Quo propior Luthero, eo melior theologus By August Pieper

Picture from: images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large-5/martin-luther-and-frederick-iii-of-saxony-kneeling-before-christ-on-the-cross-german-school.jpg

Fox River Valley Pastoral Conference of the Northern Wisconsin District of the Wisconsin

Evangelical Lutheran Synod Fall Conference

Tuesday, September 30, 2014 Messiah, Shiocton, WI

Disclaimer

“Just call me, Elihu.” “I am young in years, and you are aged … Age should speak; advanced years should teach wisdom.” (Job 32:6-7) This is not just simple humility or modesty. Is there any insight I could give to men, who have been in the ministry for much longer than I, who have been cut and healed with the Word of God more often than I, who have lived and breathed in these precious glimpses into our LORD's heart longer than I have lived and breathed? Therefore, this presenter decided to offer this translation, a voice from our Lutheran past, for this paper.

Notes on the Translation

This translator had actually translated this essay in college for personal use. This has been read and revised off and on since then. This August Pieper essay was also translated by Andrew Hussman for Studium Excitare in Issue 14, December 2010. (studiumexcitare.com/content/128#fn:8) That translation also served as another reference for this current translation.

A few other notes on the translation. Unless otherwise noted, emphasis is in the original. Additional paragraph breaks have been added. Section headings are also provided for ease of reading. Words in [brackets] are there for clarification. Footnotes are in place for people and terms which may be unknown.

This essay is taken from the Theologische Quartalschrift of January 1917, Number 14, Volume 1 pages 64-77. It is part of a series of articles printed in the Quartalschrift for the 400th anniversary of the Reformation. August Pieper explains the origin of that dear phrase and more importantly in what way closer to Luther we should be. While some of the comments are dated, (some we may even disagree with) Pieper has very practical applications to teachers and pastors for his time and ours. “There is nothing new under the sun,” (Ecclesiastes 1:9) as the Holy Spirit once put it.

As we get ever close to the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, may we do as Pieper encourages: study Luther. “The closer to Luther, the better the theologian.” Deo volente.

Introduction

The intended and expressed characteristic of this publication [Quartalschrift] is to encourage the direct theology1 of Scripture [Schrifttheologie] – in contrast to the all-too-common theology of the Fathers, [Vätertheologie] which surrounds us. One would be hard-pressed to find in the thirteen volumes of the Quartalschrift, thirteen quotations (“quotations” understood in the usual sense) from the Fathers. This is not arrogance. We know very well that, in theology, we are pygmies compared to these giants. However the

1 Pieper appears to use theology in the strict sense as “an art to be practiced (habitus practicus).” That is in

contrast to theology in the loose sense of a “science of theological truths” or theology, in a different context, defined as “the study of God.” Admittedly the strict and loose sense are connected so Pieper does not always make such a distinct difference in this essay.

[2]

theology of quotations [Zitatentheologie], along with the ever-present human laziness, has the unavoidable effect of putting faith [Glauben] in the words of humans and pushing aside the foundation of Scripture. It produces a faith of tradition.

That brings with it that people only truly accept a teaching of Scripture when it is shown to them that Luther, Chemnitz,2 Gerhard,3 Calov,4 Quenstedt,5 and Walther6 have taught it that way. Therefore people themselves consider and contend with a teaching of Scripture as a heretical innovation, when a teaching follows Scripture itself in the way it is presented, instead of attaching itself to the traditional interpretations – that have become distorted over the years. The theology of quotations places a veil of Moses7 over the face of Holy Scripture so that we no longer recognize its clear words, or we instinctively read into them the constructions of the Fathers. We also then, being satisfied with the once-attached theological background, would no longer truly study Scripture itself, not become truly versed in Scripture,8 and not grow in knowledge. At conferences and synodical meetings, we would keep bringing up the dogmatic resources learned from school and remembered more or less imperfectly. We would always be flailing the same phrases in the pulpit. We would be finishing our sermons, tired ourselves of our now-stale thoughts and having tired our listeners of the same thing.

It is well known how Luther lamented that the theology of the Fathers has almost completely put Scripture in the backseat.9 It is also well known how he urgently warned to let his and the writings of all the Fathers be only a framework for the study of Scripture as the only true source of theology and the genuine spring of Israel.10 However the saddest thing is that the theology of the Fathers all too easily puts faith [Glauben] in a human’s word instead of God’s Word. It favors idolatry and promotes quarrel and strife in the Church.

To this last point, it is and remains irrevocably true what Luther himself so often stressed, “on earth, no clearer book has been written than the Holy Scriptures,”11 if people would only study it diligently and with a prayer for the Holy Spirit. Also no theologian, not even Luther

2 Chemnitz, Martin (1522-1586) is considered the second greatest Lutheran theologian to Luther. He was

instrumental in the Formula of Concord. 3 Gerhard, Johann (1582-1637) was a German Lutheran theologian and professor at the University of Jena.

He wrote his Loci Theologici in nine volumes and finished Harmonia, first started by Martin Chemnitz and Polycarp Leyser.

4 Calov, Abraham (1612-1686) was a German Lutheran theologian and professor at the University of Wittenberg. One of his most famous works is the Biblia Illustrata (1672-1676).

5 Quenstedt, Johann (1617-1688) was a German Lutheran theologian and professor at the University of Wittenberg. His most famous work is Theologia didactico-polemica sive systema theologicum (Wittenberg, 1685; Leipzig, 1715).

6 Walther, Carl F. (1811-1887) was instrumental in the founding of the LCMS. He was pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church of St. Louis (1841-1887). He became the LCMS’ first president (1847-1850, 1864-1878). He was also the first president (1850-1887) of Concordia Theological Seminary.

7 Allusion to 2 Corinthians 3:13. 8 … in derselben nicht eigentlich heimisch werden. Literally “… not become native in it.” 9 … die Vätertheologie die Schrift schier ganz unter die Bank getan habe. Literally “… the theology of the Fathers

has almost completely put Scripture under the bench.” 10 Allusion to FC, SD. Triglotta page 851, paragraph 3; Kolb-Wengert page 527, paragraph 3; and Concordia

page 536, paragraph 3. 11 St. Louis edition (5:334). This is from Luther’s explanation on Psalm 37 from August 12, 1521.

[3]

talks each and every time correctly, definitively, reliably, and in the same way. So for example it is a hundred times harder to always understand Luther correctly, thoroughly, and completely than to understand Holy Scripture itself. Therefore without fail, everyone is led into many kinds of errors, who swears by Luther but does not know him thoroughly, does not know the record of his development, does not pay close attention to the changes and circumstances in which he wrote, does not always apply the measuring rod of Scripture to him, and does not know how to harmonize Luther with himself. People like Janssen,12 Denifle,13 Grisar14 are talking testaments that people can cover the largest erroneous teachings with Luther quotes, even rather long ones, and justify the most horrible sins, if they have enough ignorance and the necessary evil intent.

With all his greatness, Luther is a fallible man, writer, and preacher. Therefore let us not believe in him and decide any doctrine through him. He is not even the authority for what is Lutheran but only for what is Lutheran.15 The symbolic books define the former, and that is only a fallible norma normata, while the norma normans remains only the infallible Word. All theology, which proves and decides a doctrine from the Fathers, even from Luther, is not Lutheran, indeed not Lutheran in the very minutest way of all, but it is in principle a hetero-theology [Aftertheologie]. The Church must always break away from that, if it does not want to give God’s glory to another and does not want the light for its feet to be darkened. The Scripture – the revealed from heaven, clear, infallible, prophetic, and apostolic Word of the great God himself – all on its own is a lamp for our feet and a light for our path16 – “So that your faith would not stand on human wisdom, but on God’s power” 1 Corinthians 2:5.

Luther’s Greatness

Nevertheless, let us not only wholeheartedly subscribe, but also vigorously stress the Professor of Altdorf’s17 expression, which is the focus of this article (cf. Walther’s Pastorale, p.13). Luther belongs among all the greats of this world, as God gives them only in the great crises that happen around the world. If one looks at him apart from the difference between inspiration and illumination, Luther belongs on the same level as Moses, David, Isaiah, and

12 Janssen, Johannes (1829-1891) was a German Catholic priest and historian and wrote Geschichte des

deutschen Volkes seit dem Ausgang des Mittelalters “History of the German People at the close of the Middle Ages” (8 volumes, 1878–1894, translated into English and published 16 volumes, 1896-1910). He was very critical of Luther and the Reformation and blamed it for the unrest of Germany during the 16th and 17th centuries.

13 Denifle, Heinrich (1844-1905) was a Dominican scholar who wrote the book Luther and Luthertum in der ersten Entwickelung “Luther and Lutheranism in its first Development” (1904). Again this work was critical of Luther and the Reformation. Although Denifle only had access to a student copy of Luther’s unpublished lectures on Romans of 1515-1516.

14 Grisar, Hartmann (1845-1932) was a Jesuit historian who wrote (among other books on Luther) a three volume book entitled Luther (Freiburg, 1911-12). He also was critical of Luther.

15 In German lutherisch … Lutherisch. Pieper appears to be saying Luther does not decide what it means to be a “Lutheran” as to the faith, but only what is “Lutheran” as it applies to the man himself e.g. the 95 Theses are Lutheran, because Luther wrote them.

16 Allusion to Psalm 119:105. 17 This professor is Christoph Samstags (1654-1717). He was a German Lutheran theologian who was a

professor at the University of Altdorf near Nuremberg. Zeltner wrote about him and other Altdorf professors in his Vitae theologor. Altphorinor.

[4]

Paul. Men like Jerome,18 Augustine,19 St. Bernard,20 also Calvin21 – not to mention Zwingli22 disappear next to him. Flacius,23 Chemnitz, Gerhard, Calov, and Walther are his lowly students.

As Cyrus,24 Alexander,25 Attila,26 Genghis Khan,27 and Napoleon28 belong to the realm of the world; so Luther belongs to the realm of the Church, to the special servants of God who willfully put down all things ahead of themselves, because God wants to accomplish a special work through them. Luther’s special task was the revealing of the Antichrist, the Church’s liberation from the thousand year yoke of Rome, (which had finally become both evident and unbearable) and the reestablishment of the Gospel about the freedom of God’s children in Christ’s grace. Luther essentially accomplished the task in ten short years (from the papal bull to the Imperial Diet at Augsburg) and in the next fifteen years made it secure for all time.

Where does Luther’s greatness lie? Usually too much is attributed to a great man. Three-fourths of his greatness disappears in the fullness of time, as conditions and circumstances age on. Although he would have still been a great man, Luther would have accomplished little in the time of Pope Innocent III.29

The Lord Christ himself would have come too early in the time of Philip II.30 Alexander the Great's work had to first produce the koine dialect. Rome had to first lay its iron fists on the peoples. It had to establish an international commerce, an exchange of people's ideas and their wisdom, and the conditions for the highest possible growth of the natural human culture and its bankruptcy – before the Gospel could come into the Gentile world and have a foothold.

So also Luther could only truly succeed with his Gospel after the Catholics were revealed as a curse (although it was only obscure and unclear to the world) to every aspect of life. At

18 Jerome (ca. 347-420) was the author of the Vulgate, the Latin translation of the Bible. 19 Augustine of Hippo in North Africa (354- 430) was one the greatest theologians of the early Christian

church. 20 Bernard or Bernhardus of Clairvaux (1090-1153) was a Catholic monk and priest. In Roman Catholicism, he

is given the name Doctor Mellifluus, “the honey-flowing teacher.” 21 Calvin, John (1509-1564) was a French theologian and a founder and synthesizer of the faith that would be

called Calvinism. 22 Zwingli, Ulirch (1484-1531) was a Swiss patriot and theologian. He opposed Luther on the real presence in

the Luther's Supper at the Marburg Colloquy 1529. 23 Flacius, Matthias (1520-1575) was a Croatian Lutheran. He studied at Wittenberg. He was very polemical

and in a heated dispute said that original sin is an essential part of human nature. 24 Cyrus the Great (c.600-530 BC) was the Persian king who allowed the Israelites to return to their homeland.

His empire stretched from India to Greece. 25 Alexander the Great (356-323 BC) conquered and ruled an empire from Greece to India. 26 Attila the Hun (d. 453 AD) ruled an empire from southwestern Russia to Germany. 27 Genghis Khan (c.1162-1227 AD) ruled the Mongol Empire that stretched from Korea to Caspian Sea. 28 Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) was a French general and ruler. At its greatest extent, his empire included

almost all of the European continent. 29 Pope Innocent III (c.1160-1216) was pope from 1198-1216. He claimed supremacy over all of Europe’s

kings and was also instrumental in organizing the Fourth Crusade, the one that sacked Constantinople. 30 Philip II of Macedonia (382-336 BC) was the father of Alexander the Great. He conquered most of Greece

and ruled it from 360-336.

[5]

the time of the Council of Constance,31 Luther would have shared in the fate of Hus32 and Jerome of Prague.33 He would have accomplished as little as they did, although he would have stood better than they did on the doctrine of the Church and predestination.34

Indeed in a great time, a great man must arrive if something right and great should come from the new thing that is to be born. If that great man is missing, then there is something different – as today’s world-crisis35 truly means a great change in people’s lives – but that is by far nothing better or truly great. “The world-crisis,” which began at the turn of the 16th century, produced the greatest event possible since Christ's appearance. For it touched upon the most significant sphere of life, the spiritual sphere. So for that purpose, God gave the greatest man (when his time had fully come36) since the time of Paul.

Where does Luther’s greatness lie? One would have to write a large book to explain that in a very thorough and exhaustive manner. Here we can only show Luther’s greatness in short strokes and do that in a single word if possible. – Everyone understands that with a truly great man, all the parts of the human spirit must be great. A powerful understanding alone, even deep and tender emotions alone, a flexible energy alone, or two of these together still do not make anyone great. Luther was equipped with all the knowledge and all the dialectics of the world’s theologians at that time. In addition there has been no man in the Church since Paul, who was equipped with such a sharp and comprehensive intellect, with such a deep disposition, with such an overwhelming energy as Luther. However all of that is only the outer shell, not the true kernel of his greatness. His greatness was the Spiritualness [das Geistliche] in him. With such a great measure, God had poured out his Holy Spirit into this vessel (who was equipped with such a great knowledge and natural gifts) as into no other man since the time of Paul. God had revealed to him the Gospel about the salvation of sinners in Jesus Christ and brought him to faith in this grace. In the clearness, depth, and fullness of his Gospel knowledge, in the power with which that knowledge had grasped his heart and influenced his will, lies Luther’s towering greatness. In a word: Luther’s greatness lies in the greatness of his childlike faith [kindlichen Glaubens]. –

In Luther’s soul from early youth, one single thought was great (as is only proper): one thing is needed, to have a gracious God. That remained – expressed a hundred times, but also unexpressed – as the ruling thought of his life until the last breath. His strong consciousness of sins, his increasing knowledge of sins, his anxiety over sins, the endless pleading before God’s gracious face threw out all of his and his father’s plans for his life’s path around the

31 That is 1414-1418. This council not only condemned Hus and Jerome of Prague, it also ended the Three-

Popes Controversy, but electing Martin V as the new pope. 32 Hus, Jan (1369-1415) was a Czech priest. He was burned at the stake in 1415. He supposedly wrote before

his execution, “You are going to burn a goose (Hus in Czech) but in a century you will have a swan which you can neither roast nor boil.” Luther picked up on this phrase and referred it to himself, cf. AE 34:103.

33 Jerome of Prague (1379-1416) was a Czech reformer and follower of Hus. He was also burned at the stake. 34 Perhaps Pieper is alluding to some of the charges brought against Hus at Constance. “3. Those foreknown

as damned are not parts of the church, for no part of the church can finally fall away from it, since the predestinating love that binds the church together does not fail. … 5. A person foreknown to damnation is never part of the holy church, even if he is in a state of grace according to present justice; a person predestined to salvation always remains a member of the church, even though he may fall away for a time from adventitious grace, for he keeps the grace of predestination.”

35 Reference to World War I (1914-1918). 36 Allusion to Galatians 4:4.

[6]

house and determined his life’s vocation. After he found Christ, and with him peace and the kingdom of heaven, that became his singular great object, the one. It filled all his thoughts, drove all his emotions, ruled and governed his entire will. Luther’s soul-life was completely consumed in the righteousness of Christ and in the interest of his kingdom. Luther believed, believed, believed. This is the secret of his strength, of his greatness. This comes out in his entire work, in every single piece of it, in all his writings, as the one great object in him. Moreover that stands out especially in the three points of his career, which are in the beginning, middle, and end of his life: in the 95 Theses; in his most powerful, deepest, clearest, and most evangelical of all work (his “best” as he calls it) the pamphlet De Servo Arbitrio; and in the greatest deed of his life, his prayer at his death [Sterbegebet].

We do not have room here to go into more detail. Every scholar of Luther will agree with us with no objection, and every non-scholar must become a scholar before he is certain of it. However people must not read these three documents only once. Whoever wants to know Luther’s greatness and make use of these wonderful gifts of God to the Church of the end times, that person must know Luther’s history to some measure and not simply read the chief writings of Luther but always re-read, study, and then know this – that in the kingdom of God on the earth, faith is the one great and only source of all strength and greatness.

The righteous will live by his faith.37 It is well known what role God’s Word played in Luther’s spiritual growth and life. All things are possible for him who believes.38 This was proved true in him. Luther believed the LORD as Abraham did.39 That was his most prominent characteristic. How simply and childlike, how steady and firmly, how confidently and unshakably did the man believe! We simply call to mind the burning of the papal bull, Worms, the stay at Wartburg, and his letter to the Electors while outcast in Wartburg, in which he wrote, “I come into the protection of one higher than Electors; indeed I maintain I want to protect your Electoral grace more than it could protect me; whoever believes the most, he will here protect the most.”

His letters testify about such a childlike and still heroic faith even from the first, dangerous moment. But also every writing, every work of Luther, all his great blows against Rome, against Müntzer and the peasants,40 against the enthusiasts of the Sacrament [Sakramentsschwärmer], his monumental writings about the Lord’s Supper and the correct understanding of the Scriptures, his commentary on Galatians, his book on The Bondage of the Will, his arrangement of the German worship service, his Catechisms, his struggle at Marburg, his stay at Coburg, his approach towards the Smalcald League,41 his translation of the Bible, his attitude toward the finally-announced council,42 his Smalcald Articles, his

37 Allusion to Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; and Hebrews 10:38. 38 Allusion to Matthew 19:26. 39 Allusion to Genesis 15:6. 40 Müntzer, Thomas (c. 1488-1525) was an Anabaptist who died in the Peasants' War. 41 Smalcald League (1531) was the successor to the Torgau League (1526) following the Diet of Augsburg.

Philip of Hesse was instrumental in trying to unite the non-papal lands in a defensive alliance. Luther only wanted an alliance founded on all the teachings of Scripture. He also was concerned that this alliance was an attempt at “human security, rather than trust in God.” Martin Brecht, Martin Luther: Shaping and Defining the Reformation 121-1532 (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1994), 414.

42 The council at Mantua, set for 1537, but postponed indefinitely. Luther’s reaction was “The pope will never

[7]

firmness against Bucer,43 his final renunciation of the Swiss, his understanding of the Lord’s Supper, his last powerful writing against the Papacy,44 his sufferings and prayers – in short – every writing and every deed of Luther’s, until his childlike-joyous death, is a testament to his simple, joyful, often troubled but firm, unshaken, heroic faith in Christ and his grace; in God and his promises; in the written Word.

Luther’s faith had very much become his vital principle so that for him Christ and his kingdom had become everything, the world and its interests nothing. Like Paul, he considered everything a loss compared to the overflowing knowledge of Christ.45 God, his grace, and his kingdom; God’s Word and promise were for him nothing like a very distant, historical occurrence, but an immediate, present occurrence. He was on intimate terms with his heavenly Father. In prayer he wrestled from him every single step of his public life, every writing against his enemies, every power which he used. Luther conversed with God as intimately as with Melanchthon, Käthe,46 Hans47 and Lenchen.48 How often, how strongly, Luther prayed! He not only walked before God but also with God. In this faith, he daily offered his neck to the Emperor and the Pope and his forehead to the universities and educated people. He overcame a huge weight of burdens and a deep abyss of trials [Anfechtungen]. He was patient and devoted in the pain and death of his little daughter, under the personal slanders of his enemies, under the ingratitude of the German people, and under the half-heartedness of his fellow workers.

Luther’s “Shortcomings”

People have often misconstrued Luther, namely his “insults” [Schimpfen] against his enemies. Now it cannot be denied that in his zeal for the matters of God, here and there he mixed in a part of his natural, vehement disposition, as he himself rather often noticed. His lewdness was a part of his peasant nature. He himself even said, “Because flesh and blood live, it is not possible, it must move” (IX, 882 [paragraph 50]).49 However in the true sense, Luther never insulted, slandered, and falsely applied anything to his enemies. Julius Köstlin50 correctly said, “Even with the most vehement outbursts of his anger, for Luther it was always the zeal for the matters which drove him, never a personal motive.”

Luther was so intimately bound up with the matter of the Gospel that he saw Satan's work

allow a free council. We don’t need a council, but it might help the other side.” He thought that the council might benefit from a Lutheran confession. The Smalcald Articles were to be that Lutheran confession.

43 Bucer, Martin (1491-1551) tried to mediate between Luther and Zwingli at Marburg. In 1536 at Wittenberg, Luther held firm to the teaching of the Real Presence in the Lord’s Supper against Bucer.

44 Against the Roman Papacy, an Institution of the Devil (1545). 45 Allusion to Philippians 3:8. 46 Katherina (Käthe) Luther, Luther's wife (1499-1552). 47 Hans Luther either Luther's father (1459-1530) or more likely his firstborn son, Johannes (Hans) (1526-

1575). 48 Lenchen (Magdalena) Luther (1529-1542) was Luther's daughter who died at the age of thirteen, cf. AE

54:432. 49 Pieper is quoting from Luther’s sermon on 1 Timothy 1:3-11 (1524). 50 Julius Köstlin (1826-1902) wrote a biography on Martin Luther and translated into English as Life of Luther

(1917). He also has a longer two volume work in German called Martin Luther: Sein Leben und Seine Schriften “Martin Luther: His Life and His Writings,” (Elberfeld: R.L. Friderichs, 1875), expanded in 1883, and again in 1903.

[8]

behind all the works of the enemies of the Gospel and behind all the tools of those enemies. Therefore he dealt with them as enemies, whether it was the Pope, Paris, Leuven, Cologne,51 Eck,52 Emser,53 Alveld,54 Müntzer, Duke George,55 Henry VIII of England,56 Zwingli, Erasmus,57 Agricola,58 “the damned heathen” Aristotle, or “the living devils” the Jews. He himself wrote about this last group, “Now then perhaps the compassionate saintly person among us Christians might think that I make it indeed too rough and inedible (hard to swallow) against the poor, miserable Jews so that I deal with them too scornfully and insultingly. O LORD God, I am much too insignificant to mock such a devil. Truly I want to willingly do it, but they are more than a match for me in insults. They also have a god who is the master of insults and is called the abominable devil and evil spirit. Whatever work of the devil I (as an annoyance) am able to mock, that I should fairly do. The devil would indeed certainly deserve it” (XX, 2039 [paragraph 30]).59

Luther was perfect neither in practice nor in doctrine. Until 1520/21 he was still stuck in several Catholic delusions. He himself knew it. Even later moles [naevi] and mistakes did not completely disappear. He was not free of the doctrine of purgatory until later. In De Servo Arbitrio there is an entire section of philosophic arguments. That inclination shows itself still in his disputes about the mystery of the Trinity from the year 1545. However faults are the common characteristic of all people, even of the greatest people, if God does not do something special. That however detracts nothing from their greatness before mankind, only that we are not supposed to idolize them and repeat everything of theirs indiscriminately. Luther is still the greatest of all of God’s people since Paul and will remain so until the Last Day.

Therefore it would be nothing less than an outrage for a Lutheran theologian, a leader in the church to not want to study Luther. Truly first, foremost, and unparalleled are the Scriptures. (We do not wish to speak about that here.) However after the Scriptures, Luther is equal to the greatest under those Scriptures. He himself never compared himself to the Scriptures. He never demanded the authority of the Apostles and Prophets for himself. He wanted his writings to be nothing other than a framework for the Scriptures. Indeed he wished that all his books would be destroyed so that Scripture alone is read and studied as the book through which God himself speaks with us.

51 The Universities of Paris, Leuven, and Cologne sided with Eck against Luther during and after the Leipzig

Debate 1519. 52 Eck, Johann (1486-1543) was the Catholic theologian who argued against Karlstadt and then Luther at

Leipzig. 53 Emser, Jerome (or Hieronymus) of Leipzig (1477-1527) sided with Eck against Luther. 54 Augustin von Alveld (1480-c.1535) was a Franciscan who opposed Luther on the issue of papal authority. 55 Duke George the Bearded (1471-1539) was duke of Saxony and another opponent of Luther. 56 Henry VIII (1491-1547) received the title "Defender of the Faith" from Pope Leo X for his opposition to

Luther. 57 Erasmus, Desiderius (c.1466-1536) opposed Luther on the issue of free will in conversion. 58 Agricola, Johannes (1494-1566) was an Antinomian, cf. FC V and VI, Bente paragraph # 183-194. 59 Pieper is quoting from Luther’s writing On the Shem Hamphorasch, the Tetragrammaton, the consonants of

the word Yahweh. This was Luther’s reply to the Talmudic charge that Jesus did miracles by magic. Maimonides thought that this term referred to the Tetragrammaton, in Kabbalah this term refers to a hidden name for God, either composed of 4, 12, 22, 42, or 72 letters (the last being most common).

[9]

It is not true that Luther had an open, loose view on inspiration. He has his own view on the size of the canon. He rejected the Old Testament Apocrypha as part of the canon. He maintained for himself the last four books of the New Testament as apocryphal. Who wants to prove him wrong about that? For historically it has not been certain that they are apostolic and prophetic books, also it is not in the Scriptures.

God himself however has bound us in the Scriptures to the writings of the Prophets and Apostles alone and to none other. Thanks be the God that he has also kept our Confessions from binding us to something else (FC 517, 1; 568, 1).60 In doing so, God allows everyone the freedom to take from those book “as he wants.” That is not a loose attitude, but principally the only correct attitude toward God’s Word. Cf. Ephesians 2:20 where it is entirely possible that one can err in judgment about such a book – which harms no one. Our theologians of the 16th century stood so staunchly on this, foremost of all Chemnitz. It was first in the 17th century that the distinction slipped and was finally entirely lost. That certainly was neither a sign of godliness nor a profit for the Church.

Luther distinguished between the books of piety, of the fear of God, and of a fitting attention towards God’s Word. That was also a work of faith. He wanted to be certain of his faith and of the godliness of his doctrine. He wanted the infallible Scriptures, the Word of the Holy Spirit himself. Only the Apostles and Prophets talked and wrote without error. Therefore in conscience, he included no writing that was not prophetic or apostolic, that “did not preach Christ,” and was without the stamp of the Holy Spirit on it. However whatever was prophetic and apostolic, that was for him the Word of the Holy Spirit and was more stable for him in its wording and letters than heaven and earth.

Besides, if any theologian was firm in the Scriptures, studied, knew, believed, honored, preached, taught, and held to its clear wording, it was Luther. The Scriptures, the external, written words, the text was his comfort, his weapon, and his trust against the devil, the Pope, heretics, philosophy, reason, and the flesh. A single word of Scripture made the world too narrow for him. His attitude towards Scripture was not a historical perception of a strictly outward, limited biblical codex but a humble, joyful, and unshaken faith in every word, in the saving power of God. Because of that, even Balaam’s talking donkey was just as certain for him as Balaam’s prophecy about Christ. With a doctrine of inspiration as modern positive theology61 has described it since rationalism, Luther would have not overcome the Pope, Müntzer, nor Zwingli. “They should let the Word stand” – with those words, he concluded the inspired text.

60 Pieper is referring to the introductory remarks in the Epitome and Solid Declaration where it states that

Scripture alone is the standard, rule, and norm by which all teachings and teachers are to be judged. That is in the Triglotta page 777, paragraph 1 and page 851, paragraph 3; Kolb-Wengert page 486, paragraph 1 and page 527, paragraph 3; and Concordia page 491, paragraph 1 and page 536, paragraph 3.

61 Modern positive theology was an attempt to provide the middle ground between conservatives and liberals in Protestantism around the turn of the 20th century. However one of its tenets was a rejection of biblical inspiration and the authority of Scripture. It is called modern, in contrast to the “old theology” e.g. conservatives. It is called positive, in contrast to the “negative theology” e.g. liberals. For a detailed review of this movement, cf. Gerald Birney Smith, “The Modern-Positive Movement in Theology” The American Journal of Theology, Vol. 13, No. 1 (Jan 1009), pages 92-99. (www.jstor.org/stable/3155173)

[10]

Why Study Luther

In any case, the closer we come to Luther in this spirit of faith, that much better the theologian we will be. Theology is nothing extra in addition to believing. It is believing, the faith itself. Indeed, the better we believe, that much better, purer, mightier our theology will be. The entire sum of knowledge about all the facets of life belongs to sound theology, above all things, a fundamental knowledge of the Bible, likewise a clear testimony of the saving truth. However the heart and soul; the life and power; the beginning, middle, and end of all theology is faith. Christ, grace, and the Gospel must become for us a personal life and living, present reality. It must take captive, rule, and govern our thoughts, meditations, and endeavors – our entire lives. It must become the one great object in us, compared to which everything earthly and temporal in us disappears. As far as earthly, personal interests occupy us, that much and that far are we separated from true theology. As long as the heart is buried in earthly goods, laziness, luxury, pleasure, honor, status, and influence – that is the death of theology.

What is missing from the church of our day? Theologians i.e. Christians full of the spirit and faith of Paul and Luther, especially Christians of such a faith in a teaching position. Why do we professors, pastors, and school masters accomplish so little these days? – Because we believe so little and are much more professors, administrators [Pharrherren], and schoolmasters i.e. professionals.

Luther did not care about what he was and what he became, but he cared about this: that God had called him as a teacher of his Gospel in and outside of Wittenberg. He believed in the divinity of his doctorate call as well as in the divinity of his pastoral call. He believed from the heart in his sin and condemnation; in the grace of Christ; in the word of the promise and the threat; in the Holy Spirit and his power; in his heavenly Father’s omnipotence, help, and assistance; and in the eternal glory after this miserable life. His faith was his life’s strength. Through faith, he has accomplished more in this world than all the prophets and apostles, princes and kings. Through faith, he almost daily like Paul died to death.62 Through faith he placed his head confidently on death’s pillow [Sterbekissen]. He had brought out in the world something “new” that had not been taught for a thousand years. He had overturned the world, he, a man. And then he lies down in Eisleben on a bed, about to walk before his God and Judge, with these words, “O you my heavenly Father, God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, you God of all comfort, I thank you, that you had revealed to me you dear Son Jesus Christ; in whom I believe, whom I have preached and known, whom I have loved and praised, whom the grievous Pope and all godless people curse, persecute, and blasphemy. I ask you, Lord Jesus Christ, let my little soul be entrusted to you. O heavenly Father, if I now must leave this body and depart this life, then I still know for certain that I am able to remain eternally with you and no one can tear me from your hands. Father, into your hands I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, LORD, you faithful God. Amen.”63 – That is faith in the face of death,

62 Possible allusion to 2 Corinthians 11:23 or Romans 8:36 (Psalm 44:22). 63 Cf. Frederick Nohl, Luther: Biography of a Reformer (St. Louis: Concordia, 2003) 204. Part of this prayer is

also referenced in Julius Köstlin, The Life of Luther (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1917) 578 and Martin Brecht, Martin Luther: The Preservation of the Church 1532-1546 (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1999) 396. For his reference, Brecht cites Schubart, Die Berichte über Luthers Tod und Begräbnis “The Accounts of

[11]

where believing has value. In any case, the closer, we come to Luther in this spirit of faith that much better the theologian we will be.

How to Study Luther

People can understand and adopt Luther's spirit only from Luther’s writings, not from a book of quotes like The Spirit of Luther’s Writings.64 We must study him himself, in his writings. Whoever is not versed in Luther yet, should start with an earnest study of Luther in this year of Luther [1917] and look at Luther’s faith with one's own eyes. The best celebration consists truly in this: that we study Scripture itself in such a way so that nothing in it truly remains unknown to us – book by book, in faith, with the constant prayer: “LORD, open my eyes so that I behold the wonders in your law.”65 We must have the spirit of the Scriptures. (This is to be presumed with every pastor and teacher.)

On the other hand, there are few theologians who study Luther. Some acquire absolutely no taste for Luther, however that is not Luther’s fault. He is as he had to be (with the exception of human weaknesses) to be the Reformer at those times. God made no mistake in the selection of his instrument. There are also people who could acquire no taste for Scripture itself in its own clothes, although they willingly listen to today’s preachers and willingly read an edifying Christian book. The Bible itself is for them too foreign and “inedible” (unesse) to use Luther's expression.

That is entirely natural and nothing else is to be expected. Who today would willingly wear the clothes66 of a disciple of Jesus or of the Reformation era, even if the materials themselves were not so costly? As every age and nation have their own standards and styles in clothes, so also in the content of their thoughts and in their wording. As for Luther, not only his manner of expression and writing, but also the substance of his writings are much too difficult for the one who does not know about Reformation history and its great questions, and even more so, for the one uninterested, the one only living in the present and its interest. Otherwise from the first or second sample, he would be able to acquire a taste for Luther. People have what they nowadays use for their Christian life and what a pastor uses for his sermon and congregational work. Indeed they are comfortable in modern writings, and it tastes better. Indeed Luther constantly moves wholly and entirely in the great oppositions of his time and places himself forever against the Pope, the Anabaptists, the enthusiasts of the Sacrament etc. – what does not immediately interests us right here and now, that rather appears as ballast or is entirely pushed aside.

To enjoy Luther, people must first of all have a deeper and more penetrating interest in the Gospel and God’s kingdom than merely to acquire the materials for a sufficient and edifying sermon. There must still be a thirst for a deeper and further spiritual and historical

Luther’s Death and Funeral,” no. 2 (p. 9), lines 5-6; no. 4 (p. 10), 19-20. The prayer as Pieper quotes it is almost word for word from Köstlin, Martin Luther: Sein Leben und Seine Schriften, 2 Band (Elberfeld: R.L. Friderichs, 1875) 608-609.

64 Geist aus Luthers Schriften is referring to a four-volume concordance of Luther quotations, compiled by F. W. Lomler, G.F. Lucius, J. Rust, L. Sackreuter, and E. Zimmermann in 1828-1831.

65 Psalm 119:18. 66 The idiom appears to be similar to “being in one’s shoes” or “sandals” in the case of the disciples. One must

know a person’s situations before one can truly know the person.

[12]

knowledge, development, and completion. Whoever does not have that, should not quite so bravely take a bite into Luther or go back again and again. In regard to that, there is today a strong lapse in the Lutheran teaching position, therefore among us there are less actual students of Luther and still less scholars of Luther. The majority are content with some shorter or longer Luther quotes which one finds as stock-in-trade67 in many books. This is an immense obstacle for the advancement of our knowledge of the Gospel and the new revival of our faith and our zeal for the house of God. After Scripture itself, we find these things in no theologian to the same degree as in Luther. It is still God’s will and ordinance, even if not a command, to study this greatest prophet after the apostles, cf. 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4, and Hebrews 13:7. Out of a special grace, God gave him to the Church of the end times to always again kindle and strength our little light in his great light; to deepen and expand our knowledge through his knowledge; and to again always revive our spiritual life and work in his faith, zeal, and energy.

If only a person would just once earnestly approach Luther, that person will quickly be familiar with him and gain a taste for him. However we would not advise to take things in pele-mele [in a disorderly way] from Luther’s writings, whatever just falls into the hands. Even studying by editions (either the Walch (St. Louis edition) or the Erlangen edition) is not recommended. For us there are three or four different methods with which we are able to fruitfully pursue this study.

1. Whoever has a special interest in history, study Luther’s chief writings in chronological order. There the gradual growth and development of the man and his word can be observed. The study of the Reformation history really belongs also to this. This way is the most fundamental and most fruitful.

2. The second way is that people should always read him especially on doctrines and subjects that really interest that person at that time, because they publicly or privately come up into question. (As right now the doctrine of Church and Ministry comes up among us.)68 That is a practical way for people who do not have the necessary time for a systematic study of Luther. Walther recommended this method to us, because he had used it often. It will make people grounded and firm on individual doctrines. However a person will not fully grasp Luther in this way. It also demands much searching around so it remains imperfect for that reason.

3. For some people, who have neither the money nor time to completely study Luther, it is recommended that they purchase a collection of Luther's important chief works, like an anthology, and to fundamentally apply it to themselves. Before every sermon, to peruse a Luther sermon from the Church and House Postils is indeed something, however very little it is. In this way, people can basically ruin

67 This phrase is in English in the original. It is the skills or goods a person needs to fulfill their task e.g.

friendliness is the salesman’s stock-in-trade. 68 The WELS contended that God commanded believers to gather together, but he has not specified the forms

that those gatherings should take. Whenever Christians are gathered around the gospel or on behalf of it, the church is present. God has also established the public ministry, but he has not specified the forms that the public ministry should take. A key spokesman was August Pieper. The LCMS contended that only the local congregation is the divinely appointed form of the church. Also that the office of the pastor is the divinely appointed form of the public ministry, all other offices derive their authority from that office. A key spokesman was Franz Pieper.

[13]

for themselves a taste for Luther, if they do not read anything else. 4. We would advise to combine the first two so-called methods. Study with great care

everything written by Luther, which address the pertinent questions of the time. At the same time however, continually read Luther’s chief writings in chronological order, not even skipping the letters to his friends. For in those letters, Luther often shows his most intimate sides and innermost heart.

In this anniversary year, all of us should certainly be interested in what Luther has written. There is indeed a lot of things written and many, especially from his first period, are not important or fully mature. We would advise to begin with the important writings of the year 1520 i.e. On the Christian Nobility, On the Babylonian Captivity, On the Freedom of the Christian Man, Against the Bull of the Antichrist, also the sermon on good works. From the next years, The Warning against Revolt, Warning Against the Disdain of the Word, the writings On the Mass and its Misuses, On the Spiritual and Monastic Vows, That the One Christian Congregation has the Right and Power etc., then To the Town Magistrates, the sermon on the chief parts of a Christian life (both from 1524), Against the Heavenly Prophets, Against the Thievish …. Peasants, the German Mass etc., from the next couple of years the really powerful polemical writings on the Lord’s Supper against the Zwinglians, from the year 1530 the sermon, “That One Should Bring Children to School” (today it should be printed as a pamphlet and distributed among our people, as To the Town Magistrates), the letter “On Translating,” all the writings On the Keys, from the year 1532 the writing On the Ones who Creep in and Crooked Preachers (which would clarify with one blow the doctrine of the Church), then About the Crooked Mass and Ordination of Pastors. From the year 1535, above all the Detailed Explanation of Galatians, from the years 1537-40 the writings Against the Antinomians and On the Councils and Churches. Also no one ought to miss reading his precious explanation of Psalms. Finally Luther’s Confession on the Lord’s Supper and Against the Papacy established at Rome by the Devil. Luther’s “best” book, That the Free Will is Nothing, from the year 1525, remains, like the strongest food, best for last. It can cause great troubles for the beginner.

Of all of Luther’s editions, the St. Louis edition is the most suitable in every respect for the needs of the spiritual teacher and people. Whoever cannot purchase this, buy the ten-volume anthology from our publication for $12.00. (It just includes the chief writings.) However this year of Luther should be useful to stir up the congregations to purchase a St. Louis edition for the sacristy. The Weimar edition is not useful for the regular pastor.

Conclusion

May God let this anniversary year serve us above all for this reason: that we study Luther. Greater blessing would grow out of this for the Church. Then we would know what we should preach to our people and pray for this year. That is what matters. The external celebrations are only miscellaneous and minor. We ourselves want to learn exactly what Luther lived and fought for and bring that to our people. Real jubilee celebration lies in that.

– August Pieper.

[14]

For Your Attention:

In this anniversary year, the Quartalschrift will focus especially on Luther. The following subjects will be discussed in original articles:

1. The Externalism of the Papacy versus the Inwardness of Luther's Reformation Work - Professor Koehler. [Appeared in 14:15; translated in Faith-Life 1961, 10:4; 11:4]

2. Luther's Position on the Holy Scriptures (on the Doctrine of the Holy Scriptures’ Inspiration) - Professor Schaller [Appeared in 14:81]

3. Repentance and Faith as the Source of the Reformation - Pastor Gausewitz – [Appears to never have been written]

4. Luther's Doctrine on Free Will, Conversion, and Election - Professor Meyer [Appeared in 15:175]

5. Luther's Doctrine on Church and Ministry - Professor Pieper. [Appeared in 14:211; translated in Wauwatosa Theology III:141]

6. Luther's Doctrine on the Spiritual and Worldly Kingdoms - Pastor Theodore Hartwig. [Appears to never have been written]

7. Luther and School - Professor Achermann. [Appears to never have been written] 8. Luther's Doctrine on Christian Freedom - Pastor Joh. Meyer [Appeared in 15:35]

Presented on the Feast Day of St. Jerome, Translator of the Bible.

S.K.P.

Sorry for any remaining typos or unclarities.