Collected Works of Martin Luther

by Martin Luther

  But these divine things are thus written and ought to be diligently observed, studied and known by us, that we might learn to admire and adore the power of the Divine Majesty; and that we might edify and strengthen our faith from all these marvellous creation works of God! For if one could raise the dead it would be nothing in comparison to this wonderful work; that a bird was created in a moment out of water! But the reason we do not day by day and continually wonder at these things, is because by our having seen them always before us, they have lost their wonder in our eyes. If however one does but believe these things, he is compelled at once to wonder at them. And that wonder gradually confirms his faith. For if God can form a mass of water, call forth and create the heaven and its stars, each one of which equals or exceeds the earth itself in magnitude; if God can, from a small drop of water, create the sun and the moon, can he not defend my poor body against all enemies and against Satan himself? Can he not after that poor body is laid in the tomb raise it again to another and a new life? Wherefore we are to learn from this book of Genesis the power of God; that we may accustom ourselves to doubt nothing that God promises in his Word! For, in this glorious and marvellous creation work is laid a confirmation of our faith in all the promises of God; that there is nothing so difficult, nothing so impossible, which God cannot do and perfect by his Word. For all this is here proved by God’s creation of the heaven, earth, sea and all that is in them.

  But we must here touch upon that which has arrested the attention of the holy fathers, and especially of Augustine; that Moses in this sacred narrative uses these three expressions in reference to God, “God said;” “God made;” and “God saw;” as if God designed by these three expressions, used by His servant Moses, to set forth the three persons of the divine majesty! Thus by the expression “said” is signified the Father. The Father begat the Word from all eternity; and by this same Word he made in time this world. And these holy fathers applied the expression, “God made” to the person of the Son; for the Son has in himself the “express image” of the person of the Father; not only of his majesty, but of his power by which he created all things. Hence the Son gives to all things their existence. And as by the Father things are spoken into being, so are they also by the Son or the Word of the Father, by whom “all things subsist.” And to these two persons is also added a third; the person of the Holy Spirit, who “sees” and approves all things which are created.

  These three expressions therefore, “said,” “made,” “saw,” are spoken by Moses in a beautiful and appropriate manner as attributive of the three divine persons; that we might by these three expressions the more distinctly understand that great article of faith, the Holy Trinity. For the sole reason these props of our faith were religiously sought by the holy fathers was, that the profound subject, the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, so incomprehensible in itself, might in some measure receive aid to its comprehension. Wherefore I by no means condemn these pious attempts, because they are perfectly in harmony with the analogy of faith and most useful also for the instruction and confirmation of faith.

  In this manner Hilary also distinguishes other attributes. “Eternity is in the Father; form, in the image; and use, in the gift.” He says that the Holy Spirit is the gift for use, because he gives the use of all things; in that he governs and preserves all things that they perish not. The same fathers hold and affirm also, “The Father is the mind; the Son the understanding; the Holy Ghost the will.” Not that the Father is without understanding or the Son without will. But these are attributes; that is terms or expressions, which are not applicable to three divine persons collectively, but to the one or the other divine person, separately or differently. Not, as we have said, that the Father is without wisdom, etc. But we thus portray and present these divine things to our minds that we may better hold and explain the article of faith on the Holy Trinity.

  When therefore the sacred text says “And God saw that it was good,” the divine expression implies God’s intended preservation also of the thing which he had in each case just created. For the creature itself, thus newly created, could not stand unless the Holy Spirit should love it, and unless this complacency of God in his own work should preserve that work. For God did not thus create these things, designing to forsake them when created, but he approves them and loves them still. The great Creator by his divine agency still simultaneously stirs, moves and preserves, after his own God-like method all things which he hath made. I deemed it right thus briefly to touch upon these sacred matters; for the godly thoughts of those, who have preceded us in this holy study and whose course we are ourselves pursuing, are well worthy our knowledge.

  The expression in the above text, which Jerome renders “the creeping creature that hath life,” is in the original Hebrew NEPHESCH, and signifies a “soul” or “life” or “something living.” Moses calls fishes by this name. With reference to birds, it is well known that they are AMPHIBIOUS; that is they live either on land or in the air.

  II. V. 21a. And God created the great sea-monsters (whales).

  An inquiry may naturally here be made, why Moses mentions by name, “whales” only. But it is so, that the Scriptures in general make mention only of the greater fishes. The mention of “leviathan” and of “dragons” in the Book of Job, and in other places of the Scriptures is well known. It is certain however that all the large sea-monsters are called by the name, “whales;” some of which have wings as the dolphin, the king of fishes. Not however because it exceeds all other fishes in size. For the eagle, the king of birds, does not surpass all birds, nor is the lion, the king, larger than all other beasts.

  I believe however the reason of this is that we might know that these huge bodies are really the glorious works of God, and that we might not through any terror at such awe-striking bulks, imagine that these stupendous animals were not works of God, but unreal monsters. These great facts of creation being thus established in our minds, it is easy to conclude, that as these enormous bodies were created by God, the lesser fishes, such as herrings, sprats, minnows, etc., were created also by him. Let him who would contemplate this more deeply read Job, Cha. He will there plainly see in what lofty language the Holy Spirit, by means of the poet-author of that book, lauds that marvellous monster “leviathan,” whose strength and confidence is such that he contemns even the force of arrows. Such descriptions open our eyes and encourage our faith to believe the more easily and firmly that God is able to preserve us also, who are so indescribably less in magnitude and strength.

  A question here also raised concerning mice and doormice; whence and how they originate and are generated. For we find by experience that not even ships, which are perpetually swimming on the ocean, are free from mice, and no house can be thoroughly cleared of mice but that they will still be generated. The same inquiry may be instituted concerning flies. And also whither birds go in the time of autumn.

  If you ask Aristotle concerning mice, his argument is that some animals are homoigena, “generated from a like kind,” and others, heterogena, “generated from a different kind,” and that mice are “heterogena,” because mice, he says, are not generated from mice only, but from putrid matter; the putridity of which is consumed and gradually becomes a mouse.

  If you ask by what power this generation is effected, Aristotle answers that the putrid humidity of this matter is cherished, generatively, by the heat of the sun; and that by this process a living animal is produced; just as we see the bluebottle fly generated from horse-manure. But this reasoning is far from satisfying me, for the sun warms all things, but generates nothing, unless God speak it into being by his divine power. Even supposing therefore that the mouse were generated from putrid matter, yet the mouse would be a creature of divine power.

  The mouse is therefore a creature of the divine Word and power; and it is, as I believe of an aqueous nature. Were it not a creature of the divine Word and power, it would have no natural form nor would its species be preserved. Whereas it has a form the most
beautiful, in its kind; legs of such exquisite symmetry, hair so smooth, as to make it evident that it was created for a certain order of creatures by the Word of God. In the mouse therefore we admire also the creature and the workmanship of God. And the same may as certainly be said of flies.

  Concerning the disappearing of birds I have no certain knowledge. For it is not very likely that they retire into regions farther south. Indeed the miracle concerning swallows is known by experience, that they lie as dead in the waters during the winter, and revive at the approach of summer; which fact is indeed a great similitude and proof of our resurrection. For these are operations of the divine Majesty truly wonderful. Hence we see them, but we understand them not. And my belief is that although a single swallow may appear unseasonably, now and then, I doubt however whether it ever can be the case, such swallow is restored from its death-like state by God himself.

  Unto the creation work of the fifth day therefore belong all crawling, creeping and flying creatures; and all other creatures which move in any way in the air or the water.

  III. V. 21b and 22. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them.

  Why did not God pronounce the Word of blessing upon the above inanimate bodies of his creation also? In those cases he only said, that the bodies which he had created pleased him, but he did not bless them. But when he comes to the generation and propagation of living bodies, then he institutes a new mode of their increase and multiplication. Hence the sun and the stars, as we see, do not generate from themselves bodies like unto themselves. But herbs and trees have this blessing upon them, that they grow and bring forth fruit. Still there is nothing in them like unto this present blessing, pronounced by God upon the living bodies.

  Moses therefore by this Word of the divine blessing makes a glorious distinction between the bodies before created, and these living bodies which were created on the fifth day, because here a new method of generation is instituted. For in this case from living bodies are generated separate kinds of offspring which also live. But this certainly is not the case with trees nor herbs; for unless they be sown anew they bear no fruit, nor does a seed grow simply from a seed, but from a plant. But in the present instance a living body is generated from a living body. This latter operation therefore, that animal bodies should increase and be multiplied from bodies of their own kind, is entirely another and a new work of God. Because a pear-tree does not produce a pear-tree but a pear. But in the latter case, that which a bird produces is a bird. That which a fish generates is a fish. Marvellous indeed and numberless is the multiplication of each species and infinite the fecundity, but it is greatest in marine and aquatic animals.

  What then is the cause of this wonderful and admirable generation or propagation? The hen lays an egg; she cherishes it until a living body is formed in the egg, which at length the hen hatches. Philosophers allege the cause of all this to be the operation of the sun and the heat of the hen’s body. I fully grant all this. But divines speak much nearer the truth, when they affirm that the whole generative process takes place by the effective operation of the Word, here spoken by God, “And God blessed them; and said, be fruitful and multiply.” This Word of God’s blessing is present in the very body of the hen and of all living creatures; and the heat by which the hen cherishes the egg is essentially and effectively the heat of the Word of God; for without this Word the heat of the sun or of the body would be utterly ineffectual and useless.

  Wherefore to this admirable part of his creation work God adds his peculiar blessing in order that these living bodies now created on the fifth day might be fruitful. From these circumstances may be seen what this divine blessing is, namely, multiplication. Now when we bless we can effect nothing. All we can do is to pray. But this prayer is inoperative. We cannot effect the things for which we pray. But the blessing of God carries with it actual fruitfulness and multiplication. It is at once effectual. On the contrary the divine curse is non-multiplication and diminution. And the curse is also at once effectual.

  Here again, the phraseology of Moses is to be carefully observed. What Moses calls the blessing of God, philosophers call fecundity; that is, when certain living and sound bodies are produced from other living and sound bodies. Nothing resembles this in trees, for a tree does not generate the like unto itself; it is the seed that produces the like of the tree. This is a great and marvellous miracle, but like all things else in the wonderful works of God, it loses its wonder from our being always accustomed to behold it without reflection or consideration.

  Another question here arises concerning worms and various hurtful creeping things; reptiles as toads; and venomous flies and also butterflies. In all these living creatures there is a wonderful fecundity. And it is singular that the more hurtful the creatures the more prolific generally is their generation and the greater their multiplication. But we will leave this question to our subsequent comments on the third chapter of this book. For my belief is that at the time of creation, now under consideration, none of these venomous, hurtful or annoying creatures as yet existed. I believe that they afterwards sprang from the earth, when cursed by God as the punishment of sin, that they might afflict us and compel us to flee unto God in prayer. But more on this subject, as I have just intimated, hereafter.

  Thus have we then a sight of the living bodies created on the fifth day. And we have seen that the Word of God, spoken on this day, is still effectual; for fishes are still generated from mere and very water. Hence fish-ponds and lakes still generate fishes. Minnows are generated in fish-ponds, in which there were none before. For I see no likelihood of truth in the trifling arguments of some, who will have it that fishes caught by birds, drop their seed into fish-ponds and lakes, while they are being borne along in the air by their feathered captors; and that such dropped fish-seed afterwards increases and furnishes the ponds. I believe therefore the true and sole cause of all this generation and multiplication of fishes, to be God’s commanding Word to the water on the fifth day of his creation work to bring forth fishes. I believe that this divine Word is still effectual; and that it still works all these things!

  PART VI. GOD’S WORK ON THE SIXTH DAY.

  I. V. 24. And God said, Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind, etc.

  We have now seen created the heaven with all its hosts, the sun, the moon and the stars. We have seen the sea created, with its fishes and birds. For as the fishes swim in the water so do the birds swim as it were in the air. To the earth also we have seen added its ornaments of herbs, trees and fruits. And now, before man is introduced into this his dwelling place, as it were, beasts of the earth are added; and beasts of labor and burden; and also reptiles. After all these things man himself is also created!

  Man however is not created that he might fly with the bird nor that he might swim with the fish. But man has a nature common to all other animals in this respect, that he is designed to live upon the earth. For the use of ships is artificial, in the construction and use of which man attempts to imitate the fishes and the birds. For the ship performs both movements. It flies in the air and swims on the water. We are not however here speaking of things artificial, but of things natural.

  The Hebrews here make a distinction of names and appellations. They call BEHAMAH, those animals which we denominate “beasts of burden;” and they distinguish by the same appellation the lesser beasts of the wood; such as stags, goats, hares and whatever animals feed on food common to us, and live on herbs and the fruits of trees. But they term carnivorous beasts, such as wolves, lions and bears, etc., HAIESO EREZ; which is generally and correctly rendered, “beasts of the earth.” But whether this distinction is uniformly observed I know not. It does not appear to me that the observance of it is uniform. One thing however is quite certain, that Moses here intended to comprehend all terrestrial animals, whether they feed on flesh or on herbs. Of all these he affirms that the earth is the mother, which brought them all forth from herself by the Word, as the sea also brought forth al
l fishes from herself by the same Word.

  We have heard above however that God said to the water, “Let the water be moved,” etc., in order that by this its motion the sea might be filled with fishes and the air with birds. And we have seen also that afterwards the blessing of generation was first added. But here in the creation of terrestrial animals, another word is used; and God says, “Let the earth bring forth.” He does not say, “Let the earth be moved.” For the earth is a quiescent body. Therefore in the creation work of the fourth day, God also says, “And let the earth bring forth grass,” verse 11. For God wills that the earth should send forth both animals and herbs without any motion.

  But whether these animals were formed after the similitude of the formation of man out of the “ground,” or whether they burst forth on a sudden, the Scriptures define nothing on the subject; yet as Moses is here celebrating the formation of man as having been wrought by a peculiar design and contrivance of the mind of God; my own opinion is that all the other animals of the earth stood forth created in a moment, as the fishes were made on a sudden in the sea. The reason God did not here, Vs. 24 and 25, add his blessing is quite plain; because it embraces all the creatures mentioned in these verses, when it is afterwards pronounced on man, V. 28. It was sufficient therefore for Moses to say in this place, “And God saw that it was good,” V. 25. But let us now approach the last and most glorious work of God: the creation of man!

  II. V. 26a. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.

  Here again Moses adopts a new phraseology. The divine expression is not in this place, “Let the sea be moved,” or “Let the earth bring forth grass” or “fruits.” But the remarkable Word of God here is, “Let us make, or form, or fashion, or fabricate man.” Wherefore this expression implies manifest deliberation and counsel; the like of which is found not in the creation of any former creatures. In those cases God says simply without any deliberation, counsel or particular design of mind, “Let the sea be moved;” “Let the earth bring forth,” etc. But here where God wills to create man, he turns himself as it were to deep thought and enters into profound counsel and deliberation.