A historian interpreting the passage would most likely explain that the audience of the sermon is an illustration of the fact that a) papal alliances with the Holy Roman emperors led to widespread religious persecutions in Germany b) the Protestant German nobility was wary of confronting the Ottomans without Catholic support c) political support from the German nobility aided in the development of the early Protestant community d) the Protestant German nobility adopted pacifist attitudes during religious disputes with their Catholic and Muslim opponents