Luther’s Works, Volume 15
Digital Logos Edition
Overview
In this volume, Luther offers interpretations of three Old Testament texts that are often poorly translated and often misinterpreted. He gives fresh interpretations of Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon, calling upon readers to view them as "Solomon's Economics" and "Solomon's Politics." He then offers the reader a line- by-line commentary on 1 Samuel 23:1-7 as an example of simple, clear interpretation that keeps as its goal "to recognize our dear Lord and Savior clearly and distinctly in Scripture." Translated from the German and Latin.
Top Highlights
“Thus the subject or matter of this book is simply the human race, which is so foolish that it seeks and strives for many things by its efforts which it cannot attain or which, even if it does attain them, it does not enjoy but possesses to its sorrow and harm, as the fault not of the things themselves but of its own foolish affections.” (Volume 15, Page 10)
“Here we find the word גּוֹיִם, with which the present-day Jews—if indeed they are Jews46—calumniate and curse us just because we glory in this blessing, which God promised to Abraham, saying: ‘All גּוֹיִם shall be blessed in your Seed.’” (Volume 15, Page 323)
“Let us learn, therefore, to submit ourselves to the counsels of God and to refrain from the cares and thoughts that God has not commanded. There is nothing safer or more acceptable to God than if we refrain from our own counsels and rely on His Word. There we shall find sufficient guidance about what we ought to do. His commands to us are faith, love, and bearing the cross. With these things, I say, we can happily occupy ourselves. Let us deal with everything else as it comes into our hands, leaving to Him the concern about its outcome.” (Volume 15, Page 25)
“All human works and efforts have a certain and definite time of acting, of beginning, and of ending, beyond human control. Thus this is spoken in opposition to free will. It is not up to us to prescribe the time, the manner, or the effect of the things that are to be done; and so it is obvious that here our strivings and efforts are unreliable. Everything comes and goes at the time that God has appointed. He proves this on the basis of examples of human works whose times lie outside the choice of man. From this he draws the conclusion that it is useless for men to be tormented by their strivings and that they do not accomplish anything, even though they were to burst, unless the proper time and the hour appointed by God has come.” (Volume 15, Page 49)
- Title: Luther’s Works, Volume 15
- Authors: Helmut T. Lehmann, Martin Luther, Hilton C. Oswald, Jaroslav Pelikan
- Series: Luther’s Works
- Publisher: Concordia Publishing House
- Print Publication Date: 1972
- Logos Release Date: 2001
- Era: era:reformation
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subjects: Bible › Criticism, interpretation, etc.--History; Bible. O.T. Ecclesiastes › Commentaries; Bible. O.T. Song of Solomon › Commentaries; Lutheran Church; Theology › Early works to 1800
- Resource ID: LLS:42.110.115
- Resource Type: Bible Commentary
- Metadata Last Updated: 2025-10-07T22:15:57Z