Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1: Luther on the CreationLuther, Martin
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Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1: Luther on the Creation
Luther, Martin
Bible. Genesis -- Commentaries
Since therefore it is evident that all these natural powers are lost,
who is so mad as to assert that the faculties and properties of nature
are still sound and whole? And yet, there was nothing more common nor
more fully received in the schools than this doctrine. How much
greater then must be the absurdity and the madness, to affirm this
doctrine concerning devils to be true, especially since Christ himself
declares "that they abode not in the truth," and when we ourselves
know them to be the most bitter enemies of Christ and of his Church!
The natural faculties in man therefore created originally sound and
whole, were the knowledge of God, faith in God, the fear of God, etc.
All these Satan corrupted by sin in the same manner as leprosy defiles
the whole flesh. The will and reason of man therefore are so corrupted
by sin, that he not only does no longer naturally love God, but flees
from him and hates him and wishes to live without him, and to be
without him altogether.
Therefore Moses has exactly described in this portion of his sacred
history that corruption which succeeded original righteousness and its
glory. For it was the peculiar glory of Adam and Eve not to know that
they were naked. What corruption then can be greater than that the
nakedness, which was originally the glory of our first parents, should
now be changed into the basest turpitude. Thus no one blushes on
account of his eyes, when sound and perfect. But when the eyes are
distorted or partially blind, they cover us with a certain cloud of
defect and with a feeling of shame. In like manner in their state of
original innocency, it was entirely a matter of glory for Adam and Eve
to walk in nakedness. But when, after their sin, "they saw that they
were naked," they were overwhelmed with shame and looked about them
for "girdles" wherewith to hide their turpitude. How much greater
turpitude then is disclosed by the fact, that the slaughtered will,
the corrupted understanding and the wholly defiled reason have changed
man into an utterly altered being. Are all these woeful things proofs,
I pray you, that the qualities and faculties of man's original nature
still remain sound and whole?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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