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
Moses now proceeds to speak of new creatures also produced out of the
waters; namely, of birds and fishes. He connects these two creatures
in his narrative on account of their similarity of nature. For as the
fish swims in the water, so does the bird swim as it were in the air.
Though their flesh differs, yet they have the same origin. For the
sacred text is here quite plain, that the birds when created out of
the waters immediately flew into the air where they now live. Moses
here retains moreover his uniform term in calling the whole region
above us, "heaven."
And first it is worthy of admiration that, although the fishes and the
birds were both created out of the same matter, the waters, yet as the
bird cannot live in the water, neither can the fish exist, if brought
into the air. Physicians rightly argue, when they affirm that the
flesh of birds is more wholesome than that of fishes, even though the
nature of birds is also aqueous; because they live in a more rarified
element; for air is a purer element than water; the latter, in which
the fish are generated and live, being constituted of the dregs as it
were of the former. Philosophers however do not believe this identity
of the nature of birds and of fishes. But the faith of the sacred
Scriptures which is far above philosophy and far more certain, assures
us that the nature of the fish and of the bird had the same origin.
Here again is a further proof of the divine authority and majesty of
this book, in that it sets before us under such various forms that
power of God by which he created all things, beyond the conception of
all reason and understanding. Who for instance could ever have
thought, that out of water a nature could be produced, which should by
no means endure water? But the Word of God speaks, and in a moment out
of water are created birds. If therefore the Word of God but sound,
all things are immediately possible; and out of the same water shall
be formed either fishes or birds. Every bird therefore and every fish
is nothing more or less than a word of divine grammar or language; by
which grammar all things, otherwise impossible, immediately become
possible and easy; by which also things contrary and conflicting
become similar and harmonious; and vice versa.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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