The translations below deal with volume III of the Calov bible commentary in Bach’s possession. I copy/paste the texts without further formatting. Adding the biblical reference is a work in progress. Only two NB’s (Mt 5:16 (very informative, and Romans 8:21 (with pencil, the authenticity of this entry depends entirely on the handwritten ‘NB’): Most entries are corrections of printing errors. Substantial part is about the “Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 5-6).

bold = bibletext
italics and underlining = text marked by Bach (italics render emphatic marks in the margin)
– corrections by Bach, are explained between brackets, often using green
blue text = extra context/explication (Dick Wursten)
small type = This entry is not marked by Bach, he only corrects a printing error
images are from the Van Wijnen facsimile (2017)

Volume 3, Part I – The New Testament, the Gospels and Acts

Gospel according to Matthew – the sermon on the mount

Column 34 (fac. 213). Matthew 5, v. 2
The sermon on the mount is explained in much detail and length. Here Bach shows himself an attentive reader.
Und er that seine Mund auf (…) lehret sie / und sprach
(… For it hinders a preacher greatly if he wants to look around and concern himself with what people want to hear and not hear and what may bring him misfortune, harm, or danger. Rather, as he stands high upon the mountain at an open spot and looks around himself with a free mind, so he shall also speak freely and shy away from no one, even if he sees a multitude of people and faces. He need not guard his mouth nor take into view gracious or wrathful lords or noblemen, nor consider money, wealth, honor, or power, shame, poverty, or harm; he need not think any further than that he says what his office demands… .)

Column 35 (fac. 214). Matthew 5, v.3
(… The excellent theologian Dr. Chemnitius also completed a splendid discussion of this sermon of the lord, in which his clarification of this text on blessedness is well worth reading, that is: The poor inspirit are only those who enter into spiritual poverty and need. Relevation Ill. 12. 18. which is the first level of penance for those who have an anxious spirit, an anxious and battered heart. Psalm ll. 19.

Column 39 (fac. 215) Matthew 5, v.5.
Luther interprets this text on patience and gentleness as follows: choose for yourself one of two options: either live among men with gentleness and patience and keep what you have with peace and a good conscience or lose what you have with a ruckus and commotion and have no sense of calm. And here is in fact the third level of penance, that we humble ourselves before God in our perilous suffering and confess our sin so that we embrace Christ, who for our sakes took sin upon himself, and comfort ourselves with His holy purity.)

Column 41 (fac. 216). v. 7 (Selig sind die Barmherzigen)
(… He praises the merciful as being blessed, not in the sense that they attain blessedness by that means, but rather because mercifulness, along with the following virtues, has certain signs of blessedness and certain qualities of those who are blessed. By this measure then, on that day such mercifulness and goodness shall therefore be openly praised before all the angels of God. Matthew XXV. 35… .)

Column 42 (fac. 216). v. 8 (Selig sind die reines Herzens sind)
(… The lord gives them the prophecy: They shall see God. For to see God, the most pure Being, one must have a pure eye; therefore the eye of our heart must be purified through faith, illuminated by clear spirit, and sanctified so that we shall see God… . ]

Column 43 (fac. 217]. v. 9 (Selig sind die Friedfertigen)

(… To make peace and to uphold it even when hostility reigns, that is what it means to be peacemakers; as Hieronymus explains, those who make peace first in their own hearts and then also among their divided brothers. For what is gained, he says, if others are pacified through you and if in your own spirit the war of viciousness still rages? The peacemakers the lord praises as blessed for where there is true blessedness, there also is peace with God. Romans XIV. 17. Chapter V. 11… .)

Dealing with anger – erzürnet sein – marked with NB (Matthew 5:16)

Columns 53-54 (fac. 218). v. 16 This is a very interesting entry because it touches upon authority and office, and anger… (Zorn). Bach underlines, marks it in the margin and adds a NB.

DUTCH: NB en markering bij tekst die zegt dat je niet boos mag worden over persoonlijk onrecht, maar dat je boos moet zijn als je ambt in het geding is: ” Het is waar, zoals gezegd, dat toorn en boosheid er moeten zijn, maar zorg ervoor dat het gebeurt zoals het behoort en u bevolen is, dat u niet omwille van uzelf, maar omwille van uw ambt en omwille van God moet toornen; en dat u die twee – uw persoon en uw ambt – niet door elkaar haalt. Voor uw persoon moet u met niemand toornen, hoe ernstig u ook beledigd bent. Wanneer het echter uw ambt betreft, moet u toornen, (Wo es aber dein Ampt fordert / da must du zürnen) Wenn aber dein Bruder etwas zelfs als u zelf (uw eigen persoon) geen onrecht is aangedaan. (NB in de kantlijn) Maar als uw broeder iets tegen u gedaan heeft en u heeft u om vergeving gevraagd, en legt het boze werk af, dan moet ook de toorn weggaan. (und bittet dirs abe, und legt das böse Werck abe, so soll auch der Zorn weggehen)

Columns 70-71 (fac. 219- 220). Matthew 6:20 (Schätze auff Erden / im Himmel)

It does not mean only the moths and rust which eat clothing, iron, and metal, nor only those mice and rats which one catches in traps nor only the thieves which empty treasure chests: but also the large active moths and open thieves as the great devourers of iron and the scoundrels at court who can empty a prince’s lands and coffers, finally robbing him of everything he has. Also with cities, it is not only those who enter the townspeoples’ homes, but also those who secretly drain such a town dry, by means of usury and cheating, in the marketplace and elsewhere. In short, wherever there is money and property there must also be moths and thieves aiming for it, and every part of the world is full of rats and mice, wherever people live together. For what else can we call the treacherous official at court or civic official but rust and moth which performs no other service but to eat away the money and property of the prince, because there is something there. So there are many hypocrites who, with daily expenses which are heavy, unnecessary, and useless, make the prince poor, without asking whether the prince will prosper or collapse. Thus Christ wishes to dissuade us with these words from avarice for mammon which is despicable to him… .)

Column 73

Mt 6v25

Column 91 (fac. 222). v. 12 But the children of the kingdom [Bach strikes through “lichts” (of light) and writes “Reichs” (of the kingdom)] will be expelled into darkness … .

Column 147 (fac. 223). v. 3 For Herod had arrested john [the Baptist], bound him, and placed him in prison … because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip (whom he had courted/wed against God’s commandment after abandoning his brothers wife [“seines Bruders Weib”. Bach strikes through … es Bruders to eliminate the incorrect “his brother’s wife”] the daughter of the king of Arabia.)

Column 180 (fac. 224). Mat 18:9
(Luther writes in the House Postil, p. 1357, It would suffice for him to say that these small ones have their own angels, but he does more by saying that these angels see the face of God in heaven. As if he intended to say, I commend to you the young people that you not anger but that you nurture and raise them well, for to God they are of considerable value… .)

Column 182 (fac. 225). Mat 18:15… “So halt ihn als einen Heyden / und Zöllner
(… Here it is commanded not only of the churches or even of any single church, but also of you and me, that we should judge, sentence, and condemn the Pope with judgment of him as heathen and publican condemned publicly by the court system of the church. For he will not hear nor let himself be punished by one, by two, or by the whole community of churches, even by all of Christendom, the way he rants and raves through his decrees and his decreeing. He even wants such pronouncements to be accepted as praisewor thy and well-intended, and thereby force Christians to give obedience to such horrors, to praise and worship them as if they were a divine truth.) (it’s a good christian’s duty to condemn the pope)

Column 184 (fac. 226). v. 24 And when he began to add things up someone came to him who owed him ten [Bach inserts the missing “Tausends” (thousands)] pounds (that is 180 tons or 18 million gold pieces.)

Column 186 (fac. 227). v. 29 So his fellow servant fell down (at his feet) and begged him, say­ ing: Have patience with me, I will pay you everything (in time). 30 He refused and instead went and threw [Bach replaces the omitted “ihn” (him)] (had him thrown] into prison until he paid everything that he owed. ··

Columns 187-188 (fac. 228). (… What, then do they do? They can do no more than come before their Lord and present to him such complaints and say, this is the way it goes, you forgive them both guilt and pain, you grant them everything, and we cannot assure that they do the same for others as you have done for them. That is the dilemma. God will then demand of them at the last judgment and charge them with the following: when you were hungry, thirsty, and depraved, I helped you; when you lay in sin I took pity on you and forgave you your guilt; have you done the same for your neighbor? Thus He will also pronounce the following judgment over them: you scoundrel, Ihave taken mercy upon you and exercised justice in dealing with you, but you did not want to show mercy to others and forgive their guilt, so now you must pay for your own guilt… .)

Column 190 (fac. 229). (… The third manner of becoming a eunuch must be spiritual [Bach strikes “göttlich” (divine) and replaces it with “geistlich” (spiritual]] namely, for voluntary chastity, otherwise it would be identical with the kind that occurs for physical reasons.)

Columns 191-192 (fac. 230). (. ‘. . Christ shows him this by holding before him the correct works of the commandments and judges that no rich man such as this youth is will be blessed; only those who hold God’s commandments shall become blessed (no rich man [Bach brackets “kein Reicher” (no rich man) to remove it from its incorrect placement as Scripture and moves it to part of commentary] namely, one who depends with his heart on wealth and would rather abandon God’s commandment and commitments to the ‘Lord than the riches of the world.) Yet another example how sensitive Bach was for the difference between biblical text and human commentary.

Column 304 (fac. 231). v. 20 And he teaches them to observe (not commandments and laws of men but rather) everything that I (your only master Matthew XXII1. 8.) have commanded of you … and behold I … [Bach replaces the omitted “bin” (remain)] with you … always until the end of the world.

Gospel according to Mark

Column 357 (fac. 232). v. 19 When I broke five loaves among the five thousand how many baskets full did you save? [Bach inserts the missing “ihr” (you)] They said: twelve.

Columns 365-366 (fac. 233). Mark 7 v. 29 Jesus answered and spoke: Truly, I say to you, there is no one who leaves house or brothers and sisters or [Bach writes “Vatter und” (father and); the word following “Vatter” is barely legible, but may to be “und” _Editor] mother [Bach inserts “oder Weib” (or wife)] and children and lands [Bach inserts “um meinet Willen und um des Evangelii Willen” (for my sake and for the gospel); this same insert includes the beginning of verse 30: “Der nicht hundertfältig empfahe itzt in dieser Zeit, Hauser u. Bruder u. Schwestern u. Mutter u. Kinder u. Acker” (who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands)] through persecution (and on account of which suffers much grievance and persecution. Whoever believes must suffer persecution and be unrelenting. Yet he has enough: wherever he may go fie will find father, mother, brothers, possessions, more so than he ever could lose) and in the age to come eternal life (which through grace is promised to those who believe in Christ, who take up their cross and follow Him for His name’s sake.)

Column 374 (fac. 234). v. 32 [actually v. 33- Editor] And they answered and spoke to Jesus: We do not know. And Jesus answered and spoke to them: Then I [Bach inserts “auch” (also)] will not tell you by which power I do these things.

Gospel according to Luke

Column 413 Luke 1:17. The printer has printed part of Luk 1:17 in standard text size (= used for the commentary). Bach amplifies the words zu bekehren (bold, larger) to make clear this is part of the Bible text. (… zu bekehren die Herzen der Väter zu den Kindern)
Column 416 (fac. 235).
v. 31 [GERMAN: Sihe / du wirst schwanger [Bach adds werden] im Leibe…
Behold, you will [In the margin Bach adds the omitted “werden” (become)] pregnant in your womb (Isaiah Vll: f4.) and bear a son, whose name you shall call Jesus (that means “He who makes blessed”) (Matthew I. 21. and Isaiah VII. 24. [the correct verse number is 14] Immanuel, which means “God with us; ‘ thus we must be reconciled with God: But he who reconciles us with God he must indeed make us blessed from our sins.)

Column 420 (fac. 236). (… Therefore it is for her [Mary] no trifling matter, but utter seriousness, for she believes that she is the mother of God and that Elizabeth is also with child. Perhaps she did not go alone, but rather with Joseph accompanying her, for it is a long way from Nazareth to Jerusalem [Bach underscores Jerusalem and writes “Hebron” in the margin]; nonetheless she lets nothing interfere with her plan and she completes the long, difficult journey… .)

Column 428 (fac. 237). (… The small phrase “without fear” implies that we are secure in the possessions of this life and the afterlife. For a Christian who is confident and certain that his sins are forgiven, no matter how much he may still sense them, is also certain that death can not harm him: the devil may not overpower him and the world can inflict nothing upon him. Such a heart is secure in the face of all danger and harm.)

Column 439 (fac. 238). v. 29 Lord, now let Your servant depart in peace (Now let him be loose from fetters and from the yoke in which he has labored and from the shore where he has been moored so that he may sail freely through death’s [Bach writes in “Meer” (sea)] and journey to the shore of eternal life… .)

Column 478 (fac. 239). v. 45 A good man brings forth good from the [Bach inserts “guthen” (good)] treasure of his heart (Matthew XII. 35.) and an evil man brings forth evil from the evil treasure of his heart. For whose heart is full, that person’s mouth shall overflow.

Column 488 (fac. 240). (… You have not seen the deeds that this woman did to me. Likewise you have also not seen these sins of [Bach changes “mir” (mine) to “dir” (yours)] which nonetheless are serious sins and large rough knots when you come before God in judgment. Therefore the Lord will punish the Pharisee’s sin right away while forgiving the woman her sins, saying: your sins are forgiven.)

Column 567 (fac. 241). v. 72 If you are [Bach inserts “nicht” (not)] faithful with that which is another man’s (things which are entrusted to you and for which you must give account) who will give to you that which is your own?

Column 575 (fac. 242). (… They were physically cured of their leprosy but then fell victim to a spiritual leprosy, which is a thousand times worse. But Christ lets both go; to enjoy His goodness is to remain silent on matters of justice and to exchange hate and disfavor for praise and thanks, so that one may learn from this that at times we ask for that which had better not be granted to us… .)

Column 592 (fac. 243). v. 37 And when he came near to them and climbed down the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of His disciples (not only the 12 apostles but also all the other disciples who then followed Him) began with [Bach writes in the margin the omitted bible text “Freuden Gott zu loben mitt” (joy to praise God with)] a loud voice about all the works they had seen.

Column 643 (fac. 244). v. 46 And Jesus cried aloud and said: Father I commit my spirit (my soul) into Thy hands (into Thy protection, into Thy trust, into Thy grace, that it be ushered into eternal bliss to praise You forever. For You have saved me, Lord you loyal God Psalm XXXI.6. That which Saint Stephen learned from Lord Christ and practiced, Acts VII. 59, God, will you grant so that we all conclude our lives in constant belief in our saviour Christ Jesus?)

Gospel according to John

Column 772 (fac. 245). (… Death may come when it will; I will stand before it in peace. Death, you shall do no harm to me, for I have drunk this draught [of wine] and have eaten this bread. The Lord will say that to come unto Him and to eat of the bread of life is to believe in Him, and he who believes shall come unto Him and eat of Him. The soul would gladly live eternally, that it not be damned, and have a gracious God and be able to stand before the wrath and judgment of God… .)

Column 793 (fac. 246). v. 30 So they sought to arrest Him; but no one laid hands on Him for His hour had not yet come. John VIII. 20. XIII. 32. 33. Luther says this is a wonderful text, expressed in the German proverb: With one’s own thoughts, as with a tautly-held cloth, much slides off. Thus stubborn or self-appointed projects seldom turn out well. Also for me things have never in my life gone according to my plans: I have set a certain plan for myself, but if it had not been God’s word and deed which drew me to the project, the greater part was left unaccomplished. Therefore God has held everything securely in His hands, so that no one on earth may carry out his thoughts. Indeed thoughts shall accomplish nothing, lest one seek His counsel in advance… .)

Columns 799-800 (fac. 247). (… It is commanded that He be arrested and the officers come and have in mind to capture Him. But what happens? Behold what the human heart and thoughts are capable of and what they accomplish, [behold] how a heart is not at all in control of itself and its thoughts, about which also Psalm XXXIII says: He controls the heart for all of them. And in the same Psalm it says that the Lord brings to naught, etc. God not only sees their thoughts, but also makes them as he wants, that their hearts become changed in an instant; he can turn away their thoughts and put others in their place. The officers are murderers, they want to arrest an innocent man, their heart and thoughts stand in obedience to the devil, but they are not in control of their thoughts to carry them out. For when they hear Him, it happens that their thoughts vanish and they receive a new and humble heart and become disciples and students of this master and preacher whom they earlier wanted to capture and murder.

… Thus the hour does not come (may it come whenever it will) and our enemies might be as evil as death and the devil, yet they shall not carry it out and end it… .)

Column 904 (fac. 248). (… For such a prayer one needs only such a heart that speaks, Father in heaven, I know that You love me for the reason that I love Your son and my saviour Jesus Christ. In such trust and confidence will I now pray in comfort, not that I be holy and pious but that I know that You, for the sake of Your Son Jesus Christ, will gladly bestow all gifts. In His Name will I now come before You and pray and doubt not that my prayer is indeed and with certainty heard, though I be in my person only half what I would be.)

Column 919 (fac249). (… the article of faith that I believe in the forgiveness of sin confronts us and comes to us by way of experience and causes the other articles also to confront us and enter our experience. For this reason it is the most difficult article of faith to believe. The highest and finest apostle, Peter, falls more shamefully than the other apostles, and yet recovers. If I were able to describe or depict Peter I would write all over every hair on his head “forgiveness of sin; ‘ because he is an example of this article of faith: forgiveness of sin. And thus the evangelists portray him, for no section of the entire passion story is described in so many words as the fall of Peter… .)

Column 947 (fac. 250). (… With the fact that the Lord departs with the phrase, “It is finished” He indicates that the entire Scripture is fulfilled, as if He wished to say: world, devil have done to me what they could and I have suffered what was necessary to bring salvation to mankind, as was prophesied and proclaimed by the prophets. Thus is everything fulfilled and perfected. This we should note well, that Christ’s suffering is the fulfillment of the Scripture and the accomplishment of salvation of humankind. It is finished, the Lamb of God is slaughtered and sacrificed for the sin of the world… .)

Column 950 (fac. 251). (… The same blood of Christ represents us with God and cries out for our sake without pause unto God, grace, grace, pardon, pardon, remission, remission, Father, Father, and it gains for us God’s grace, forgiveness of sin, righteousness, and blessedness… .)

Columns 963-964 (fac. 252). (… Therefore I send you now that you should be my messengers, not to deal with worldly affairs, but to perform and execute the same service that I have done. Namely, to preach the word that you have heard and received from [Bach strikes though “ihm” (Him) and writes in “mir” (me)], which is a service by which those are to be helped from sin and death who feel sin and death and want to be helped, etc… .)

Volume 3, Part 2 The Epistles and the prophetic part (Revelation)

Column 19 (fac. 253). Romans 1:17 (… However those who persist in faithlessness and with the rejection of Christ our saviour, aiming rather to establish their own righteousness before God and thus get to heaven, as happened with the Jews, will be excluded from blessedness because of their faithlessness. They hurl themselves, through contempt of their saviour, into eternal ruin, they walk in darkness and sin, for what does not issue from faith is sin. In this argument the path of attaining blessedness is described in its origins. ; in the most concise statement, that the main cause of blessedness is God whose word and power is the gospel, as the means of blessedness. The effective cause however is Christ, the means on our side is faith which embraces the righteousness of Christ revealed in the gospel which alone belongs to faith. He who is thus vindicated (‘gerechtfertiget’) is a sinful man who believes in Christ. The form is the righteousness of Christ which is imputed to us through faith. The final cause is life and eternal blessedness… .)

Column 95 (fac. 254). Romans 8:22 – pencil
(… Thus heaven and earth, or the world as a whole, will perish through fire at the end of the world, but it will not cease totally to be, for the creative and sustaining power of God, which functions like an attending soul or spirit, “anima assistens; ‘of the world, will create from the ashes of the incinerated world a new heaven and a new earth in which righteousness shall abide 2. Peter Ill. 12. Revelation XXI. 4. This opinion seems to him [the theologian Gerhard] to be closest to the truth… .) [Bach marks the preceding sentence with “NB” and a marginal mark, i.c. vertical line), with a pencil. Authenticity? ]

Column 96 (fac. 254). Romans 8:22 – ink
(… Therefore Saint Paul says that creation awaits fervently and anxiously the revelation and the splendid freedom of the children of God, and is not alone in this wish, for we too (he continues) who have the firstlings of spirit, yearn among ourselves for sonship and await the salvation of our body, praying and crying out with great sighing and desire in the Lord’s Prayer, “Thy kingdom come; ‘ that is, help oh dear Lord, that the blessed day of Your glorious future come soon, so that we may be delivered of the wicked world and the devils’ kingdom, and be freed from the gruesome torment which we must suffer externally and internally, both from evil people and from our own conscience. Strangle nonetheless this feeble frame so that we may finally get another body which is not so full of sin and inclined to all evil and disobedience as it now is, and which would not be sick, suffer persecution, and die, but rather be saved physically and spiritually from all misfortune, becoming like your transfigured body, dear Lord Jesus Christ, and arriving finally at our glorious salvation. Amen.

Columns 96-97 (facs. 254-255]… . Saint Paul uses a special word here which we cannot really render except with our word “to be in anguish: ‘ But it really refers to such pain and torment as a woman experiences in childbirth, when she wants nothing else but for the child to be born in order that she may recover… .) [Bach strikes “umb” (in order that) which should precede the previous word. ]

The Epistles to the Corinthians

Columns 282-283 (fac. 256-257). (… Therefore take heed and do not let the devil deceive you; vigilance is needed; you have flesh on your neck which without vigilance fights against the spirit, makes the devil an enemy, and causes danger and peril everywhere for you, so that you will not again lose everything you have gained, for you have just begun and have not yet reached the end; therefore you must here take care, fight, and be brave that you (as Saint Paul says) with fear and trembling struggle to gain your salvation. Philippians II. Volume I, Altenburg, p. 372. He who stands firm shall see that he will not fall, no matter how slippery the path, how powerful the armed foe, from our own resources (that is, through the support and expedience of the flesh and all evil temptation and vacillation of mind) he shall slay with an infinite, countless army of the world the lusts on the right flank and the adversities and the evil will of men on the left flank, as well as the wickedness, by which he [the devil] remains at his most discreet and his most prepared in thousands of ways and methods of harming, seducing, and ruining us. Thus we live without for a moment being certain and secure about our endeavor. Saint Cyprian tells of abundant evil in his epistles “On Mortality; ‘and teaches and says that one should wish for death as a quick and expedient escape from all these vices, these evil things, adversities, and troubles. And indeed where there are men pure of heart who confront fairly these endless vices of hell, we see that they, notwithstanding life and death, that is, all the above-mentioned vices and adversities, wish for themselves and yearn to die in order to be free and at the same time saved from this evil of sin in which they find themselves and into which they so easily may fall.)

To the Ephesians – Thessalonians

Eph. 4:14 Column 656 (fac. 258). So that we may no longer be children (in meager knowledge, to whom only milk is proper and not food I Corinthians Ill. 2. Hebrews V. 12. 13. VI. 1.) and let ourselves be tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine… . (marked with pencil) – accepted by Cox, not accepted by Clement.

2 Thess. 3:12 Column 838 (fac. 259). (… But the heart shall sign and cry out to God the Lord in the midst of labor for help and blessing, so that while the outer man is busy with labor his heart in the meantime offers its prayer instead of its cares unto God, and thus speaks: Lord I attend to my duties and do what You have commanded of me, and I will gladly labor and do whatever you will have, only help me, also, to manage, help me, also, to govern, etc.)

First letter to Timothy

1 Tim 6:16 [substantial marking by Bach]

Column 890-891(fac. 260-261). v. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith (against all temptation of the devil of the world and of one’s own flesh) take hold (through faith) of the eternal life (2. Timothy Ill. 15.) to which you are called and to which you have made a good confession in the presence of many witnesses (1 Corinthians IX. 25. 26. Philemon Ill. 12. 14. 1 Timothy I. 18. IV. 10. 2 Timothy IV. 7.) v. 14 [I charge you] to keep the commandment blamelessly and without stain until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Columns 890-891 (facs. 260-261). (… My hymn sounds like this: Give unto God the glory which is due to the one true living God, the only glory, praise, and honor in heaven and on earth; He is the only God (as Moses says in Deuteronomy X. 17.), a God above all gods, Lord of all lords, who created heaven and earth and the sea and all that is in it, who holds in His hand all kingdoms on earth, building them up and striking them down as He will, who gives life and breath to all men on earth, who forms and guides the innermost hearts, senses, and thoughts of all kings and all other men on earth as it pleases Him, who alone provides to everything all physical and spiritual purpose without which no one can have or for a moment retain body, life, wisdom, strength, health, power, wealth, or any possessions. To Him, say Moses, give glory, that is, acknowledge Him to be the Lord who creates and effects everything and from whom alone all blessings flow. And in volume IV of the Altenburg edition, p. 668: “He is Lord over all lords and everything excepting nothing is placed beneath His feet. Therefore rejoice, Christian, and everyone who acknowledges God’s work, for such things are said and written in great consolation to everyone among us, if you believe the truth that Christ is ordained as Lord over all. For if your enemies plot evil against you from afar, who better for them to plot against? Against you or Christ? For both they and you are His. Fear not, He is present everywhere; He sees what they are devising against you and watches out with greater care for your sake than you do for yourself.)
Column 891 (fac. 261). (… But who believes that what we have in such rich measure of grain and wine and many fruits is but a gift of God? Where are those who thank and praise Him for it? Indeed one feasts and revels and once again practices usury in doing so by exploiting the poor and every man, and we act as though we ourselves had created everything and not God, that is no thought of God. Just as the peasants and noblemen are now exerting their impudence and their declarations, that they possess the earth and its fruits and desire also the wealth, to the point that others have nothing and they have everything.) 18 They are to do good (to conduct themselves diligently according to the ten commandments in many godly works so that they may) be rich in good deeds (that they be rich in the presence of God, Luke XII. 21.), be generous (especially to the poor and needy) and helpful.

First epistle from Peter

1 Peter 3:9
Columns 1006-1007 (fac. 262-263). (… There is no other advice, says Saint Peter, but to put your heart at peace and leave to God’s command when men who are supposed to help you do not do so, nor turn away nor punish injustice, even doing violence to you; if these matters are not punished by men leave them unpunished until God himself apprehends it, so that you retain a peaceful mind and mild heart and not let yourself be moved to surrender your good conscience, peaceful heart, and the blessing you have from God for the sake of the devil and evil people. However, where your office has commanded you to punish evil, or protection and justice can come to you from those who are so instructed, you shall make use of it without all wrath, hate, and bitterness, indeed with such feeling of heart that you will even wish blessing and goodness and give it in place of insult and badness… .)

1 Peter 5:6-7 [substantial marking by Bach]

Columns 1037-1039 (fac. 264-265).
(… Thus he admonishes the other groups [in the church], especially the young people, that they should be subservient to their elders and in general among themselves show humility toward others and (as Saint Paul says) each show respect to the other. For this is the finest, dearest virtue of love and the most necessary one to maintain peace and discipline among the people; it especially behooves youth and graces them before God and makes them dear and worthy toward men and bears much good fruit. And if one could impress upon people that this virtue were to become established, then everywhere things would go well and a fine beautiful world would be seen, filled with every manner of discipline and good works, and I would much rather see such a city where young people are raised in such virtue than see a hundred Barefooters (certain orders) or Carthusian cloisters where life is at strictest restraint. Unfortunately one of the greatest, most frequent complaints everywhere now is about the disobedience, impiety, and arrogance of the young people. , common to all social classes. Thus it is very necessary to inculcate and drive this admonition with all diligence, especially toward youth, if it is to be of help. And at the outset Saint Peter reminds us of God’s commandment that we should know that it is not a capricious work that lies at your own pleasure to do or not to do, but rather, God wants serious commitment from you and you should give it with love and desire or have His wrath come over you and enjoy no blessing or grace, even among men. For arrogance and insolence are hateful to everyone and are cursed by the whole world, even among strangers who are not affected. Indeed even if someone is caught up in the same fault without recognizing his own shame he cannot bear to see it with another and must hate and condemn it; such offenses may harm no one but you, in that you make yourself odious and contemptuous before God and with people and earn the reputation that everyone considers you a crude arrogant boor and shameful; God also will cause such judgment and contempt to come over you in that He will not allow such offense to go unpunished but destroy it, as Saint Peter here speaks: “He resists the arrogant, etc: ‘ Saint Peter uses for this a special word, as he speaks: “Hold firmly to humility: ‘ That means remain together and tied to each other as firmly as possible, or, like the fabric of a cloak, sewn together as tightly as can be so as not to tear apart. He shows with this example how Christians should dedicate themselves with greatest diligence to demonstrate and practice this virtue among themselves, as if they alone were obligated to do so. Thus, he says, you must be sewn and stitched together, curl in your claws, and join your hands together so that humility cannot be dissolved, sundered, or torn even if one is provoked by the devil or by another’s evil words is given cause to rage, to be spiteful and to rant. Oh, do I have to suffer that from this person? Am I such a man, etc. ? Rather, consider that you as Christians should be reconciled and yield to one another, as you all together form one body, and for this reason only live together on earth that you serve one another through love. And here each should acknowledge his own weakness and consider that God has also made gifts to his fellow man and that he can give more than he himself has, and therefore should gladly serve and yield to others as he has also need for their help. For each person is created for the sake of his fellow man that we should all serve each other, and God bestows equal mercy and blessedness on each so that no one will have cause to rise up against his neighbor, or if he does will lose God’s grace and plunge far beneath the rest in damnation. Therefore we must cling to this virtue of humility that our unity not be sundered, for the devil aims to tear apart this unity, seeks and hurls all cause among the people that one despise the other and grow proud and become overbearing and arrogant, as flesh and blood is ever prone to be. And humility is lightly and quickly taken away, where one does not seriously guard against the devil and one’s own flesh. For if you decide to undertake something with your own power, wisdom, and spite, do not believe that God will give you good fortune and blessing to carry out your plan.

… For such a person who fears God and (as Isaiah LXVI says) trembles at His word will certainly cause no spite to others, scratching and poking against them, and will even show a mild heart toward his enemies; thus he shall find grace, both with God and with the people.

Column 1039 (f c. 265)… . But once more the other proud ones should be fearful even if He lets them go unpunished for a while and continue in their spitefulness; He stands over them as a Visitator [observer] and bides His time before coming over them with His judgment which would be all too harsh. For He has already extended His hand, both to strike down the godless ones and to raise up those who are humble.)

Column 1040 (fac 265). (… Heavenly Father, you are ever my Lord and God who created me when I was nothing and brought me salvation through your Son. Now You have commanded and placed upon me this or that assignment and task; it is not going the way I want and there is much that oppresses and anguishes me so that I find neither counsel nor help with my own resources; therefore let this also be commended to You: give counsel and help and be Yourself everything in these affairs, etc.)

First Epistle by John

1 John 1:7 Columns 1092-1093 (fac. 266). One can wonder whether these markings are typographical corrections or intrinsic..
(… The same blood, says Luther in Vol. IV of Altenburg p. 689, that flows from the side of Jesus Christ is the treasure of our salvation, the compensation and reparation for our sin. For through His innocent suffering and death and through His dear sacred blood spilled on the cross did Lord Jesus Christ pay for all our guilt, eternal death, and damnation in which we had been mired through sin. The same blood of Christ represents us before God and cries out for us without pause unto God: grace! grace! pardon! pardon! remission! remission! Father! Father! and gains for us God’s grace, forgiveness of sin, righteousness, and blessedness. Thus cries out the blood of Jesus Christ, our only mediator and supplicant, without end, forever and ever; that God the Father attends such pleas of His dear son on our behalf and is merciful to us poor miserable sinners. For He cannot see any sin on us, even if we are covered with sin, indeed being nothing but sin, inside and out, in body and soul from head to toe, for he sees alone the precious blood of his dear Son our Lord Jesus Christ with which we are sprinkled. For this same blood is the golden cloak of grace with which we are clothed and come before God that He cannot, nor will not, see us any other way but as if we were the dear Son Himself, full of righteousness, holiness, and innocence. On the other hand the innocent blood of Christ also has such virtue and power that it ab solves, frees, washes, and purifies us from all sin and misdeed; therefore, whoever is sprinkled and clothed with this blood may come before God securely and joyfully, call unto Him and hope confidently and without doubt that he will be heard, as Saint Paul says in Ephesians Ill. Through Jesus Christ we have joyfulness and entry with all assurance through faith in Him.)

Columns 1240-1241 (fac. 268-269). v. 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. (Luther vol. V, p. 605: An alien is an immigrant or foreigner who is not a citizen by origin and birth in the place where he lives, but who has his place of origin elsewhere. Summation: an alien is one who is not indigenous, as the children of Israel were alien and not indigenous in Egypt, into which they came from Canaan, through the charge which Moses often spoke to them: You have been aliens in the land of Egypt. A pilgrim is a wanderer who travels through a land and is not in his city or at the place where he belongs, but rather only abides at an alien place as if traveling through. He who is not only an immigrant like an alien, but also is a guest and has nothing of his own, nor intends to, at the place of his pilgrimage, but simply passes through as the children of Israel were pilgrims in the desert. Thus are Christians aliens and pilgrims in this world. Aliens, because according to their physical birth, they came into the world from God, created <out of nothing, and they will not remain in this world, but shall depart from it like all men on earth, as Job speaks: I came naked from my mother’s womb, naked also shall I depart. Pilgrims, in that they according to their spiritual birth are born again through baptism in the word of the Holy Spirit, are on earth as guests, and their life is only a pilgrimage, as the Patriarch Jacob called it Genesis XLVII. 9. An alien cannot say, my homeland is gone, for he is not indigenous there. A pilgrim does not consider remaining in the land he journeys through and in the inn where he spends the night for his heart and thoughts are fixed on other horizons. In the inn he only takes his feed, his meals, his bed and then journeys on toward the place where he will be at home. Therefore you Christians, speaks Peter in the first epistle II. 11. are only aliens and guests in this world and belong to another kingdom and land where you will have a constant domicile and lasting home forever. Therefore conduct yourselves as aliens and guests in this foreign inn and land from which you will take nothing but food, drink, clothing, shoes and what you need for this night’s rest and think beyond this toward your true homeland where you are citizens.)

Epistle from Jacobus (James)

Columns 1275-1276 (fac. 270). v. 6 But let him ask in faith and not doubt (…) for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. (Luther, Vol. I Altenburg, p. 302. This he interprets thus: that this same man’s heart does not keep still and for that reason God can give him nothing. But faith holds the heart still and makes it receptive to God’s gifts.  Vol. VII, Altenburg, p. 477. He who doubts whether he is heard by God, may he remain waiting and be unperplexed with God and prayer. For He can and will not tolerate doubt, that is, He can and will not allow being regarded and rebuked by us as a liar or traitor: He who doubts does as much as if to say: Lord God, I do not believe, nor do I know whether it is true as You. say: “Verily verily I say to you, whatever you pray for, that I will do; ·and sayings like that. Therefore be aware, when you want to pray, that you boldly and shamelessly kneel down or come before God (if you have acknowledged yourself as a sinner and are willing to improve, as mentioned above) and speak to God as follows: Lord God, heavenly Father; I pray and beg it to be undenied that it should and must be “Yes” and “Amen”, this way and no other, or I will not pray nor have prayed-not because I am right or worthy; I know and confess that I have not merited your grace, rather, that I deserve the fire of hell and Your eternal wrath with many grievous sins; instead, because I am thus still a little obedient, because You ask and force me to pray in the name of Your dear Son our Lord Jesus Christ. Upon this reservation and solace of Your bottomless goodness, not upon my own righteousness, do I kneel down and come before You and pray.)

Column 1298 (fac. 271). v. 2 For we [teachers] all prostitute ourselves in many ways // German: Denn wir feilen alle mannigfältiglich (Luther, vol. V, Altenburg, p. 380. If pious men should fall a little bit into errant mistakes, nevertheless because they have true and heartfelt intentions and do not seek their own gain nor speak knowingly against ordered justice, God will be at peace with their mistake and subsume it all within the Lord’s Prayer in which we say: “Forgive us our trespasses” just as every authority must often err and cannot avoid doing so, but without forsaking or denying his office. This life is too sinful and too blind; though we do our best in one regard we fail in many other points which we must defer to God and say, with King David in Psalm XIX: Who discerns all errors? Lord cleanse me of that which is concealed, etc. And James Ill. We all fail so often that God must find room with us to forgive errors and sins and to prove his mercy. And Vol. Ill, Altenburg, p. 466. For those who at times sin and then repent and are sorry for having sinned, one should not only not deny the sacrament, but rather one should realize that it is for these very ones that the sacrament was established, that they be enlightened and strengthened by it. For we all make many mistakes, James Ill. and each of us justly bears the other man’s burden, for each of us is burdensome to another. Galatians VI. 2.) – (D: und trägt billich einer des andern Last / weil einer dem anderen beschwerlich ist

Column 1299 (fac. 272). (… Not only teachers err, but also others: we err easily not only in faith but also in life; we err not only in sins of neglect of things we should do, but also in the actions and commission of things that we ought to abstain from and not do, which occurs mostly with the tongue, because much is spoken which should not be spoken, and much is kept silent when one should not remain silent, and therefore no one is perfect, that he errs in not a single word… .)

Columns 1299-1300 (fac. 272). v. 6 And the tongue is also a fire and a world full of unrighteousness. (What comes from the mouth, says Christ, makes man impure, Matthew XV. 11 and 18. 19. What comes out of the mouth comes from the heart and makes man impure, for out of the heart come wicked thoughts, murder, adultery, prostitution, thievery, false witness. Compare Psalm LVII. 5. Jeremiah IX. 8. Here belong the eight varieties of evil tongues: the insulting tongue of vilifiers Sirach XVIII. 6. the false tongue of flatterers ch. XII. 18. the braggart tongue of the arrogant Psalm XI. 4. the adder tongue of heretics Job XX. 16. the profane tongue of cursers and slanderers ch. XV. 5. the deceiving tongue of hypocrites Psalm CXIX. 2. the impure tongue of the unchaste Sirach Ll. 3. the unjust tongue of lawyers Proverbs XVII. 2… .)

Column 1306 (fac. 273). (… Therefore also in the Lord’s Prayer He did not ask us to pray for more than “give us today our daily bread” so that we should live and act in fear and realize that at no hour are we safe, neither with life nor goods, but that we must expect and receive everything from His hands, as is done by true faith. And indeed we see daily with many of God’s works that it must be this way, whether we like doing it or not. Solomon has directed almost all of his book, called “Ecclesiastes; ‘ toward this teaching and shows how everywhere the undertakings and presumption of men are indeed vain and nothing but trouble and misfortune, where God is not drawn into the venture so that one fears Him and is satisfied with what is at hand and rejoices over it. For God is enemy to self-certain, unfaithful presumptuousness that forgets Him, for that reason he acts against it with all His works… .)

Column 1347 (fac. 274). [In the section heading “Der Dritte Theil” (The Third Part) Bach strikes through “Dritte” and replaces it with ‘Andere” (Second). ]

Column 1348 (fac. 274). v. 73 And among the candlesticks there was one like a son of man … who was dressed [Bach adds the participial prefix “ge-” to “gethan” (donned)] with a cloak … and girded around his chest with a golden belt. [Commentary not translated. ]

The Apocalypse

Column 1420 (fac. 275). v. 74 And the woman was given two wings, like those of a large eagle (By these. are understood the guardian wings of the Holy Roman Emperors by Medo and Cluvero, as the guardianship granted to us in the Empire Treaty of Prag [Bach strikes through “Prag” and writes in ‘Augsburg‘] in 1555 under Ferdinand the First in Christ’s most merciful memory… .)