Clear, Incontrovertible Confession: Part Third

I would further say that if some Scriptures could be produced to prove that “becoming” is taking to oneself; or that two persons and sons of different natures and minds can be one person and son; or that there was a true Son from the beginning who did not have both father and mother; or that a son can be his father’s son who is not of the father’s seed, then we might ponder their foundation a little further. But they never produce such Scriptures, nor are they able to produce them; and the Scriptures testify that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Therefore the testimony of John remains firm and unchangeable, “The Word has become flesh,” however much philosophers may dispute it.

Lastly I would say that if the Word did not become flesh, but only took to himself a man of Mary’s flesh, as our opponents assert, and if that man was used as an instrument to suffer for us, then it is manifest that Jesus Christ, a Son of his Father in truth (as John calls him), did not come in the flesh (corporatus, as Castalion says). For if he was to suffer himself, and not another in his place, then he had to come in the flesh; otherwise he could not have suffered. This is too clear to be contradicted. All those who deny this are deceivers and antichrists, Second John 1, verse 7. [Note 1]

He further writes, “If he is holy, why was he condemned for the sake of sin in the judgment of the Father?” In another place he also writes, “Christ took part in no other flesh than that which was subject to sin and death, so that he might be tempted.”

Answer. If we are to understand his words as they read, then Christ, together with his holy flesh, was subject to sin and death; this cannot be disputed. For he says, If he is holy, why then was he condemned for sin under the judgment of the Father? Just as if he were unholy, guilty of death under the judgment, and deserving of the wrath and punishment of God. But this must indeed follow if we are to assert that the flesh of Christ was of Mary’s flesh. Therefore it is manifest from his words that the sin by which he was tempted dwelt in his flesh, and that so he did not die out of grace for us, but as one guilty, for himself. For the wages of sin is death.

O dear Lord, if poor Menno were to speak so blasphemously of the Son of God, and were to include him in sin, oh, what an unpleasant, bitter song would be sung about him! But whatever the learned dream and philosophize must be accepted as right and good.

This, then, is my short reply to his words just cited. Isaiah and Peter testify of him that he did not know sin, and that no guile was found in his mouth. Indeed, dear reader, he was holy before his incarnation, holy in his incarnation, and will remain holy forever. For it was necessary that we should have such a high priest, who is holy, innocent and spotless, and who was made higher than the heavens; for if he were not innocent and holy, he could not have paid for our sins and guilt, but would have had to suffer for his own imperfections and guilt. But now the Scriptures testify that he was bruised for our iniquities and was stricken for our transgression, Isaiah 53, verses 5 and 8.

In the sixth place he writes and says, “The comparison in the words of Paul, The form of God and the form of a servant, teaches us that just as that by which God is known to be God is nothing else than the immeasurable power and the brightness of his light and glory, to which none can attain, so we must also understand it of that by which a servant is known to be a servant, and that it is nothing else but our human flesh, which through the disobedience of our first parents was forfeited to the servitude of sin.” Nevertheless he writes that we must so understand it that he took upon himself our flesh, but not its servitude. Hac ille. [Note 2]

Answer. Here I will leave the reader to choose whether to explain this form of a servant as referring to a servile* form or, as John A’Lasco thinks, to a sinful form. If it refers to a servile and not to a sinful form, then it does not support the assertion that the Word has taken to himself our flesh. But if it is explained, as John A’Lasco explains it, as referring to a sinful and not to a servile condition, then it must necessarily follow that the thing on account of which we are called servants, namely sin, is also in Christ; or else the contrasting form he brings forward is out of place and cannot stand, as by the grace of God you will clearly hear and see hereafter. [*]

I deny that I misinterpreted the Latin phrase Exinanivit semetipsum, as John A’Lasco accuses me of doing. Although in one place I wrote, He has humbled himself, I trust I have not written it wrongly. In another place I wrote, The Son, the Word, was humbled, went beneath himself, was made lower than the angels. But nowhere have I written that he went out from himself, as John A’Lasco wrongfully accuses me. I will leave it to the judgment of all grammarians whether or not I have written correctly. [Note 3]

I think Christ has greatly humbled himself, since he is the Almighty, eternal Word, Wisdom and Power of God, and became such a poor, weak, despised man. He also went far beneath himself, since he was in divine form and became such a despised servant. Indeed, reader, that Paul is speaking here (Philippians 2, verses 7 and 8) of the servile and not of the sinful condition, we may well conclude from the following Scriptures. “Behold,” says Isaiah, “my servant, whom I uphold; my Elect, in whom my soul delights,” Isaiah 42, verse 1. Matthew is my witness that the prophet says this of Christ; and he is called the servant of his Father because he has performed the work and service of his Father here on earth for us poor sinners, as he says, “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many,” Matthew 20, verse 28.

Therefore I repeat: Paul speaks here of the servile and not of the sinful condition which Christ took upon himself for our salvation. For if he spoke here of the sinful and not of the servile condition, then Christ must also have taken on the form of a servant, that is, sin; otherwise the phrases The form of a servant and The form of God could not stand together. For as the phrase form of God testifies to his true divinity, so also the form of a servant must testify to his true servile form. Or else it must follow from the argument of John A’Lasco that although Christ was in divine form, yet he lacked the divinity, just as he had the form of a servant, but did not have the servility, that is, sin.

Oh no, it is not so. He was in the form of God, and was truly God in it; so also he took upon himself the form of a true servant, and was a true servant in it, as may be concluded from Isaiah, Matthew and the words of Christ. And in this sense the contrast between the form of God and the form of a servant stands, and does not require the exception which John A’Lasco has made here. And this is the proper cause and reason why Paul wrote about this to the Philippians: that they should not be contentious with one another, nor seek their own vain, carnal honor, or anything selfish, but should humble themselves toward one another after the example of Christ, and walk in love. For although Christ was in the form of God, indeed “equal with God,” he “made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant,” and not the exalted form of a mighty emperor or king. He came to minister to us and not to be ministered to, Matthew 20, verse 28. Indeed, “He was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin,” Hebrews 4, verse 15. He did not seek his own, but what was ours; and for our sakes “became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross,” Philippians 2, verse 8. So the assertion of John A’Lasco, that the Word took to himself our flesh, or a man of our flesh, remains unproven.

But his point that while Christ was here on earth he was still also in heaven, that his face shone as the sun, that his clothing was white as the light, that he healed the sick, raised the dead, and forgave sin by his word, a power that belongs to God alone, does not prove that he received his holy flesh from our sinful flesh. Rather, it proves that he still remained God and his word, even though for a time he so humbled himself and went beneath his divine splendor, attributes, right and glory for our sakes. Whoever sincerely fears God, let him consider and judge, Matthew 17, verse 2; Luke 7, verse 21.

In the seventh place he asserts as his foundation that the Word did not become flesh, but that he took to himself our flesh from Mary, and he confirms this with the Scripture Hebrews 2, verse 14, which reads thus: “Since then the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same.” And he says, “The word was made flesh”; not that he in any way changed his first state or form, but he took to himself our flesh, and covered his divinity with it while here on earth.

Answer. All those who desire a scriptural and correct understanding of the Scriptures quoted, and also of Christ, the Son of God, should well observe the following. God, the Almighty, eternal Father, the true Creator, who wills and works, is the only source of all good. Before all creatures he ineffably begot of himself his Almighty, eternal and ineffable Word, and through it created all things, and by it governs, maintains and preserves them. In his eternal justice and love, and in all his attributes, together with his ineffable Word and Holy Spirit, he is an eternal and perfect God, and besides him there is no other; and he is eternal and unchangeable in his counsel, purpose, will and decision, as was said before, Malachi 3, verse 6.

And this Almighty, eternal Father, through his Almighty, eternal Word, in the power of his Almighty, eternal Spirit, according to his divine purpose, counsel, will and decision, created Adam and Eve, the parents of us all, as righteous, good and pure creatures, for eternal life, indeed, after his own image and likeness, as the Scriptures testify. He gave them the command of life and death, so that they might fear, love, praise, thank and serve him, and live according to his will, Genesis, chapter 1.

See, this is the Creator who created Adam and Eve. It also shows through what he created them, how and for what purpose he created them; what he permitted them and what he forbade them to do; what he promised them if they obeyed him, and what he threatened if they disobeyed him. And so the glory of God began to shine, Psalm 33, verse 5; John 1, verse 10.

Adam and Eve remained in this godliness, holiness and righteousness as long as they did not turn aside from the counsel, word, will and command of God, in which all things have, and must have, their being. But man was left in the hand of his own counsel, Ecclesiasticus 15, verse 14. But the old serpent, the cunning reptile and envier of the honor of God and of all good, caused the glorious, noble creature of life to be led from the favor and grace of his Creator into condemnation and death, and obscured the glory of God. He began with Eve, the weaker vessel, tempting her with the desires of her appetite; for the woman saw, says Moses, that the tree was good for food and pleasant to the eyes. He falsified the word of the Lord and said, “You shall not surely die,” and made glorious promises, saying, “In the day you eat of it, your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”

Adam and Eve disobeyed the command of their God and Creator, by which alone they were to live; they believed the promise of the serpent and ate, and through the justice of God fell into the threatened curse, condemnation and death; and so the deceiving serpent established the kingdom of hell and of death. There now lay miserable, accursed Adam and his wife Eve in the power of the devil, poisoned “from the sole of the foot even to the head,” both inside and outside, with his impure, deadly venom, and they became subject to sin and death. According to the justice of God there was now no way of escape for Adam and all his descendants; for the word of life was rejected, the holy command of God was transgressed, the venom of the serpent was taken. Alas, all was lost to them! Their eyes were opened, the shame was recognized, the gnawing worm was in the disobedient, self-accusing conscience; there was nothing but shaking and trembling, sighing and remorse. They fled from the face of the Lord and did not know where to hide from his wrath; for the justice of God pointed to the word, “For in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Here the counsel, purpose, will and decision of the Almighty, eternal God remained unchanged. He would make his glory manifest and have a man after his own image and likeness.

This was resolved and provided for with God, as has been said; and with poor Adam all was lost, as also with all his descendants, for at heart he was full of venom and ashamed before his God. Therefore, if the unchangeable will, counsel and resolution of the unchangeable God was to be carried out, there had to be another who was like the corrupted Adam before his fall; for God’s will had resolved on such a man, and with Adam all was lost.

Therefore the ineffable, eternal Word, by which Adam and Eve were created, by which all things are and must forever remain, the Almighty power and wisdom of God, had to become man, so that he might bruise the head of the deceiving serpent for the salvation of condemned Adam and all his descendants; that temptation might be overcome; that the holy and unchangeable will of the Father might be fulfilled; that the dominion and power of the devil might be destroyed; and that by his willing obedience and spotless offering he might discharge and put away the guilt and deserved death of Adam by his innocent death.

See, this is the joyous gospel, these are the glad tidings of the divine grace, which God declared to poor, afflicted, fugitive Adam. He accepted them through faith, comforted himself with them, and sincerely rejoiced in his grace, Genesis 3, verse 15; Genesis 22, verse 18; Jeremiah 23, verse 6; Luke 1, verse 28.

And this is the Messiah who, I say, was promised to Adam, born of a woman, the salvation of all the world; promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; the glorious Branch, Rod, Plant and Fruit of David, symbolized in Solomon, the natural fruit of his loins; who shall sit on his throne and reign in Israel forever. All who believe on him shall receive the mercy, grace and peace of God; but whoever does not believe on him, the wrath of God remains on him, John 3, verse 36.

From all this it follows that as Adam, and we in him, were created in the beginning through the Word, so he and we also are made alive again by God through this same Word, and accepted in grace. John says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God; the same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made,” and so on. “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” See, in such plain words the Spirit of God testifies that both the creation and the restoration of Adam and his seed were brought about by no other means than through the Word, as has been heard, Matthew 3, verse 11; John, chapter 1; Colossians 1, verse 19.

And to explain this better, and also so that you may learn to understand rightly how entirely sinful, impure, poisoned and powerless, how like nothing at all, we have all become in Adam, I would point you with Paul to the law and the Scriptures. They will depict to you the impure, powerless nature and sinfulness of our flesh so plainly that you are forced to acknowledge that the holy, glorious and spotless Messiah, through whom we are all brought to peace and reconciled with God, could not be of such impure, sinful and accursed seed and flesh as the learned teach us and claim with their philosophical reasoning, without the Scriptures.

Thus Moses speaks: You shall not covet, or, you shall not desire. Reader, observe: in these few words is properly represented the first righteousness in which Adam was created in the beginning, and which God, according to his righteousness, still requires of his descendants. Ponder these words of Moses diligently, and examine yourself closely before your God, who tries the hearts and minds, whether you do not sometimes find such forbidden lusts in your flesh, against the law.

If you imagine yourself free from them, you make God a liar, First John 1, verse 10, and by this you also put to shame all the righteous of God who have been from the beginning; for they have all with one voice complained of their evil-inclined, wicked flesh, and, alas, have shown it all too unanimously in their fruits. The Scriptures testify that I speak the truth.

Indeed, reader, if any man born of the sinful flesh of Adam had completely fulfilled the law, then for such a man the commanded yearly sin offering, which was offered by the high priest in the Holy of Holies, would have been useless and fruitless. Nor would it have been necessary for the Son of the Most High, the eternal word of God, to become man; for such a person could have done all this and fulfilled the required righteousness. But as it was, there was no prophet or man of God, born of Adam, so holy or so godly that he did not have to comfort himself through faith with the promise of God concerning Christ, which was also symbolized in the offering, and with the divine grace.

But if you find that you do not do as the law requires, and that you are not only constantly assailed by the lusts which dwell in your flesh, but are also often overcome by them against your will, then you must acknowledge that you are already condemned to death by the law of righteousness. For the law says, “Cursed be he that does not confirm all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen,” Deuteronomy 27, verse 26.

See, kind reader, if you would rightly know and acknowledge how miserable, naked, powerless, helpless, unclean, sinful and poisoned all of Adam’s seed has become in him through his transgression, and how his seed has fallen through the just righteousness of God into his wrath, judgment, curse, condemnation and death, then, I say, search the law diligently. For it points out to you, first, the obedience to God and the righteousness required of you; and also the weakness of your sinful flesh, your impure and evil-inclined nature; and that you are already condemned to death according to the strictness of the righteousness mentioned above, since through your inborn weak nature and evil-inclined flesh you do not walk in the required righteousness as God has commanded and required of you in his law. You will clearly see this by your own unction, if only you observe rightly.

Adam and his seed are so entirely corrupted: by nature he was created pure and clean, and became wholly impure and evil-inclined, and so fell under the righteous judgment of God; and everything is involved in sin. Therefore, if this venom was to be weakened in its power; if the corrupted nature of Adam was to be delivered from the curse and judgment of sin; if the righteousness of God was to be satisfied; if the power of the devil was to be disrupted; if curse, wrath, condemnation and death were to be taken away; if the handwriting of the law, which required such righteousness of Adam’s children, was to be torn to pieces; if the eternal providence, counsel, will and determination of God were to be fulfilled; if his kingdom and glory were to be acknowledged; and if there was to be such a man as the counsel, will and determination of God required, as has been heard; then the everlasting love of God required that there should be another man, who, conquering the devil, should disrupt his power, fulfill the righteousness of God, proclaim his glory and make a clean sacrifice; and who should so, out of love and compassion, be innocently cursed and condemned to death, not of Adam, but for the everlasting salvation of Adam and his seed; so that the corrupted and condemned Adam, together with his corrupt and condemned seed, should be accepted again in grace through his name, and delivered again from their great fall, Galatians, chapter 3; Genesis 3, verse 17; Luke 11, verse 21; John 14, verse 30; Colossians 1, verse 14.

It could not, I repeat, be a man of Adam’s flesh; for the corrupted flesh of Adam could not beget a fruit which could fulfill this, since it was so thoroughly corrupted and condemned before God. It had to be a man who was free from the deserved curse, condemnation and death of Adam, and also from all his venom, sin and unrighteousness, as has been sufficiently heard.

Observe, my faithful reader, and learn here to know your God in his grace and love. For although the whole Scriptures, according to justice, conclude Adam and Eve together with all their descendants entirely under sin, curse, condemnation and death, yet they do not leave in hell the anxious, afflicted conscience which has been so far taught and directed by the law that it feels its wounds and stripes and acknowledges that it deserves eternal death and condemnation. Rather, the Scriptures show in comforting words and figures where and from whom to get the healing medicine, namely from Christ Jesus. For it is he who, with all his righteousness, merit, cross, blood and death, was graciously given by God our heavenly Father to the fallen and condemned Adam and his descendants for their eternal salvation and reconciliation.

I think this may well be called a joyous gospel and glad tidings to all afflicted and lamenting souls who, having become subject to sin and death under the law, tremble so fearfully at the righteous judgment and wrath of God: that the Almighty, eternal God and Father has so loved us miserable, worthless and condemned sinners, who are so far estranged from him and who according to his righteous judgment deserve eternal death, that he sent into this miserable world his Almighty, eternal and ineffable Word, his only, eternal and beloved Son, the brightness of his glory, who was like Adam before the fall, as a proof and means of his divine grace; and that this One, through his perfect righteousness, willing obedience and innocent death, has led us from the kingdom and dominion of the devil into the kingdom of his divine grace and eternal peace.

Since the Scriptures declare the first Adam and all his seed to be such an impure, sinful, accursed and condemned Adam, and declare Christ, the second Adam, free from all impurity, sin, curse and condemnation, the impartial reader may well conclude from this that such a precious, glorious fruit could not be plucked from an elder or a thorn bush, but had to be begotten from another source, namely from him who is the only cause and eternal source of all good things, as has been said.

That the holy and saving flesh of Christ was not of the sinful and condemned flesh of Adam may be plainly observed from the following passages and figures of the Holy Scripture.

Isaiah says, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” “He has done violence to no one, nor was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him,” Isaiah 53, verses 6, 9 and 10.

I must pay, says the Psalmist in the person of Christ, what I did not take. He “bore our sins in his own body on the tree,” and by his stripes we were healed, First Peter 2, verse 24.

“For he has made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him,” Second Corinthians 5, verse 21. Again, we are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God, but are made righteous without merit by his grace, through the deliverance which is in Christ.

Again, “The Scripture has concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe,” Galatians 3, verse 22.

You know, says John, that the Son of God “was manifested to take away our sins,” and in him is no sin, First John 3, verse 5. Read also all these Scriptures: Isaiah 7, verse 9, and Isaiah, chapter 40; Jeremiah, chapter 23; Micah, chapter 5; John, chapters 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 16 and 17; First Corinthians, chapter 15; Acts, chapter 20; Ephesians, chapter 4; First Timothy, chapter 3; First John, chapters 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5; Hebrews, chapters 1, 2, 3 and 7; Revelation 1, verse 19.

He is the spiritual tree of life in the midst of the paradise of God, which is not planted by the hands of man, but by God himself, Revelation 2, verse 7. All those who eat the fruits of this tree with pure hearts shall live forever; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations, Revelation 22, verse 3.

He is the spiritual bronze serpent, symbolized in the serpent of Moses, Numbers 21, verse 9, which was lifted up for us miserable sinners by the Father in the wilderness of this world as a healing sign; it had the venomous form of the venomous serpent, yet not its venomous nature. All those who believe on him are delivered from the curse, condemnation and death caused by the serpent; but whoever does not believe on him, the wrath of God remains on him, and according to God’s eternal justice he must bear and suffer forever the threatened curse, death and condemnation, John 3, verse 36.

He is the spiritual mercy seat, which is not made of shittim wood like the ark, but of fine, pure gold, from which God graciously hears us and speaks to us through his Spirit and word, Exodus 25, verse 10; Romans 3, verse 24; Hebrews 4, verse 13. He is the spiritual Paschal Lamb, which is without spot, and in the sprinkling and sanctification of whose blood the chosen Israel of God has always been graciously saved from the destroying angel and from the wrath of God, in the midst of the cruel, dark Egypt of this world, Exodus 12, verse 23; Numbers 9, verse 16.

He is the true bread from heaven, which is not made of natural grain or wheat, I mean, of our sinful flesh, but is begotten of the dew of the eternal Word; which is the only and true food for our souls, by which we shall live forever, if only we eat of him through true faith, Exodus 16, verse 5; Numbers 11, verse 18.

He is the Rock which was torn from the mountain without hands, that is, without human help, which Nebuchadnezzar saw in a dream, and to which Daniel pointed as the one who should crush and destroy the iron, clay, silver and gold, indeed, all the kingdoms of this world. For he has all power in heaven and on earth; he is a powerful King over all; and his kingdom shall have no end, nor pass to another people, Daniel 2, verse 44.

See, kind reader, judge from the Scriptures and figures mentioned above, if you fear God, whether a doctrine is based on the Scriptures which claims that this righteous, holy, spotless, obedient and saving Messiah was born of the unrighteous, sinful, impure, disobedient and accursed flesh or seed of Adam, and took his humanity from it. Oh no. This pure, clear water, with which all our blemishes were to be washed away, could never be drawn from such an impure, stagnant pool. Let everybody reflect on what the word of the Lord teaches him.

Now, by the grace of the Lord, we will enlarge upon the Scripture of Hebrews, chapter 2, so that we may rightly comprehend its foundation and truth, and also so that our opponents may not boast that we do not satisfy them. I would first refer you to the first chapter of Hebrews, and have you observe what is said there of Christ.

In the first place it reads that “God has in these last days spoken to us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds.”

In the second place it reads that this same Son is “the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person.”

Thirdly, that he has purged our sins by himself.

Fourthly, that he is the first-begotten Son of God, and that all the angels shall worship him.

Fifthly, that he is God, and that his kingdom and throne shall endure forever.

Sixthly, that he laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of his hands.

I think that if you earnestly ponder these Scriptures and observe them rightly, you will soon see where Christ came from, and who and what he is. For these plain evidences clearly teach that the world was made by him; that he is the brightness of the glory of God; that he has purged our sins by himself; that he is the first-begotten Son of God; that he is God; and that he has laid the foundations of the earth. This could not be of Mary’s flesh, Genesis 1, verse 1; Psalm 33, verse 6; Ephesians 3, verse 9; Ephesians 1, verse 9; Colossians 1, verse 16; Hebrews 1, verse 2; Psalm 102, verse 26; First John 1, verse 7; Colossians 1, verse 15.

If they should say that these Scriptures are not spoken of the Son of Mary, but of the Son of God, then by this they confess a divided Son, two persons, two sons. Besides, we are convinced by these very Scriptures that they are spoken of the whole Christ; for he has spoken with us as a man, and we are also cleansed of our sins through his human suffering and death, as the Scripture teaches, First John 1, verse 7; First Peter 1, verse 19.

But if they should call on synecdoche, or the sharing of the names, for their support, then I would answer in brief, plain words that the plain, faithful souls, Peter and John the fishermen, Martha the servant, and plain Nathaniel, knew nothing at all of such satanic testimony and human cunning; but they praised the visible and tangible Christ and confessed that he was the Son of God, Matthew 16, verse 15; John 6, verse 69; John 11, verse 27.

This is declared still further in the second chapter in these words: “What is man, that you are mindful of him? or the son of man, that you visit him? You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor,” Hebrews 2, verses 6 and 7.

Here I would faithfully admonish the faithful reader to observe that both Erasmus and Hieronymus in their Latin translations have translated this thus: “You made him a little lower than the angels”; and the Hebrew Psalm also has it, “You made him lower than God; with praise and honor you crowned him,” Hebrews 2, verse 7; Psalm 8, verse 5. [Note 4]

This agrees with the word of Paul, where he says, “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant,” Philippians 2, verse 7. In another place he says, “Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor,” Second Corinthians 8, verse 9. This also agrees with the words of Christ, “Now, O Father, glorify me with your own self, with the glory which I had with you before the world was,” John 17, verse 5. I think these plain Scriptures and clear testimonies fully prove that the teachings of our opponents are unscriptural and erroneous when they say that the Son of God remained in his first form and state, and was not bruised for our iniquities.

This same man, who for our sake was so humbled and made less than God and the angels, we see is Christ, who for the suffering of death was crowned with praise and honor. For as he humbled himself to the lowest in obedience, for our service, so he was exalted again to the highest by the Father. And so by the grace of God he was innocently put to death for the sake of Adam and all his descendants; for Adam and his descendants could not otherwise be delivered from the power of death. For it became him, for whom and by whom are all things, who has brought many children to glory, to make the Prince and Captain of their salvation perfect through suffering; since both the Sanctifier, Christ, and those who are sanctified through him, the regenerated, are all of one, that is, of God, Philippians 2, verse 9; Hebrews 2, verse 10.

So the sanctified have one Father together with their Sanctifier, as John says, “As many as received him, to them he gave power to become the sons of God, even to those who believe on his name; who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” And therefore our Savior “is not ashamed to call them (the sanctified) brothers, saying, I will declare your name to my brothers; in the midst of the church I will sing praise to you,” John 1, verse 12; Hebrews 2, verses 11 and 12. Indeed, dear reader, if the flesh of Christ was of Adam’s flesh, and if we were called his brothers on that account, as the learned teach, then one brother must beget the other; and besides, all the ungodly, indeed, whores and knaves, must then also be Christ’s brothers and sisters. This is too plain to be disputed.

Oh no. He himself has plainly declared who his brothers are, Matthew 12, verse 59; Mark 3, verse 35; Luke 8, verse 21. And he not only calls them his brothers, but also his children, and says, “Behold, I and the children whom God has given me.” They are called his children because he has begotten them to God his Father by the word of his grace, through the power of his Holy Spirit, in the sprinkling of his precious blood. In another place he also calls them his mother, bride, flesh and bones, which according to the flesh they could not be. [Note 5]