Special and chosen sermons of D. Martin Luther collected out of his writings and…

¹Ye know right well, that the Jews had a promise made of the Patriarch Jacob, that a Prince, lawgiver or ruler, of the house of Judah, should not be wanting in Judea, until the Messiah which was promised them did come. For the words of Jacob to Judah are plain after this sort: The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, & a lawgiver from between his feet, until Silo come. Now at this time the case was so, that the Romans possessed Judea, and had set a Lieutenant over it, whom the Evangelist here calleth Cyrenius. The Jews before for a long time had used priests for Kings, when as the Maccabees had obtained the kingdom, so that the dominion of the house of Judah was already taken away and suppressed, neither was there any Prince or ruler, of the stock and blood of Judah, governor over the people. But that Christ or the Messiah should now come, that was a great sign, that the prophecy at that time especially might be fulfilled. Wherefore the Evangelist saith here, that at the time when Christ was borne, Augustus Cesar had set a Lieutenant over Judea, under whom the Jews should offer them selves to be taxed. As if he said: Even at that time at which he should be borne, he is borne. All that lived under the Roman Emperor ⟨p. 5⟩were compelled to pay tax, for a testimony that they were subject unto him. This the Jews knew, but they did not understand the Prophecy. Jacob had said thus: The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, and a lawgiver from between his feet, until Silo come: That is, a Prince and ruler of the stock of Judah shall not be wanting in Judea, until Christ come. Jacob did sufficiently show in these words,² that he should be wanting at the coming of Christ. Moreover, whereas they understood it so, as though such a Silo should come, as should bear rule with the sword, it is a false understanding thereof, neither can it be gathered out of that text. For he saith thus, that at the coming of Christ the temporal kingdom of the Jews should end. So Luke also here showeth that very time, when it behoved this to be done. It followeth moreover in the text:

¹Ye know right wel, that the Iewes had a promise made of the Patriarch Iacob, that a Prince, lawgiuer or ruler, of the house of Iuda, should not be wanting in Iudea, vntil the Messias which was promised them did come. For the wordes of Iacob to Iuda are playne after this sort: The scepter shall not depart from Iuda, & a lawgiuer from betwene his feete, vntill Silo come. Now at this time the case was so, that the Romanes possessed Iudea, and had set a Liuetenant ouer it, whom the Euangelist here calleth Cyrenius. The Iewes before for a long tyme had vsed priestes for Kinges, when as the Machabees had obtayned the kingdom, so that the dominion of the house of Iuda was already taken away and suppressed, neither was there any Prince or ruler, of the stocke and blood of Iuda, gouernour ouer the people. But that Christ or the Messias shoulde nowe come, that was a great signe, that the prophecie at that tyme especially might be fulfilled. Wherefore the Euangelist sayth here, that at the tyme when Christ was borne, Augustus Cesar had set a Liuetenaunt ouer Iudea, vnder whom the Iewes should offer them selues to be taxed. As if he sayd: Euen at that tyme at which he should be borne, he is borne. All that liued vnder the Romane Emperour