[Footnote 1: This sermon was first printed in 1535, at Wittenberg.]
1. Paul's language here is peculiar. He speaks in a manner wholly
different from the other apostles. There is something particularly
strange about the first sentences of the passage. His words must be
faithfully studied and their meaning learned by personal experience.
The Christian life consists altogether in the practice and experience
of what the Word of God tells us. He who has no experimental
knowledge of the Word will have but little conception and
appreciation of Paul's words here. Indeed, they will be wholly
unintelligible to him.
2. Up to the point where our text begins, Paul has been assuring us
in this epistle that through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ we attain
the high privilege of calling God our Father; that the Holy Spirit
bears witness in our hearts of our sonship, and makes us bold enough
to come, by faith in Christ the Mediator, joyfully before God,
trusting him to fill and bless us. Then Paul draws the conclusion,
first, that we are children of God; next, he says: "If children, then
heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ." The second
conclusion is the outcome of the first. For the reason that we have
the boldness and assurance to call God our Father in sincerity and
nothing doubting, we are become not only children but heirs, heirs of
God and brethren to Christ, joint-heirs with him. But all this, as
Paul says, is true "if so be that we suffer with him" (verse 17).
3. The high prerogative of heirship, Paul faithfully enjoins, is
dependent on a sacred duty. Let him who would be Christ's brother,
and joint-heir with him, remember he must also be a joint-martyr and
joint-sufferer with Christ. The apostle's meaning is: Many are the
Christians, indeed, who would be joint-heirs with Christ and gladly
enjoy the privilege of sharing his inheritance, but who object to
suffering with him; they separate themselves from him because
unwilling to participate in his pain. But Paul says this will not do.
The inheritance follows only as a consequence of the suffering. Since
Christ, our dear Lord and Savior, had to suffer before he could be
glorified, we must be martyrs with him, with him be mocked by the
world, despised, spit upon, crowned with thorns and put to death,
before the inheritance will be ours. It cannot be otherwise.
A consistent sympathy is essential to Christian faith and doctrine.
He who would be Christ's brother and fellow-heir must also suffer
with him. He who would live with Christ must first die with him. The
members of a family not only enjoy good together but also share in
their ills. As the saying is, "He who would be a companion in eating
must also be a companion in labor."
4. Paul would earnestly admonish us not to become false Christians
who look to find in Christ mere pleasure and enjoyment, but to
remember that if we are to participate in the "eternal weight of
glory" we must first bear the "light affliction, which is for the
moment." 2 Cor 4, 17.
By the words "if so be that we suffer with him" the writer means that
we are to do more than exercise the sympathy that grieves over
another's misfortune, though such sympathy is binding upon Christians
and is a superior Christian virtue, a work of mercy: we ourselves
must suffer, non solum affectu, sed etiam effectu, that is, we are
overwhelmed by like sufferings. As Christ our Lord was persecuted, we
also must endure persecution. As the devil harassed him, we also must
be harassed unceasingly. And so Satan does torment true Christians.
Indeed, were it not for the restraining hand of the Lord our God, the
devil would suffer us to have no peace. Paul has reference to a
heartfelt sympathy intense enough to enter into actual suffering. He
says to the Hebrews (ch. 10, 32-33): "Ye endured a great conflict of
sufferings; partly, being made a gazing stock both by reproaches and
afflictions."
5. And in the verse preceding our text he tells us that as our
blissful inheritance through brotherhood and joint-heirship with
Christ is not a mere fancy and false hope of the heart, but a real
inheritance, so our sympathy must amount to real suffering, which we
take upon ourselves as befitting joint-heirs. Now Paul comforts the
Christian in his sufferings with the authority of one who speaks from
experience, from thorough acquaintance with his subject. He seems to
view this life as through obscurities, while beholding the life to
come with clear and unobstructed vision. He says:
"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy
to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward [in
us]."
6. Notice how he turns his back to the world and his face to the
future revelation, as if seeing no suffering anywhere, but all joy.
"Even if it does go ill with us," he would argue, "what indeed is our
suffering in comparison with the unspeakable joy and glory to be
revealed in us? It is too insignificant to be compared and unworthy
to be called suffering." We fail to realize the truth of these words
because we do not see with our bodily eyes the supreme glory awaiting
us; because we fail to grasp fully the fact that we shall never die
but shall have a body that cannot suffer nor be ill. If one could
conceive the nature of this reward he would be compelled to say:
"Were it possible for me to suffer ten deaths by fire or flood, that
would be nothing in comparison to the future life of glory. What is
temporal suffering, however protracted, contrasted with eternal life?
It is not worthy to be called suffering or to be esteemed
meritorious."
7. In this light does Paul regard suffering, as he says, and he
admonishes Christians to look upon it similarly. Then shall they find
the infinite beyond all comparison with the finite. What is a single
penny measured by a world of dollars? though this is not an
appropriate comparison since the things compared are both perishable.
The suffering of the world is always to be counted as nothing
measured by the glorious and eternal possessions yet to be ours. "I
entreat you, therefore, beloved brethren," Paul would say, "to fear
no sufferings, not even should it be your lot to be slain. For if you
are actually joint-heirs, it must be your fortune, a part of your
inheritance, to suffer with others. But what is your pain measured by
the eternal glory prepared for you and obtained by the sacrifice of
your Savior Jesus Christ? It is too insignificant to be contrasted."
So Paul makes all earthly suffering infinitely small--a drop, a tiny
spark, so to speak; but of yonder hoped-for glory he makes a
boundless ocean, an illimitable flame.
8. Why cannot we take his view of the insignificance of our
afflictions and the magnitude of the future glory? The extravagance
of our conduct is apparent in the fact that but a harsh word uttered
by one to his fellow will make the injured one ready to overturn
mountains and uproot trees in his resentment. To them who are so
unwilling to suffer, Paul's word of encouragement here is wholly
unintelligible. Christians are not to conduct themselves in this
impatient manner. It ill becomes them to make extravagant complaint
and outcry about injustice. "But," you say, "I have truly suffered
injustice." Very well, so be it. But why do you make so much of your
sufferings and never give a thought to what awaits you in heaven? Why
not exalt the future glory also? If you desire to be a Christian,
truly it will not do to conduct yourself in this impatient manner. If
you must air your grievances, surely you may do it quietly and
decorously.
9. In this life it must be otherwise than in the life of glory. If
you essay to be a joint-heir with the Lord Jesus Christ and do not
suffer with him, to be his brother and are not like unto him, Christ
certainly will not at the last day acknowledge you as a brother and
fellow-heir. Rather he will ask where are your crown of thorns, your
cross, the nails and scourge; whether you have been, as he and his
followers ever have from the beginning of time, an abomination to the
world. If you cannot qualify in this respect, he cannot regard you as
his brother. In short, we must all suffer with the Son of God and be
made like unto him, as we shall see later, or we shall not be exalted
with him in glory.
10. Upon this same topic Paul addresses also the Galatians (ch. 6,
17): Henceforth let no one confuse me, say nothing to me about the
doctrine that friendship is rewarded on earth; for I bear branded on
my body the marks of my Lord Jesus Christ. His reference is to the
signs in ancient paintings of Christ, where the Savior was
represented as bearing his cross upon his shoulders, with the nails,
the scourge, the crown of thorns and other emblems in evidence. These
marks or signs, Paul instructs, all Christians as well as himself
must exhibit, not painted on a wall but branded in their flesh and
blood. They are made when inwardly the devil affrights and assails us
with all manner of terrors and overwhelming afflictions, and at the
same time outwardly the world slanders us as heretics, laying her
hand to our throats whenever possible and putting us to death.