Luther’s Works, Volume 40
Digital Logos Edition
Overview
This volume in Luther’s Works contains writings of Luther directed for the most part against the fanatical front on the left. In denying the reality of the church, the validity and need of the office of the ministry, the fanatics relegate the sacraments to a secondary position, thus bypassing the Word as God’s means of communication to men.
Top Highlights
“The third function is to consecrate or to administer the sacred bread and wine.” (Volume 40, Page 24)
“The fourth function consists in binding and loosing from sin.” (Volume 40, Page 25)
“I approached the task of destroying images by first tearing them out of the heart through God’s Word and making them worthless and despised.” (Volume 40, Page 84)
“When ten years after baptism faith appears, what then is the need of a second baptism, if baptism was correctly administered in all respects? For now he believes, as baptism requires. For faith doesn’t exist for the sake of baptism, but baptism for the sake of faith. When faith comes, baptism is complete. A second baptism is not necessary.” (Volume 40, Page 246)
“Why does one then keep and teach the Ten Commandments? Answer: Because the natural laws were never so orderly and well written as by Moses. Therefore it is reasonable to follow the example of Moses.” (Volume 40, Page 98)
- Title: Luther’s Works, Volume 40
- Authors: Helmut T. Lehmann, Martin Luther, Hilton C. Oswald, Jaroslav Pelikan
- Series: Luther’s Works
- Publisher: Fortress Press
- Print Publication Date: 1958
- Logos Release Date: 2001
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subjects: Bible › Criticism, interpretation, etc.--History; Lutheran Church; Theology › Early works to 1800
- Resource ID: LLS:42.110.140
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2025-10-21T20:12:13Z
Reviews
1 rating
Glenn Crouch
6/12/2020
I quite enjoyed this collection of works, especially “Concerning Rebaptism” and “Instructions for the Visitors of Parish Pastors in Electoral Saxony” - in fact all were quite worthwhile reads, though I did find the “Infiltrating and Clandestine Preachers” a bit too harsh. Several of these documents deal with the rise of Anabaptist movement. Whilst I found Luther’s initial response to be well reasoned (and surprisingly quite moderate), by the last work (mentioned above) he does seem to be getting quite harsh - to the point I think it would be easy for his Catholic opponents to use some of his arguments against himself. There is a lot here for a Pastor (especially a Lutheran one) like myself - and a fascinating journey into the early Reformation understanding of the Church and its ministries, at least from Luther’s point of view.