Martin Luther

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A Sacristy Prayer
       A Sacristy Prayer by Martin Luther Translated From: _Dr. Martin Luthers Werke_, (Weimar: Hermann Boehlaus Nachfolger, 1909), Band 43, pp. 513. Translated by Jame ...read

And all the brethren which are with me.
      This should go far in shutting the mouths of the false apostles. Paul's intention is to exalt his own ministry while discrediting theirs. He adds for good measure the argument that he does not stand alone, but that all the brethren with him attest to the fact that his doctrine is divinely true. 'Although the brethren with me are not apostles like m ...read

And God the Father, who raised him from the dead.
      Paul is so eager to come to the subject matter of his epistle, the righteousness of faith in opposition to the righteousness of works, that already in the title he must speak his mind. He did not think it quite enough to say that he was an apostle 'by Jesus Christ'; he adds, 'and God the Father, who raised him from the dead.' The clause seems su ...read

And would pervert the gospel of Christ.
      To paraphrase this sentence: 'These false apostles do not merely trouble you, they abolish Christ's Gospel. They act as if they were the only true Gospel-preachers. For all that they muddle Law and Gospel. As a result they pervert the Gospel. Either Christ must live and the Law perish, or the Law remains and Christ must perish; Christ and the Law c ...read

As we said before, so say I now again. If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
      Paul repeats the curse, directing it now upon other persons. Before, he cursed himself, his brethren, and an angel from heaven. 'Now,' he says, 'if there are any others who preach a gospel different from that you have received from us, let them also be accursed.' Paul herewith curses and excommunicates all false teachers including his opponents. He ...read

Being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
      Speaking now of the Mosaic Law, Paul declares that he was wrapped up in it. To the Philippians he wrote: 'As touching the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.' He means to say, 'I can compare myself with the best and holiest of all those who are of the circumcision. Let ...read

But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
      This passage constitutes Paul's chief defense against the accusations of his opponents. He maintains under oath that he received his Gospel not from men, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. In declaring that his Gospel is not after man, Paul does not merely wish to state that his Gospel is not mundane. The false apostles made the same claim f ...read

But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
      Paul's zeal for the Gospel becomes so fervent that it almost leads him to curse angels. 'I would rather that I, my brethren, yes, the angels of heaven be anathematized than that my gospel be overthrown.' The Greek word anathema, Hebrew herem, means to accurse, execrate, to damn. Paul first (hypothetically) curses himself. Knowing persons first f ...read

Christ is God by Nature
      At the same time, Paul confirms our creed, 'that Christ is very God.' We need such frequent confirmation of our faith, for Satan will not fail to attack it. He hates our faith. He knows that it is the victory which overcometh him and the world. That Christ is very God is apparent in that Paul ascribes to Him divine powers equally with the Father, a ...read

Christ Our Great High Priest
      THE SERMONS OF MARTIN LUTHER, VOL. VII, PAGE 163 HEBREWS 9:11-15: But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtaine ...read

Disputation On the Divinity and Humanity of Christ
       The Theses Theological Disputation 1. This is the catholic faith, that we confess one Lord Jesus Christ, true God and man. 2. From this truth of the double substance and the unity of the person follows the communication of attributes [communicatio idiomatum], as it is called. ...read

Enemies of the Cross of Christ
      ENEMIES OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST & THE CHRISTIAN'S CITIZENSHIP IN HEAVEN. PHILIPPIANS 3:17-21: Brethren, join in imitating me, and mark those who so live as you have an example in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, an ...read

For do I now persuade men, or God?
      With the same vehemence Paul continues: 'You Galatians ought to be able to tell from my preaching and from the many afflictions which I have endured, whether I serve men or God. Everybody can see that my preaching has stirred up persecution against me everywhere, and has earned for me the cruel hatred of my own people, in fact the hatred of all men ...read

For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
      Observe the consummate cleverness with which the false apostles went about to bring Paul into disrepute. They combed Paul's writings for contradictions (our opponents do the same) to accuse him of teaching contradictory things. They found that Paul had circumcised Timothy according to the Law, that Paul had purified himself with four other men in t ...read

For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion
      This passage does not contain doctrine. Paul adduces his own case for an example. 'I have,' he says, 'at one time defended the traditions of the Pharisees more fiercely than any of your false apostles.' Now, if the righteousness of the Law had been worth anything I would never have forsaken it. So carefully did I live up to the Law that I excelled ...read

From him that called you into the grace of Christ.
      The reading is a little doubtful. The sentence may be construed to read: 'From that Christ that called you into grace'; or it may be construed to read: 'From God that called you into the grace of Christ.' I prefer the former for it seems to me that Paul's purpose is to impress upon us the benefits of Christ. This reading also preserves the implied ...read

Grace be to you, and peace, from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.
      The terms of grace and peace are common terms with Paul and are now pretty well understood. But since we are explaining this epistle, you will not mind if we repeat what we have so often explained elsewhere. The article of justification must be sounded in our ears incessantly because the frailty of our flesh will not permit us to take hold of it pe ...read

I marvel that ye are so soon removed.
      Again the Apostle puts in a gentle word. He does not berate the Galatians, 'I marvel that ye are so unsteady, unfaithful.' He says, 'I marvel that ye are so soon removed.' He does not address them as evildoers. He speaks to them as people who have suffered great loss. He condemns those who removed them rather than the Galatians. At the same time he ...read

I marvel.
      How patiently Paul deals with his seduced Galatians! He does not pounce on them but, like a father, he fairly excuses their error. With motherly affection he talks to them yet he does it in a way that at the same time he also reproves them. On the other hand, he is highly indignant at the seducers whom he blames for the apostasy of the Galatians. H ...read