Sermon 102 — Thus says the Lord: honor your father

Pfeiffer Sermon 102Middle High German + EnglishAbout this edition

Original Source (Middle High German)

English Translation

Hæc dicit dominus: honora patrem tuum etc. (Matth. XV, 4.).

Diz wort, daz ich gesprochen hân in dem latîne, daz stêt geschrieben in dem êwangelio und unser herre sprichet ez und ez sprichet in tiutsche ‘dû solt êren vater unde muoter.’ Und ein ander gebot sprichet got unser herre ‘dû solt dînes nêhesten guot niht begern weder hûs noch hof noch nihtes niht des sînen.’ Daz dritte stückelîn ist, daz daz volc gienc zuo Moysen unde sprach ‘rede dû mit uns, wan wir künnen gotes niht gehoeren.’ Daz vierde ist, daz unser herre got sprach ‘Moyses, dû solt mir machen einen altar von der erden und in der erden, und allez, daz dar ûffe geopfert wirt, daz soltû allez verbrennen.’ Daz fünfte ist, Moyses gienc zuo dem nebele unde trat in den berc, dâ vant er got, und in der dunsternisse sô vant er daz wâre lieht.

Ez sprichet mîn herre sant Augustînus: swaz daz lamp ergründet, dâ swimmet der ohs oder diu kuo, unde dâ diu kuo swimmet, dâ fürloufet sî der helfant unde gât im für sîn houbet. Diz ist gar ein schœner sin, man mac wol gar vil dar ûz ziehen. Ez sprichet sant Augustînus, daz diu geschrift sî ein tiefez mer, und ein kleiner lemhelîn bediutet einen dêmüetigen einveltigen menschen, der die geschrift mac ergründen. Aber bî dem ohsen, der dâ swimmet, dâ bî sô verstên wir grobe liute: ein ieglicher nimt dar ûz daz in benüeget. Aber bî dem helfande, der dâ fürloufet, dâ bî ist uns gegeben ze verstên die vernünftigen liute, die durchgrabent die geschrift unde fürloufent dar in. Mich wundert, daz diu heilige geschrift sô vol ist, unde die meister sprechent, daz man sî niht bediuten müge alsô blôz als si ist, unde sprechent, ob iht grobes dar inne sî, daz sülle man ûf tuon, aber man bedarf dar zuo gelîchnüsse. Dem êrsten gieng ez an den knoden, dem andern gieng ez an diu knie, dem dritten gieng ez an sînen gürtel, dem vierden gieng ez über sîn houbet unde versanc alzemâle.

Hæc dicit dominus: honora patrem tuum etc. (Matth. XV, 4.).

This word that I have spoken in Latin is written in the Gospel, and our Lord says it, and in German it says: “You shall honor father and mother.” And another commandment God our Lord says: “You shall not desire your neighbor’s goods, neither house nor estate nor anything that is his.” The third point is that the people went to Moses and said: “You speak with us, for we cannot hear God.” The fourth is that our Lord God said: “Moses, you shall make me an altar of earth and in the earth, and everything that is offered upon it you shall burn completely.” The fifth is that Moses went toward the cloud and entered the mountain; there he found God, and in the darkness he found the true light.

My lord Saint Augustine says: where the lamb reaches the bottom, there the ox or cow swims; and where the cow swims, there the elephant runs ahead and the water goes over its head. This has a very beautiful meaning, and one can draw a great deal from it. Saint Augustine says that Scripture is a deep sea, and a little lamb signifies a humble, simple person who can reach the bottom of Scripture. But by the ox that swims we understand coarse people: each takes from it what satisfies him. But by the elephant that runs ahead we are given to understand intellectual people, who dig through Scripture and run ahead into it. I marvel that Holy Scripture is so full, and the masters say that one cannot interpret it as bare as it is, and they say that if there is anything coarse in it, one should open it up, but for this one needs likenesses. For the first it came to the ankles, for the second to the knees, for the third to his belt, for the fourth it went over his head and he sank completely.

Nû waz meinet diz? Ez sprichet sant Augustînus, diu geschrift an dem anevange sô lachet si an jungiu kint unde locket daz kint an sich, und an dem ende der geschrift, als man sî gründen wil, sô spottet si wîser liute, und ez enist nieman sô einveltîc von sinnen, er vinde dar inne daz im eben kumt, und ez enist ouch nieman sô wîse, der sî gründen welle, er vinde sî tiefer unde vinde mêr dar inne. Allez daz wir hie hœren mügen und allez daz man uns gesagen mac, daz hât allez einen anderen verborgenen sin dar inne. Wan allez daz, daz wir hie verstên, daz ist allez als ungelîch dem, als ez an im selber ist, unde dem, daz ez in got ist, als ob ez niht ensî.

Nû nemen wir diz wort wider. ‘Dû solt êren vater unde muoter’, und in einem gemeinen sinne sô meinet ez vater unde muoter, daz man die êren sülle, und alle die geistlîchen gewalt hânt die sol man êren unde sol in etwaz fürderlîcher bieten und ouch die, von den dû hâst allez vergenclich guot. Hie inne sô mac man waten unde man mac hie inne gründen; aber ez ist gar kleine, daz wir von in haben. Ez sprach ein vrouwe: unde sol man die êren, von den man hât ûzerlîchez guot, sô sol man vil mê die êren, von den man diz allez hât. Allez, daz man hie ûzerlîchen hât an manicvaldikeit, daz ist allez innerlîch und ein. Nû hœrent ir wol, daz sich disiu gelîchnisse glîchet dem vater. Ich gedâhte in dirre naht, wie daz alle gelîchnisse dar umbe sîn, daz sie sich glîchen dem vater. Zuo dem anderen mâle sô soltû êren dînen vater, daz ist dînen himelischen vater, von dem dû dîn wesen hâst. Wer êret den vater? Daz tuot nieman dan der sun: der êret in alleine. Noch ouch nieman êret den sun denne der vater alleine. Alles des vaters lust unde sîn kôsen unde sîn anlachen daz ist alleine in dem sune. Ûzwendig dem sune weiz der vater nihtes niht. Er hât sô grôzen lust in dem sune, daz er anders niut bedarf denne gebern sînen sun, wan er ist ein volkomen gelîchnüsse und ein volkomen bilde des vaters.

Now what does this mean? Saint Augustine says: at the beginning Scripture smiles at young children and entices the child toward itself, and at the end of Scripture, when one wishes to fathom it, it mocks the wise; and no one is so simple in understanding that he does not find in it what suits him, and no one is so wise who wishes to fathom it that he does not find it deeper and find more within it. Everything that we can hear here and everything that can be said to us has another hidden meaning within it. For everything that we understand here is as unlike what it is in itself and what it is in God as though it were nothing.

Now we take up this word again: “You shall honor father and mother.” In a common sense it means father and mother, that one should honor them; and all those who have spiritual authority one should honor and accord a certain precedence, and also those from whom you have all temporal goods. Here one may wade, and here one may fathom deeply; but what we have from them is very little. A woman said: if one should honor those from whom one has outward goods, then one should honor far more those from whom one has all this. Everything that one outwardly has here in multiplicity is inwardly one. Now you hear well that this likeness resembles the Father. I thought this night about how all likenesses exist so that they may be like the Father. Secondly, you shall honor your Father, that is, your heavenly Father, from whom you have your being. Who honors the Father? No one does this but the Son; he alone honors him. Nor does anyone honor the Son but the Father alone. All the Father’s delight and his intimacy and his smiling are in the Son alone. Outside the Son the Father knows nothing at all. He has such great delight in the Son that he needs nothing else than to beget his Son, for he is a perfect likeness and a perfect image of the Father.

Ez sprechent unser meister, allez daz dâ bekant wirt oder geborn wirt, daz ist ein bilde, unde sprechent alsô: unde sülle der vater sînen einbornen sun gebern, sô muoz er gebern sîn bilde blîbende in im selber, in dem grunde daz bilde, alsô als ez êwiclich ist gewesen in ime, (formæ illius) daz ist sîn forme blîbende in im selber. Ez ist ein lêre an der nâtûre unde dunket mich gar unbillich, daz man got mit glîchnüsse muoz bewîsen, mit disem oder dem. Dannoch ist ez weder diz noch daz unde dar an benüeget den vater niht, er ziehe wider in die êrstekeit in daz innerstez in den grunt und in den kernen der veterlicheit, dâ er êwiclich ist inne gewesen in im selber in der vaterschaft unt dâ er gebrûchet sîn selbes, in dem der vater als der vater sîn selbes in dem einigen ein. Hie sint alliu grasbletelîn und holz und stein und alliu dinc ein. Diz ist daz aller beste und ich hân mich dar inne vertœret. Dar umbe allez daz diu nâtûre geleisten mac, daz sliuzet si dar zuo, daz stürzet in die vaterschaft, daz si ein sî und ein sun sî und entwâhse allen den andern und alleine sî in der vaterschaft, und ob si niht müge gesîn, daz si doch gelîchnüsse sî des einen. Diu nâtûre, diu von got ist, diu ensuochet niht daz ûzwendig ir ist, jâ diu nâtûre, diu dâ in sich ist, diu enhât der varwe niht ze tuonde, wan diu nâtûre, diu von got ist, diu suochet niut anders denne gotes gelîchnüsse.

Ich gedâhte in dirre naht, daz alliu gelîchnüsse ist ein fürwerc. Ich enmac dekein dinc gesehen, ez sî mir denne gelîch, noch ich enmac dekein dinc bekennen, ez sî mir denne gelîch. Got hât alliu dinc verborgenlîche in ime selber, aber niht diz noch daz nâch underscheide, sunder ein nâch der einikeit. Daz ouge hât ouch varwe in ime, daz ouge enpfâhet die varwe unt daz ôre niht. Daz ôre enpfâhet daz gedœne und diu zunge den gesmac. Diz hât ez allez mit dem ez ein ist. Hie hât daz bilde der sêle unde gotes bilde ein wesen: dâ wir süne sîn. Und wêre, daz ich weder ougen noch ôren hête, noch dannoch hête ich wesen. Wer mir mîn ouge nême, der ennême mir dar umbe mîn wesen niht noch mîn leben, wan daz leben daz lît in dem herzen. Der mich in daz ouge wolte slahen, sô würfe ich danne die hant für und enpfienge diu den slac. Der mich aber in daz herze wolte slahen, ich büte allen den lîp dar zuo, daz ich disen lîp behuote. Der mir daz houbet wolte abe slahen, ich würfe den arm alzemâle für, durch daz, daz ich mîn leben unde mîn wesen behielte.

Our masters say that everything that is known or born is an image, and they say this: if the Father is to beget his only-begotten Son, he must beget his image remaining within himself, the image in the ground, just as it has eternally been in him, (formæ illius), that is, his form remaining within himself. This is a teaching from nature, and it seems to me very unfitting that one must demonstrate God through likenesses, through this or that. Yet it is neither this nor that, and the Father is not satisfied with this unless he draws back into the firstness, into the innermost, into the ground and into the kernel of fatherhood, where he has eternally been within himself in fatherhood and where he enjoys himself, in which the Father, as Father, is himself in the one One. Here all blades of grass and wood and stone and all things are one. This is the very best, and I have become enamored of it. Therefore everything that nature can accomplish, it directs toward this, that it rushes into fatherhood so that it may be one and may be a son and outgrow all the others and be alone in fatherhood; and if it cannot be that, then at least it may be a likeness of the One. The nature that is from God does not seek what is outside itself; indeed, the nature that is in itself has nothing to do with color, for the nature that is from God seeks nothing other than likeness to God.

I thought this night that every likeness is a preamble. I cannot see any thing unless it is like me, nor can I know any thing unless it is like me. God has all things hidden within himself, but not this or that according to distinction, rather one according to unity. The eye too has color in itself; the eye receives color and the ear does not. The ear receives sound and the tongue taste. All this it has through that with which it is one. Here the image of the soul and the image of God have one being: there we are sons. And even if I had neither eyes nor ears, I would still have being. If someone took away my eye, he would not thereby take away my being or my life, for life lies in the heart. If someone wished to strike me in the eye, I would put my hand before it and receive the blow with my hand. But if someone wished to strike me in the heart, I would offer my whole body so that I might protect this body. If someone wished to cut off my head, I would put my whole arm before it so that I might preserve my life and my being.

Ich hân gesprochen etwenne mê, diu schale muoz zerbrechen unt muoz daz, daz dar inne ist, her ûz komen: wan wiltû den kernen haben, sô muostû die schalen brechen. Und alsô, wiltû die nâtûre blôz vinden, sô müezent diu gelîchnüsse elliu zerbrechen, unde ie daz ez mê dar în tritet, ie ez dem wesenne nêher ist. Swenne daz si daz ein vindet, dâ ez allez ein ist, dâ blîbet si dem einigen. Wer êret got? Der gotes êre meinet in allen dingen.

Vor manigen jâren dô was ich niht; dar nâch niht lange dô az mîn vater unde mîn muoter fleisch unde brôt unde krût, daz in dem garten wuohs, unt dâ von bin ich ein mensche. Daz selbe mohte mîn vater noch mîn muoter niht mitwirken, sunder got der machete mînen lîchamen âne mitel unde geschuof mîne sêle nâch dem aller hœhsten. Hie besaz ich mîn leben (possedi me). Diz korn daz meinet den roggen, daz hât ez in der nâtûre, daz ez weizen werden mac, dar umbe sô ruowet ez niht, ez kome in die selben nâtûre. Diz weizenkorn hât ez in der nâtûre, daz ez alliu dinc mac werden, dar umbe giltet ez unde gît sich in den tôt, ûf daz ez alliu dinc werde.

I have said before that the shell must be broken and what is within must come out; for if you wish to have the kernel, you must break the shell. And thus, if you wish to find nature bare, all likenesses must be broken, and the farther it enters in, the nearer it is to being. When it finds the One where all is one, there it remains with the One. Who honors God? He who intends God’s honor in all things.

Many years ago I did not exist; then not long afterward my father and my mother ate meat and bread and herbs that grew in the garden, and from this I am a man. My father and my mother could not cooperate in this themselves; rather, God made my body without means and created my soul according to the Highest. Here I possessed my life (possedi me). This grain, meaning rye, has it in its nature that it can become wheat; therefore it does not rest until it comes into that same nature. This grain of wheat has it in its nature that it can become all things; therefore it pays the price and gives itself into death so that it may become all things.

Unt diz erze daz ist kupfer, daz hât in sîner nâtûre, daz ez golt werden mac, dar umbe sô geruowet ez nimmer, ez kome in die selbe nâtûre. Jâ diz holz hât in sîner nâtûre, daz ez ein stein werden mac; ich spriche noch mê, ez mac wol alliu dinc werden, ez lezet sich in ein fiur unde lât sich verbrennen, umbe daz ez werde verwandelt in des fiures nâtûre, und ez wirt ein dem einen und ez hât êwiclich ein wesen. Jâ holz unde stein unde bein und alliu greselîn diu hânt alle sament dâ ein gewesen in der êrstekeit. Und tuot disiu nâtûre daz, waz tuot danne diu nâtûre, diu dâ sô blôz ist in ir selber, diu dâ niht suochet weder diz noch daz, sunder si entwâhset allem andern unde loufet alleine zuo der êrsten lûterkeit.

Ich gedâhte zuo dirre naht, daz der himelen gar vil sint. Nû sint etlîche ungeloubige menschen, die diss niht englouben, daz diz brôt ûf disem altar gewandelt müge werden, daz ez müge got getuon (sie bœsen menschen, daz sie daz niht mügen gelouben, daz diz got müge getuon). Unde hât got der nâtûre daz gegeben, daz si alliu dinc mac werden, vil mê sô ist daz gote müglicher, daz diz brôt ûf dem altar sîn lîcham werden müge. Unt tuot diz diu kranke nâtûre, daz si ûzer einem bletelîn machen mac einen menschen, sô ist ez gote vil müglicher, daz er ûz einem brôte müge machen sînen lîchamen. Wer êret got? Der gotes êre meinet in allen dingen. Dirre sin ist noch offenbârer, wie wol alleine der êrste bezzer wêre.

And this ore, which is copper, has it in its nature that it can become gold; therefore it never rests until it comes into that same nature. Indeed, this wood has it in its nature that it can become a stone; I say still more, it can indeed become all things. It lets itself be put into a fire and lets itself be burned so that it may be changed into the nature of fire, and it becomes one with the One and eternally has one being. Indeed, wood and stone and bone and all little blades of grass were all together one there in the firstness. And if this nature does this, what then does the nature do that is so bare in itself, that seeks neither this nor that, but outgrows everything else and runs only toward the first purity?

I thought this night that there are very many heavens. Now there are some unbelieving people who do not believe that this bread upon this altar can be changed, that God can do this. They are wicked people, that they cannot believe that God can do this. And if God has given nature the power that it can become all things, much more is it possible for God that this bread upon the altar can become his body. And if weak nature does this, that from a little leaf it can make a man, then it is much more possible for God that from bread he can make his body. Who honors God? He who intends God’s honor in all things. This meaning is still more evident, although the first alone would be better.

Der vierde sin: sie stuonden verre unde sprâchen zuo Moysi: Moyses, sprich dû uns zuo, wir künnen gotes niht gehœren.’ Sie stuonden verre, unde daz was diu sache, daz sie gotes niht kunden gehœren.

‘Moyses gienc in den nebel unde trat hin în ûf den berc und dâ sach er daz götlîche lieht.’ Eigenlîche vindet man in der vinsternisse daz lieht: alsô swenne man lîden hât und ungemach, sô ist uns diz lieht aller nêhest. Got der tuo sîn bestez oder sîn argez dar zuo, er muoz uns sich geben, ez sî in arbeit oder in ungemach. Ez was ein heilîgiu vrouwe, diu hâte vil süne, die wolte man verderben. Dô lachete si unde sprach ‘ir süllent iuch niht betrüeben unde süllent frœlich sîn, unde gedenkent an iuwern himelischen vater, wan ir enhabent nihtes niht von mir.’ Reht als ob si sprechen wolte: ir habent iuwer wesen âne mitel von gote. Diz kumt uns wol her zuo. Unser herre sprach ‘dîn vinsternisse (daz ist dîn lîden) sol gewandelt werden in klâr lieht.’ Aber ich ensol ez niht minnen noch begern. Ez sprach ein meister an einer andern stat: diu verborgene vinsternisse des ungesîhtigen liehtes der êwigen gotheit ist unbekant unde enwirt ouch nimmer bekant. Unde daz lieht des êwigen vaters hât in diz vinsternisse êwiclîche geschinen unde diz vinsternisse begrîfet des liehtes niht. Nû daz wir zuo disem êwigen liehte komen, des helf uns got. Âmen.

The fourth meaning: they stood far away and said to Moses: “Moses, you speak to us; we cannot hear God.” They stood far away, and that was the reason they could not hear God.

“Moses went into the cloud and entered the mountain, and there he saw the divine light.” Properly speaking, one finds the light in darkness; thus, when we have suffering and distress, this light is nearest to us. Let God do his best or his worst in this, he must give himself to us, whether in toil or in distress. There was a holy woman who had many sons whom people wanted to destroy. Then she laughed and said: “You should not be troubled, but should be joyful, and think of your heavenly Father, for you have nothing at all from me.” Just as though she wished to say: you have your being without means from God. This fits well here. Our Lord said: “Your darkness, that is, your suffering, shall be changed into bright light.” But I should neither love nor desire it. A master said elsewhere: the hidden darkness of the invisible light of the eternal Godhead is unknown and will never become known. And the light of the eternal Father has eternally shone into this darkness, and this darkness does not comprehend the light. May God help us to come to this eternal light. Amen.