Now why should we have the blasphemous, bogus law or government of the pope over and above these three high divine governments, these three divine, natural, and temporal laws of God? It presumes to be everything, yet is in reality nothing. It leads us astray and tears us from these blessed, divine estates and laws. Instead, it dresses us in a mask or cowl, thereby making us the devil’s fools and playthings, who are slothful and no longer know these three divine hierarchies or realms. That is why we no longer want to put up with it, but acting in conformity with St. Peter’s, St. Paul’s, and St. Augustine’s teaching, want to be rid of it and turn the words of Psalm 2 [:3] against them, “Let us burst their bonds asunder, and cast their cords from us.” Indeed, we shall sing with St. Paul, “Even if an angel from heaven should preach a gospel contrary to that, let him be accursed” [Gal. 1:8]; and we shall say with St. Peter, “Why do you make trial of God by putting such a yoke upon the neck?” [Acts 15:10]. Thus we shall again be the pope’s masters and tread him underfoot, as Psalm 91 [:13] says, “You will tread on the lion and the adder, the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot.” And that we shall do by the power and with the help of the woman’s seed, who has crushed and still crushes the serpent’s head, although we must run the risk that he, in turn, will bite us in the heel [Gen. 3:15]. To this blessed seed of the woman be praise and honor, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, to the one true God and Lord in eternity. Amen.  (Luther’s Works, v.41, p.177-178)

Picture:  The chalice has three scenes depicted on the cup and three on the base.  This one on the base is the Annunciation scene.

These are the three hierarchies ordained by God, and we need no more; indeed, we have enough and more than enough to do in living aright and resisting the devil in these three. Just look only at the home and at the duties it alone imposes: parents and landlords must be obeyed; children and servants must be nourished, trained, ruled, and provided for in a godly spirit. The rule of the home alone would give us enough to do, even if there were nothing else. Then the city, that is, the secular government, also gives us enough to do if we show ourselves really obedient, and conversely, if we are to judge, protect, and promote land and people. The devil keeps us busy enough, and with him God gave us the sweat of our brow, thorns and thistles in abundance [Gen. 3:18–19], so that we have more than enough to learn, to live, to do, and to suffer in these two governments. Then there is the third rule and government. If the Holy Spirit reigns there, Christ calls it a comforting, sweet, and light burden [Matt. 11:30]; if not, it is not only a heavy, severe, and terrible task, but also an impossible one, as St. Paul says in Romans 8 [:3], “What the law could not do,” and elsewhere, “The letter kills” [II Cor. 3:6].  (Luther’s Works, v.41, p.177)

Picture:  The chalice has three scenes depicted on the cup and three on the base.  This one on the cup is the Resurrection scene.

In summary, the schools must be second in importance only to the church, for in them young preachers and pastors are trained, and from them emerge those who replace the ones who die. Next, then, to the school comes the burgher’s house, for it supplies the pupils; then the city hall and the castle, which must protect the schools so that they may train children to become pastors, and so that these, in turn, may create churches and children of God (whether they be burghers, princes, or emperors). But God must be over all and nearest to all, to preserve this ring or circle against the devil, and to do everything in all of life’s vocations, indeed, in all creatures. Thus Psalm 127 [:1] says that there are only two temporal governments on earth, that of the city and that of the home, “Unless the Lord builds the house; unless the Lord watches over the city.” The first government is that of the home, from which the people come; the second is that of the city, meaning the country, the people, princes and lords, which we call the secular government. These embrace everything—children, property, money, animals, etc. The home must produce, whereas the city must guard, protect, and defend. Then follows the third, God’s own home and city, that is, the church, which must obtain people from the home and protection and defense from the city.  (Luther’s Works, v.41, p.176-177)

Picture: The crucifixion scene on the cup