Collected Works of Martin Luther

by Martin Luther

  Philosophers have their disputes also concerning the center of the world and the circumfluent water. Indeed it is wonderful that they go so far as to determine the earth to be the center of the whole creation. And it is from this argument, that they conclude that the earth cannot fall; because it is supported from within by the other spheres surrounding it on every side. Hence according to these philosophers the heaven and all other spheres rest upon this center, by which support they themselves also derive their durability. It is well becoming us to know these arguments. But these philosophers know not that the whole of this stability rests on the power of the Word of God. Although therefore the water of the mighty ocean is higher than the earth, yet it cannot pass its appointed bounds nor cover the earth. But we live and breathe as the Children of Israel existed in the midst of the Red Sea.

  V. 10. And God saw that it was good.

  Moses here adds this divine commendation although nothing was wrought beside the division of the waters and the bringing out of waters a small particle of the earth. Now above, at the most beautiful part of God’s creation, this short divine commendatory sentence was not added. Perhaps it was omitted as an intimation from God that he is more concerned about our habitation than about his own; and that he might by such intimation animate us to higher feelings of gratitude and praise. For we were not destined to exist in the air or in the heaven, but on the earth where we were appointed to support our life by meat and drink.

  Therefore after God adorned the roof of man’s habitation, namely, the heaven, and added the light, he now spreads its floor and makes the earth suitable for the dwelling service of men. This part of his work, God twice declares to be “good” on our account, by which he would intimate that we men form so great a part of his care, that he is desirous to assure us by such a twofold approbation of this portion of his creation-work wrought with so much care that he would ever hold it under his peculiar protection; that he would grant it his perpetual presence, and would prevent our great enemy and our most certain death, the mighty water, from rushing in upon us. Beautifully therefore did God form in “the beginning” the foundation and roof of this house. Now let us see how he furnished and garnished it.

  III. V. 11. And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit after its kind, etc.

  God, as we have seen, has now constructed the first and the principal parts of man’s house. Its roof, the heaven, is most beautiful, but it is not yet fully adorned. Its foundation is the earth. Its walls are the mighty waters on every side. God next makes provision for our food. He commands the earth to bring forth herbs and trees to bear fruit of every kind. Here you may again see why the earth was before called TOHU and BOHU; because it was as yet not only dark, but altogether barren of fruit.

  But mark what kind of food God prepares for us; namely, herbs and fruits of trees. I believe therefore that our bodies would have been much stronger and healthier if this surfeiting and especially the eating of flesh of all kinds since the flood had not been introduced. For although the earth after the sin of Adam was cursed, and because still more corrupt after the flood, yet our food of herbs would have been much more refining, thin and pure, had we still lived on them, than our gross feeding on flesh is now. It is quite evident that in the beginning of the world the food of man was herbs, and it is equally evident that the herbs were created for the very end that they might be food for man.

  That the earth produces grain, trees and herbs of every kind is the work of this day. Now indeed, all things spring forth from the seed of their kind. But the original creation was wrought without any seed, by the simple power of the Word. Indeed that seeds now put forth their plants is still the effect of the work of the original creation by the Word, and it is a work full of wonder and admiration. For it is a singular act of God’s power that the grain, falling on the earth, springs forth in its time and brings forth fruit after its kind. And that like plants should be put forth from like seeds in an unceasing and unchanging order, is sure proof that it is not the consequence of a chance creation, but the especial operation of divine providence. Hence from wheat grows nothing but wheat; from barley nothing but barley; from the bean nothing but beans; for the same continuous and unaltered nature, order and condition of each plant are constantly preserved.

  Philosophy knows nothing of the cause of all this and attributes the whole to nature. We however well understand that nature was so created at the first by the power of the Word, that the seeds and forms of all plants might be exactly and perfectly preserved. Wherefore not only are the first-day waters of heaven multiplied, as there is need; but the first seeds are also multiplied, as God sees fit, and they all preserve their original form and nature with the utmost perfection.

  Here again a question is frequently raised as to the time or season of the year, in which the world was created; whether the creation was wrought in the spring or autumn. And although the opinions of men differ on this point, yet each one has his own reasons and conjectures. Those who prefer making autumn the season of creation, consider that they prove their judgment to be correct from the fact that the trees when first created produced their fruit. For Adam and Eve ate of their fruit. They prove their opinion moreover to be the right one, as they think, by the argument that the works of God are perfect! Others will have it, that the spring was the time of the creation, because the spring is the most beautiful season of the year and is, as it were, the infancy and childhood of nature. Hence it is that the ancient poet Ovid describes the spring as being the originating cradle-time of the world.

  Neither party however has sufficient ground for concluding their arguments to be exclusively right; for the sacred text supports both opinions, because it declares, that the earth “brought or budded forth,” which certainly is not the time of autumn, but of spring. It also declares that fruits then existed; which it is equally certain is not the time of spring. Wherefore, my opinion is that such was the miracle wrought of God at the first creation of the world that all these things existed at the one time; the earth budded forth, the trees blossomed, and the fruits, in their perfection, immediately and suddenly followed; and then the miracle ceased; and nature gradually fell into her regular order. Thus, all these herbs and trees are propagated by means of their seeds in the same kinds and forms as those in which they were first created. Hence men reason wrongly, when they argue from the natural to the supernatural effect. For the whole is to be attributed to the Creator and to his first creation-work, in which he at the same time perfected the infant buddings of spring and the mature fruits of autumn, as far as the herbs and the fruits of the trees were concerned.

  Moreover this state of things at the creation induced Hilary and others to conclude that the world stood forth suddenly at the Word of God in all its full perfection; and that God did not employ six whole natural days in the work of creation. For the text compels us to confess that the trees together with their fruits existed on the same day Adam was created. But although all this was indeed wrought of God very much more quickly than it is now for this same work of God in our age generally occupies six months of time, yet the text does not use the verb “to fructify” only but also the verb “to germinate.”

  With reference therefore to this question, concerning the time of the creation, it is most probable that the spring was the season in which the world was first created. Hence the Jews begin their year at this season, making the first month of spring the first of their year, that being the time of the year when the earth begins to open its bosom and all things in nature bud forth.

  Concerning this part of the creation another question is also raised as to the time when the unfruitful or barren trees and herbs were created. For myself I would not attempt to settle anything as to this point, but I will offer my opinion. I believe that all trees were in the beginning good and fruitful; and that the beasts of the field and Adam had as it were one and the same table; and that they all fed on wheat, pulse and the other nobler frui
ts; for there was then the greatest possible abundance of all these creatures.

  After the sin of Adam however God said for the first time to the earth “that it should bring forth thorns and briars.” Wherefore there can be no doubt that we have so many trees and herbs which are of no use whatever for food as the divine punishment of that first sin of Adam. Hence it is that many have considered the whole original state of earth paradise, on account of the blessing and the abundance which attended the first creation. Those who held this opinion affirmed that the expulsion of Adam from Paradise was his being deprived of this happy state of the earth and placed among thorns, where frequently after the greatest labor scarcely any benefit is derived. On this matter however we shall speak hereafter. But with respect to the present question, I am quite inclined to think that all the trees were fruitful when first created.

  The curious reasoning of the men of our day is detestable; when they inquire in their arguments, why it was that God adorned the earth with fruits on the third day before he had garnished the heaven with stars? They affirm that such a part of the creation-work belonged rather to the work of the sixth day; and that it would have been more appropriate as the heaven was first expanded before the earth was brought forth, had the heaven been adorned before the earth. For they say that the adorning of the earth belonged more properly to the sixth day. Lyra would make here the subtle distinction that this was not the ornament of the earth but the form of it. However I doubt whether any such distinction can be admitted, as satisfactory. My opinion is that, as I have before said, the order adopted by God in all these things is not to be submitted to the exercise of any judgment of ours. Indeed was not the heaven adorned with that light, which was created on the first day? That light was assuredly the most beautiful ornament of the whole creation.

  In this sacred matter I therefore much prefer that we consider the divine care and goodness exercised in our especial behalf, in that God prepared a habitation so beautiful for the man, whom he was about to create, before he created him, in order that when created he might find a habitation already prepared and furnished for him, into which thus ready and garnished God led him when created, and commanded him to enjoy all the fruits and provisions of his ample abode. Thus on the third day were prepared the food and the store-room. On the fourth day the sun and the moon were given for the service of man. On the fifth day “dominion” was committed to him over the fishes and the birds. On the sixth day the same “dominion” was intrusted to him over all the beasts, that he might use all the rich blessings of these creatures freely, according to his necessities; and as a return God only required that man should acknowledge the goodness of his Creator and live in his fear and worship. This peculiar care of God over us and for us even before we were created, may be contemplated rightly and with great benefit to our souls, but all conjectures, reasonings and arguments upon the great subject of the creation are uncertain and fruitless.

  The same care for us is manifest in his spiritual gifts. For long before we are converted to faith Christ, our Redeemer, rose and ascended above, and is now in the house of his Father preparing mansions for us; that when we arrive there we may find heaven furnished with everything that can complete our joy. Adam therefore not yet created was much less able to think of his future good than even we are, for he as yet had no existence at all. Whereas we continually hear all these things from the Word of God, as promised to us. Let us look at this first creation of the world therefore as a type and figure of the world to come, and thereby let us learn the exceeding goodness of God, who thus benefits, blesses and enriches us, even before we are capable of thinking for ourselves. This solicitude, care, liberality and beneficence of God, both for our present and future life, are matters more becoming us to contemplate and admire than it is to enter upon speculations and conjectures as to the reason why God began to ornament the earth on the third day. Let these observations suffice concerning the work of the third day in which a house was built and furnished for man. Now follow the remaining days in which we were appointed rulers, to “have dominion over” the whole creation.

  PART IV. GOD’S WORK ON THE FOURTH DAY.

  I. V. 14A. And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven to divide the day from the night.

  This is the work of the fourth day in which those all-beautiful creatures, the sun and the moon, together with all the stars, were created by the Word. Nor were they created as to their substances and their bodies only, but as to the blessing of God upon them and through them; that is, as to their powers, effects and influence.

  You heard above that on the first day the “light” was created. This light continued to illumine all things instead of the sun, the moon and the stars until the fourth day. And on the fourth day those authors and rulers of the day and the night were themselves created.

  Hence there has here arisen a question with reference to this first “light;” whether after the sun and the moon were created it disappeared altogether or remained, embodied in the sun. And on this point a great diversity of sentiments and opinions has existed. My simple belief is that the nature of all these works of God is the same. As on the first day the rude unformed heaven and earth were created and afterward completely formed and perfected, as the originally imperfect heaven was afterward stretched out and adorned with light, and as the earth was first called forth from the waters and then clothed with trees and herbs, so the first formed light of the first day, which was then only begun, as it were, and imperfect, was afterwards perfected and completed by the addition of those new creatures, the sun, the moon and the stars. Others say that this original “light” still remains, but is obscured by the brightness of the sun. Both opinions may be true. For it may be that the original light still remains and was as it were the seed-light of the sun and the moon.

  Moses however makes a difference here, calling the sun and the moon the “greater lights.” What philosophers say therefore concerning the magnitude of these bodies has properly nothing to do with the text before us. What we have here to do is to observe that the Scriptures do not speak of these bodies with reference to the magnitude of the bodies themselves but with reference to the magnitude of their light! For if you would compare the sun with the stars and collect all the stars into one body, you would have a body perhaps greater than the sun, but that whole body of stars together would not form a light equal to the light of the sun. On the contrary if you could divide the sun into minute particles, the most minute particles would surpass in brightness the brightest star. For all these bodies were created with an essential difference as Paul affirms. “There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars,” etc., 1 Cor. 15:41. And this difference does not consist in the nature or magnitude of their bodies, but in the nature and essentiality of their creation itself; so that in this the work of God’s creation is more wonderful. Hence marvellous beyond expression or thought is the fact that the rays of the sun should be dispersed through such length and breadth, with such wonderful properties of nourishment and heat to all bodies under their influence; and that, too, while the sun itself revolves with such amazing velocity.

  Astronomers say also that the stars are lighted as it were by the sun so that they shine. Likewise they say that the moon borrows its light from the sun. And this is beautifully proved in an eclipse of the moon, when the earth comes between the sun and moon and the light of the sun is not transmitted to the moon. I do not deny nor reject this, but I do hold however that it is of divine power that this efficacy is added to the sun to light and illumine even the distant moon and stars with its own light; and likewise that the moon and stars are so created that they have the capacity to receive the light that is projected from the sun so far away.

  Augustine sets forth two opinions about the moon in the beginning of the 12th Psalm, and in his discussions he forces an allegory upon the church, while he himself defines nothing. But I leave this; for from astronomers as from master artists we most readil
y learn what points are possible to be disputed in this science. I am satisfied that in these bodies so glorious and useful for our life we discern the goodness and power of God, who created such things by his Word and conserved them to the present day for our use. These are matters belonging to our calling or profession; that is, they are theological themes, and they have the efficacy to comfort and strengthen our hearts.

  What is further discussed concerning the nature and attributes of these creatures, although for the most part approaching the truth and studied with profit, yet I see that the reason is by far too weak to understand these things perfectly. Therefore the greatest men of genius and learning, overwhelmed by the worthiness of these creatures, could not conclude otherwise than that they are eternal, and, as it were, gods.

  Since, therefore, philosophers define a star to be a denser point within its own orbit, we come much nearer the truth when we define it to be light created by God through his Word. And it is indeed more likely that the stars are bodies round like the sun, little globes fixed to the firmament, so that each gives light by night, according to its gift and its creative functions.

  V. 14b. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years.

  When Moses adds above, “And let them divide the day from the night,” he intimates that difference between the natural and the artificial day, so universally made by astronomers. For he had before said, “And there was evening and there was morning one day;” “were the second day,” etc., where he is speaking of the natural day which consists of 24 hours, during which the first great movable body, the sun, performs his revolution from east to west. But here, when the sacred historian says, “And let them divide the day from the night” he is speaking of the artificial day, the space of time during which the sun is above the horizon.