13 March
Away with this One (Jesus), and gives us Barabbas free. Luke 23:18.
Thus it wanted to go, thus it went and thus it still goes all the time. For that is the world’s custom and way of doing things. For the more noble the treasure and goods are, the more hostile the world and the devil are towards such a treasure and goods. Gold is the least of goods, yet the devil cannot bear it that a person use the gold properly. Ordinary force and external peace is a beautiful gem, but the devil cannot tolerate it, instead he constantly instigates murder and the shedding of blood etc. But if you come upon the high gifts of God, such as are Holy Scripture, Gospel, divine truth and Christ, etc., when these treasures, which bring eternal righteousness and life, come into the world, then it has to happen as the text says here: Barabbas has to be freed, Christ however has to be crucified. Before the truth can remain un-condemnable, all the devils must first go to hell. [or perhaps: all the devils must first be approved]
# Ouch! Twice I tried to nap after lunch – pain kept me from doing so; amidst much pain God enabled me to thumb my nose at Satan, and struggle through translating this difficult one… Luther used some phrases that are difficult to translate.
Prying that it’s been translated fairly accurately,
Elmer H.
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