Luther's Works, vol. 67: Annotations on Matthew and Sermons on the Gospel of St. Matthew

by Martin Luther

Publisher:

Concordia Publishing House

, 2015

Overview

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In December 1533, a new cycle of preaching on Matthew began in the Wittenberg Castle Church. Luther himself inaugurated the series with three sermons on Matthew 1. Then the preaching on Matthew was assigned to the Wittenberg doctoral student Hieronymus Weller (1499–1572). Behind Weller’s sermons, however, stood Luther, who prepared notes to help his student preach. The notes touched both on the interpretation of the scriptural passages and on homiletical strategies for preaching them.

In annotating Matthew’s text for another doctor of theology, Luther grappled with questions of the exegesis of the Synoptic Gospels at a high level of technical detail. Luther drew especially on the discipline of rhetoric—the use of language to persuade and move human beings—to interpret Matthew’s narrative and Jesus’ speech presented there and to identify strategies for the effective homiletical presentation of those texts to Weller’s contemporary audience.

As a modern reader, you will want to explore Luther’s treatment of the application of rhetoric to the tasks of exegesis and preaching, as well as for its exegesis of controverted passages. For Luther, trained as a Nominalist and later embracing humanist studies, a rhetorical understanding of Christ’s speech—and the rhetorical application of His Word in the present—is vitally important for Christians.

The crucial knowledge about God is not philosophical knowledge about the divine nature in relation to the creation, which could be obtained by reason or meditation or observation. Rather, it is the knowledge of God’s “counsel and will,” which must be revealed in Christ’s Word and proclaimed through the continuing ministry preached by his disciples. This was the task Luther sought to model for his timid student in the Annotations on Matthew.

In the Logos edition, this volume is enhanced by amazing functionality. Important terms link to dictionaries, encyclopedias, and a wealth of other resources in your digital library. Perform powerful searches to find exactly what you’re looking for. Take the discussion with you using tablet and mobile apps. With Logos Bible Software, the most efficient and comprehensive research tools are in one place, so you get the most out of your study.

Key Features

• Provides Luther’s exegesis on Matthew
• Gives insight into Luther’s exegesis and hermeneutics
• Outlines the historical context of Luther’s biblical interpretation

Praise for the Print Edition

Among the greatest and most prolific theologians of Christian history, Martin Luther still speaks to us today. This 20-volume new series splendidly complements its 55-volume predecessor and offers a treasure-trove of writings never before available in English, writings crucial to understanding Luther’s life, thought, and profound influence throughout the centuries. Offering readable yet reliable translations, well introduced and appropriately annotated, this new series should delight scholars as well as engage laity and clergy.

—Mark U. Edwards, Jr., academic dean, Harvard Divinity School

Luther’s analysis of human life and his proclamation of God’s merciful deliverance of humankind from sin and evil through Christ ring true across the cultural boundaries of time and space. This supplement to the historic edition of the reformer’s writings, completed a quarter century ago, is bringing significant additions to the texts from his pen than are currently available in English. It will also provide English-language reader’s access to documents that aid in understanding Luther’s own life and the development of the Wittenberg Reformation. The volumes are being edited according to the highest academic standards and their introductions and notes offer readers helpful guides to the context and content of the reformer’s writings. Casual readers and those seeking to expand and deepen their knowledge of the Reformation will profit greatly from these carefully translated and edited volumes.

—Robert Kolb, professor emeritus of systematic theology, Concordia Seminary, Saint Louis

Product Details

• Title: Luther’s Works, Volume 67
• Author: Martin Luther
• Series: Luther’s Works
• Publisher: Concordia Publishing House
• Print Publication Date: 2015
• Logos Release Date: 2015
• Pages: 415
• Era: era:contemporary
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subjects: Bible › Criticism, interpretation, etc.--History--16th century; Lutheran Church; Theology › Early works to 1800
• ISBNs: 9780758613967, 0758613962
• Resource ID: LLS:LW67
• Resource Type: Bible Commentary
• Metadata Last Updated: 2023-03-06T18:11:26Z

About Martin Luther

Martin Luther (1483–1546), one of the most significant figures in Western history, was a key figure in the Protestant Reformation. Over the course of his life, Luther was a monk, a priest, a professor of biblical literature, a Reformer, a husband, and a father.

Luther is most noted for his Ninety-Five Theses (1517), in which he argued that indulgences were not acts of penance which could replace true repentance. His refusal to retract all his writings, demanded by Pope Leo X in 1520 and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V at the Diet of Worms in 1521, resulted in his excommunication by the pope and condemnation as an outlaw by the emperor.

Luther has been both praised and vilified for what he preached and wrote. Luther’s translation of the Christian Bible into the vernacular greatly influenced the church. His works continue to impact all Christians and animate the movement that bears his name. Luther’s Works (55 vols.) contains many of Luther’s writings, including commentaries, sermons, and lectures.