Lectures on Genesis: Chapters 15-20

Luther's Works #3

by Martin Luther

Thoroughly researched and faithfully translated, the Luther's Works series consists of Martin Luther's Bible commentaries, sermons, prefaces, postils, disputations, letters, theology, and polemics, translated and published in English for the first time. Luther's Works, Volume 3 (Lectures on Genesis Chapters 15-20) discusses Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, Ishmael, Lot, and others.

Genres: Reference, Theology

394 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1961

About the author

Martin Luther (1483-1546) was a German monk, theologian, university professor and church reformer whose ideas inspired the Protestant Reformation and changed the course of Western civilization.

Luther's theology challenged the authority of the papacy by holding that the Bible is the only infallible source of religious authority and that all baptized Christians under Jesus are a spiritual priesthood. According to Luther, salvation was a free gift of God, received only by true repentance and faith in Jesus as the Messiah, a faith given by God and unmediated by the church.

Luther's confrontation with Charles V at the Diet of Worms over freedom of conscience in 1521 and his refusal to submit to the authority of the Emperor resulted in his being declared an outlaw of the state as he had been excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church. Because of the perceived unity of the medieval Church with the secular rulers of western Europe, the widespread acceptance of Luther's doctrines and popular vindication of his thinking on individual liberties were both phenomenal and unprecedented.

His translation of the Bible into the vernacular, making it more accessible to ordinary people, had a tremendous political impact on the church and on German culture. It furthered the development of a standard version of the German language, added several principles to the art of translation, and influenced the translation of the English King James Bible. His hymns inspired the development of congregational singing within Christianity. His marriage to Katharina von Bora set a model for the practice of clerical marriage within Protestantism.

Much scholarly debate has concentrated on Luther's writings about the Jews. His statements that Jews' homes should be destroyed, their synagogues burned, money confiscated and liberty curtailed were revived and used in propaganda by the Nazis in 1933–45. As a result of this and his revolutionary theological views, his legacy remains controversial.

Reviews

[Mark Gaschler]

Luther continuing to be Luther, going from tangent to tangent. I realized while reading this that I don't know what Luther has before him during the lecture. Is the Bible he reading from in German or Latin? Is he translating straight from the Masoretic Text? Does he have a Bible in front of him at all or is he quoting Genesis from memory? Because he definitely is saying everything else from memory.

He bounces from topic to topic, throwing out some trivia of dubious quality while also laying out Hebrew grammar, yelling about the papacy and his opinions about life in 16th century Germany. Which is to say, he's pretty entertaining.

Luther on Sodom was a definite high point of this commentary.

[Glenn Crouch · Rating 4 out of 5]

My trek through Luther's Works continues with Volume 3. Here he covers Chapters 15 through 20 of Genesis - thus this volume is all about Abraham.

I do find it curious how hard Luther works to see the Patriarchs always in "a good light". Now prior to Abraham, we actually have very little about the Patriarchs that are mentioned - but after Chapter 11 that changes. Whilst in now way is Luther claiming Abraham to be sinless - far from it, rather I think he is giving Abraham more credit than the text would seem to allow. Of course, this may be more a reflection of my own cynicism :)

I also find it curious how much of the Gospel, Luther believes that the Patriarchs know. I don't know if there is something in between Allegory and Exegesis, but this seems to be where Luther is, as he uses Abraham's (and Lot's) situation to expound on the situation he finds himself in.

However, I do find much wisdom in Luther's words, and this book like the two prior has given me much to dwell upon.