The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum Reformation Day!

The following Extract is from a sermon preached by Luther in 1538 in a series of expositions on the Gospel of John. The Reformer’s expositions on this Gospel have recently been published in English for the first time by Concordia Publishing House as part of a 56-volume edition of Luther’s Works. This particular passage, reprinted by permission of the publishers, will be found in vol. 22, pp. 254-261. The context of the extract is a treatment of John 2: 23, 24 in which Luther (unlike many later commentators) interprets the many who ‘believed’ in Christ’s name because of His miracles on the occasion of His first public visit to Jerusalem, as genuine but weak believers who could not yet be trusted by Christ. Whether linked legitimately to his text or not, Luther’s pungent digression on the place which is to be given to Scripture is characteristic of the spirit which kindled the Reformation movement and liberated thousands from a false reverence of human authority.

In connection with Luther’s view of Scripture, M. Reu, Luther and the Scriptures (Wartburg Press, Ohio, 1944), is a helpful statement of his belief in its perfect Divine authority — a fact which has sometimes been contested.

The immense strength which Luther came to draw from his knowledge that Scripture is the voice of God, and the practical implications which this had upon his heroic conflict can be seen in his Letters, vol. 1 (covering the years 1507-1522 and published as vol. 48 of the Concordia edition of Luther). Returning from the historic meeting at Worms in 1521, Luther writes to the Emperor Charles V from Friedberg on April 28: ‘Since (the Word of God) is above everything it has to be held absolutely free and unbound in all things, as Paul teaches. (The Word of God) is never subject to any man’s whim to lower its importance or challenge it, no matter how great, how numerous, how learned, and how holy the men are. This is true to such an extent that St Paul in Galatians 1 (v. 8) dares to exclaim and reiterate, “If we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel (contrary to that which we preached to you) let him be accursed”.’