THAT THESE WORDS OF CHRIST, “THIS IS MY BODY,” ETC., STILL STAND FIRM AGAINST THE FANATICS 1527

I ask Zwingli now: Since St. Paul doesn’t say, “The rock represents Christ,” but, “The rock was Christ,” how can you prove thereby that there is a representation or metaphor in the Supper, which is not even in Paul? Through him you try to prove your metaphor, but just as you dreamed it up in the Supper, so you imagine it in Paul also. Similarly, Moses says not, “Eat in haste, it represents the Lord’s passover,” but, “Eat in haste, it is the Lord’s passover.” Thus Zwingli is obliged to prove the propriety of his metaphor in Paul and Moses just as much as in the Supper. for the metaphor is apparent at no point. Such an argument, boys are taught in school, is called “begging the question,” or “proving the uncertain by the uncertain,” but these exalted spirits have not learned this yet. What will Zwingli say on these threadbare subjects? His error, of course, he cannot admit, for that would be disgraceful. He would much prefer to say that he is full of Spirit and must suffer many things, and keep up his boasting until we believe, to oblige him, that there is a metaphor in Paul and Moses even if no one sees it there. -Martin Luther