and are burdens on our neck, and they reduce bodies and possessions to slavery. Therefore in the manner of ruling in the kingdom of the world and in that of Christ there is a difference. In the kingdom of the world the prince or king alone is free, all others are servants. But in Christ's kingdom Christ alone is a servant, and we are free. Moses says in Deut. 31:11: "Like an eagle, etc.," and it bore them "on its pinions." So to the present day it is with Christ, once for all, however, in His cross and death. He commanded His ministers and all His members to bear one another. He Himself is the Cornerstone and the Foundation. Thus in the kingdom of Christ those who serve rule, and those who rule serve. (V. 16, p. 100)

You see, therefore, that in divine Law no account is taken of the rich, powerful, noble, strong, and friendly, for handling public office, as is the custom of the world; but of the wise, understanding, and experienced, even if they are poor, lowly, weak, etc. The question has been properly raised whether a prince is better if he is good and imprudent or prudent yet also evil. Here Moses certainly demands both. Nevertheless, if one cannot have both, it is better for him to be prudent and not good than good and not prudent; for the good man would actually rule nothing but would be ruled by others, and at that only by the worst people. Even if the prudent man harms good people, yet at the same time he governs the evil ones, which is the most necessary and suitable thing for the world, since the world is nothing else than a crowd of evil people. And here Moses seems to approve of this opinion, since he deals first with the wisdom of the princes, and afterwards with their goodness. (V. 9, p. 19)

If in a given year God were to bless richly, the people would have a rich yield, and the government rich tithes. But if He did not bless very much, the government would bear the burden equally with the subjects and receive less. (V. 9, p. 139)

A godly government is not offended by an admonition but demands that it be informed by its subjects if there is any fault anywhere. For how can it know what is being done everywhere? But those who are proud and are offended by the disclosures and admonitions of their subjects—as though lack of knowledge about something were a disgrace—are too little mindful of their situation; they never humble themselves before God or call upon God to pardon such sins. Therefore the government must be assisted; and when any public wrong is committed, all people should come running as though to put out a fire that affects all; for everyone should help the community to the extent that he is able to do so. (V. 4, p. 82-82)

This distinction cannot be learned too well, namely, that in civil society we bear everything with patience and excuse everything with indulgence, and yet exert ourselves as far as we can so that civil righteousness may prevail. But if this does not succeed universally, we should say, "This glory belongs to Christ alone and not to other kingdoms," so that His scepter might be straight.

The meaning, then, is this: "Thy scepter is straight, that is, Thou dost govern everything righteously, because Thou dost govern through the Word, which must be the highest rectitude and righteousness." So here all our sins are damned to the smallest point, damned in such a way that God proposes to cleanse them by the remission of sins and finally to wipe them out through death, and this for Christ's sake. For when in faith I regard Him as having taken away all my sins by His death, God pronounces me just and pure on account of Christ, my Head, who is most purely pure. So the church now, too, is pure, though in itself it is full of sin. Accordingly, if you see other evidence—like burning lusts, faintheartedness, sorrow, negligence of the Word—you should say, "The church in itself is impure as far as the old man is concerned, but it is made pure by the scepter, because the scepter daily kills the old man." So if we die and are buried and on Judgment Day are consumed by fire, we shall then rise pure, just as our scepter is pure. Now we are not, but we shall be made so; or, as the Aristotelians say, we are in process of becoming holy and not in the state of having become holy.

Ministers of the Word can correct a public official, but discreetly, to prevent an uproar and to teach men that it is impossible to hold or administer kingdoms or even households without sins, but that the forgiveness of sins covers these. In the church, however, as far as the Word is concerned, it is not a matter of the forgiveness of sins; but this is the mathematical point and the highest purity. The Word is so irreproachable that not a single iota can err in the Law or the divine promises. For that reason we must yield to no sect, not even in one tittle of Scripture, no matter how much they clamor and accuse us of violating love when we hold so strictly to the Word. (V. 12, p. 242-43)

Worldly government will make no progress. The people are too wicked, and the lords dishonor God's name and Word continually by the shameful abuse of their godhead. Therefore he prays for another government and kingdom in which things will be better, where God's name will be honored, His Word kept and He Himself be served; that is the kingdom of Christ. Therefore he says: "O God, come and be the Judge upon earth. Be Thyself King and Lord. The gods have a lost cause. For to Thee belongs the kingdom among all the heathen in the whole world, as is promised in the Scriptures." (V. 21, p. 72)

Tim Vance
August 1999