Luther’s Works, Volume 52
Digital Logos Edition
Overview
This volume includes selections from the Christmas Postil, specifically sermons on the Gospel lessons for Christmas Eve, the Early Christmas Service, St. Stephen’s Day, the Sunday after Christmas, New Year’s Day, and the Festival of the Epiphany.
Top Highlights
“The seventh item is that they freely confess and publicly proclaim the word that was told them concerning the child.” (Volume 52, Page 37)
“For this reason her body did not abandon its natural functions which belong to childbirth, except that she gave birth without sin, without shame, without pain, and without injury, just as she had conceived without sin. The curse of Eve, which reads: ‘In pain you shall bear your children’ [Gen. 3:16], did not apply to her.” (Volume 52, Pages 11–12)
“The fifth item is joy which expresses itself in words so that we like to talk and hear about what faith has received in the heart.” (Volume 52, Page 36)
“Rather his ‘becoming like’ other men must be understood with reference to his external essence and behavior, that he was involved with eating, drinking, sleeping, walking, work, rest, house and town, walking and standing, clothes and garment, indeed every human behavior and deportment, so that nobody would have been able to recognize him as God, had not John and the gospel so proclaimed him.” (Volume 52, Page 86)
“The second mystery or hidden teaching is that in the church nothing other than the gospel shall be preached. Now the gospel teaches only the two previous things, Christ and his example, two kinds of good works: one kind belonging to Christ, by means of which we in faith, attain salvation, the other kind belonging to us, by means of which our neighbor is helped.” (Volume 52, Page 18)
- Title: Luther’s Works, Volume 52
- Authors: Helmut T. Lehmann, Martin Luther, Hilton C. Oswald, Jaroslav Pelikan
- Series: Luther’s Works
- Publisher: Fortress Press
- Print Publication Date: 1974
- 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:42.110.152
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2025-10-21T20:12:22Z
Reviews
1 rating
Glenn Crouch
4/22/2022
Rather than sermons this volume contains instruction for pastors when it comes to preparing sermons for the specified days. It covers the Gospel Reading for Christmas Eve, Early Christmas Service, Main Christmas Service, St Stephen’s Day (what we call Boxing Day), Sunday after Christmas, New Year’s Day, and Festival of the Epiphany. The first 6 (which cover 158 pages) pretty much do what is expected - and whilst I did find them a bit more allegorical than I expected from Luther’s sermons and commentaries, I am sure that these were and are useful resources when preaching on these passages. However the last item goes for almost 130 pages! I did think after finishing the first 6 that maybe there was a mistake in the table of contents ;-) As Luther himself comments in this long examination: “I have digressed with the best of intentions” - and in that he goes into great detail about the problems in the Church (pope / bishops / saints etc) and about vows / monastic system. Whilst, as when I’ve read all of this elsewhere, I appreciate Luther’s passion on these topics, I do think he “digresses” a bit too much :) Anyway still a worthwhile read. 52 volumes down, onto volume 53!