Reading the Bible with Martin Luther: An Introductory Guide

by Timothy J. Wengert

Publisher:

Baker Academic

, 2013

Overview

Prominent Reformation historian Timothy Wengert introduces the basic components of Martin Luther’s theology of the Bible and examines Luther’s contributions to present-day biblical interpretation. Wengert addresses key points of debate regarding Luther’s approach to the Bible that have often been misunderstood, including biblical authority, the distinction between law and Gospel, the theology of the cross, and biblical ethics. He argues that Luther, when rightly understood, offers much wisdom to Christians searching for fresh approaches to the interpretation of Scripture.

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Key Features

• Insights into Luther’s theology and its significance for contemporary debates on the Bible
• Brief but comprehensive overview of Martin Luther’s theology of the Bible
• Wengert’s angle on the New Perspective on Paul

Contents

Top Highlights

“The second, or theological use, which is the chief use of the law as far as these early Lutherans were concerned, has to do with how God uses the law to reveal sin; to terrify the comfortable, self-satisfied person; and to put to death the old creature. As Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 3:6, ‘the letter kills’; or in Romans 3:20, ‘by the law comes knowledge of sin’; or in Galatians 2:19, ‘I through the law died to the law.’” (Page 31)

“Usually, when Lutherans now demand a third use of the law, what they want is Calvin’s approach. For Melanchthon and later Lutherans, however, the third use of the law was simply the first and second use applied to Christians.²¹ Believers are at the same time saint and sinner, believer and unbeliever, and thus they still need the law—first, to restrain them and reveal God’s good and gracious will and order for humanity and for all of God’s creation and, second, to kill the old creature and drive it back to the gospel, faith, and God-pleasing works and away from works-righteousness and ‘self-chosen spirituality.’” (Page 39)

“There is only one authority, and that is the crucified and risen One. Only that authority authorizes all subsequent authorities, scriptural or otherwise.” (Page 11)

“Luther, contrary to all of this, insisted that Scripture was self-authenticating. It is God’s Word because it ‘does God’ to me.” (Page 10)

“The gospel makes believers out of unbelievers—which is the same as raising the dead. This, then, is the heart of a distinctly ‘Lutheran’ interpretation of the Bible: distinguishing law and gospel and thus telling the truth about the human condition and about God.” (Page 33)

Product Details

• Title: Reading the Bible with Martin Luther: An Introductory Guide
• Author: Timothy J. Wengert
• Publisher: Baker Academic
• Publication Date: 2013
• Pages: 144

About Timothy J. Wengert

Timothy Wengert teaches and does research in Reformation History and the Lutheran Confessions. In 1981 he discovered and published notes on two of Martin Luther’s sermons from 1520. His dissertation, published by Librairie Droz in Geneva Switzerland, investigates Philip Melanchthon’s interpretation of John’s Gospel. While a representative for the ELCA on the Commission on Faith and Order of the National Council of Churches, he co-edited a book for Eerdmans publishing house on the role of church history in ecumenism, Telling the Churches’ Stories. In 2000 a new English edition of The Book of Concord appeared edited jointly by Robert Kolb and Timothy Wengert (Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress Publishers). His translation of Luther’s Small Catechism from that volume is used widely throughout the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He has written two other books on Philip Melanchthon: Human Freedom, Christian Righteousness (Oxford University Press) focuses on Melanchthon’s relation to Erasmus. Law and Gospel (Baker Books) concentrates on his relation to John Agricola and the third use of the law. In 1997, for the 500th anniversary of Melanchthon’s birth, he edited a book for Sheffield Academic Press entitled Philip Melanchthon (1497-1560) and the Commentary. In February 2000, the city of Bretten, Germany (Melanchthon’s birth place) awarded him Melanchthon Prize for contributions to the field of Reformation scholarship, especially for his book on Melanchthon and Erasmus.