# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1851 12 23_S65
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Der Lutheraner.
"God's Word and Luther's doctrine shall pass away nevermore." (Rev. John, Chap. 14, v. 6. 7.)
Published by the German Ev. Luth. Synod of Missouri, Ohio and other States.
Edited by C. F. W. Walther.
Vol. 8.  St. Louis, Mo., 23 December 1851.  No. 9.
Terms: Der Lutheraner appears once every two weeks, at the yearly subscription price of One Dollar for out-of-town subscribers, who are to pay in advance and bear the postage. — In St. Louis each single number is sold for 5 cents.
Only those letters which contain communications for the paper are to be sent to the Editor; all others, which contain business matters, orders, cancellations, money, etc., are to be sent hither under the address Mr. F. W. Barthel, care of C. F. W. Walther, St. Louis, Mo.

An Exposition
on John 1:1-14.
by Dr. Martin Luther, preached in the year 1542.

Contents.
Of Christ, the Son of GOD and of Mary, or of Christ's Godhead and manhood; also, of the union of the two natures in Christ.

John 1:1-14.
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 any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 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.

You have often heard that the dear little Child JESUS is at once GOD and man, in one person. This the Evangelist teaches in this Gospel. Blind, foolish (I should say, clever) reason climbs up to heaven, and would know what God is, what He thinks, intends and does. That I will tell you at once, says St. John, if you would only believe it, and will make known to you the most secret counsel that GOD has in the ground of His heart. But this is it, if you would know it: In the beginning was the Word. There you have it. Yes, you say, who understands this unheard-of and unusual speech? Dear friend, you are asking also about a high and incomprehensible thing. If you are so simple and unlearned, then do thus: Where you hear the little word Word, there understand Son. When you know that the Evangelist calls the Word the Son, then read the text thus: "In the beginning was the Son, and the Son was with God, and the Son was God, the same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him (the Son), and without Him was not any thing made."

Do you now understand what the Evangelist means by the Word? Take it so, and note it, and you will not err; for at the end he himself makes it so: "The Word was made flesh." That is: The Son of God has become a human son, the Father's eternal Son has become a temporal Son, the Son without beginning has become a Son with a beginning. But this you shall so understand, that you do not make two sons out of the Son of GOD and the Son of Mary. There are not two sons, the eternal one without beginning, and the temporal one with a beginning; but there must be one. He has indeed a twofold birth, one in eternity, from the Father; the other in time, from the Virgin; and yet He is but the one Son, who was born of the Father in eternity and of Mary in time: she has not brought into the world another son than him whom the Father has brought forth from eternity. A twofold birth it is indeed: one from the Father, another from the Mother, and yet it is one only Son. Him whom Mary calls her true, natural Son, the Father also calls His true, natural Son.