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

To be an offering and a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour to God. This manner of speech Paul borrowed out of the old Testament, wherein those corporal sacrifices are written eftsoons to have yielded to the Lord a sweet savour, that is, to have been acceptable unto him.¹ Notwithstanding that was not because of the work and sacrifice in it self, as the Jews falsely thought, & therefore were very often reproved of the Prophets, but for Christs sake who was to come, the one and only sacrifice of a good savour, whom all those sacrifices of the law did shadow forth, and represent. Wherefore that which Paul here saith, is as much as if he had said: All the sacrifices of the old Testament have an end, they can now be of no price: Christ him self is the only sacrifice, which yieldeth unto God a sweet smelling savour, that is, is pleasing and acceptable unto him, whereby we are assured that we are acceptable unto God, and do please him. Wherefore there is no other sacrifice in the Church which may be offered for us, beside this only sacrifice, which being once offered hath at once satisfied for the sins of all the elect. And although we after the example of this sacrifice, do offer our bodies to God, as Paul teacheth Rom. 12, yet we offer them not either for our selves or for other, forasmuch as that is proper to Christ, the only sacrifice, whereby the salvation of all is obtained. Wherefore those things smell most stinkingly before God, whatsoever men offer with this mind, as though they would satisfy for their own sins, or for the sins of other, whereof we both have and will elsewhere speak more.

To be an offering and a sacrifice of a sweete smelling sauour to God. This maner of speech Paul borowed out of the old Testament, wherein those corporall sacrifices are written eftsoones to haue yeelded to the Lorde a sweete sauour, that is, to haue bene acceptable vnto him.¹ Notwithstanding that was not because of the worke and sacrifice in it selfe, as the Iewes falsely thought, & therefore were very often reproued of the Prophets, but for Christes sake who was to come, the one and onely sacrifice of a good sauour, whom all those sacrifices of the lawe did shadow forth, and represent. Wherefore that which Paule here sayth, is as much as if he had sayd: All the sacrifices of the olde Testament haue an ende, they can nowe be of no price: Christ him selfe is the onely sacrifice, which yeeldeth vnto God a sweete smelling sauour, that is, is pleasing and acceptable vnto him, whereby we are assured that we are acceptable vnto God, and do please him. Wherefore there is no other sacrifice in the Church which may be offered for vs, beside this onely sacrifice, which being once offered hath at once satisfied for the sinnes of all the elect. And although we after the example of this sacrifice, doe offer our bodies to God, as Paule teacheth