But what does it mean when Christ says: “The poor have good tidings preached to them?” Is it not preached also to the rich and to the whole world? Again, why is the Gospel so great a thing, so great a blessing as Christ teaches, seeing that so many people despise and oppose it? Here we must know what Gospel really is, otherwise we cannot understand this passage. We must, therefore, diligently observe that from the beginning God has sent into the world a two-fold word or message, the Law and the Gospel. These two mes­sages must be rightly distinguished one from the other and properly understood, for besides the Scriptures there never has been a book written to this day, not even by a saint, in which these two messages, the Law and the Gospel, have been properly explained and distinguished, and yet so very much depends on such an explanation. the Law of God con­victs us, even by our own experience, that by nature we are evil, disobedient, lovers of sin, and hostile to God’s laws.

From all this either self-confidence or despair must fol­low. Self-confidence follows when a man strives to fulfill the law by his own good works, by trying hard to do as the words of the law command. He serves God, he swears not, he hon­ors father and mother, he kills not, he does not commit adul­tery, etc. But meanwhile he does not look into his heart, does not realize with what motives he leads a good life, and conceals the old Adam in his heart. For if he would truly examine his heart, he would realize that he is doing all unwillingly and with compulsion, if he be not prompted by things of less importance, as honor, goods, health and fear of being humiliated, of being punished or of being visited by a plague.

In short, he would have to confess that he would rather lead a wicked life if it were not that he fears the consequences, for the law only restrains him. But because he does not realize his bad motives he lives securely, looks only at his outward works and not into his heart, prides himself on keeping the law of God perfectly, and thus the countenance of Moses remains covered to him, that is, he does not un­derstand the meaning of the law, namely, that it must be kept with a happy, free and willing mind. For this reason the Scriptures conclude, ”All men are liars,” Psalm 116:11. “Ev­ery man at his best state is altogether vanity,” Psalm 39:5. “There is none that doeth good, no, not one,” Psalm 14:3.

Despair follows when man becomes conscious of his evil motives, and realizes that it is impossible for him to love the law of God, finding nothing good in himself; but only hatred of the good and delight in doing evil. Now he realizes that the law cannot be kept only by works hence he de­spairs of his works and does not rely upon them. He should have love; but he finds none, nor can have any through his own efforts or out of his own heart. Now he must be a poor, miserable and humiliated spirit whose conscience is bur­dened and in anguish because of the law, commanding and demanding payment in full when he does not possess even a farthing with which to pay. Only to such persons is the law beneficial, because it has been given for the purpose of work­ing such knowledge and humiliation; that is its real mission. These persons well know how to judge the works of hypo­crites and fraudulent saints, namely, as nothing but lies and deception. David referred to this when he said, “I said in my haste, all men are liars,” Psalm 116:11.

For this reason Paul calls the law a law unto death, say­ing, ”And the commandment, which was unto life, this I found to be unto death,” Romans 7:10; and a power of sin. 1 Corinthians 15:56 ”And the strength of sin is the law,” and in 2 Corinthians 3:6 he says, “For the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.” All this means, if the law and human na­ture be brought into a right relation, the one to the other, then will sin and a troubled conscience first become mani­fest. Man, then, sees how desperately wicked his heart is, how great his sins are, even as to things he formerly con­sidered good works and no sin. He now is compelled to con’­ fess that by and of himself he is a child of perdition. Thus man is crushed and put to naught, and truly humbled.

Inasmuch as all this is caused only by the law, St. Paul truly says, that it is a law unto death and a letter that killeth, and that through the commandment sin becomes exceed­ingly sinful, Romans 7:13. But when that has been done by the first word, namely, the law, it has worked deep despair and wretchedness in our hearts. Then God comes and offers us his blessed and life-giving word and promises.

-Martin Luther (1483-1546), Sermon on Matthew 11

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