Luther’s Works, Volume 37

by Helmut T. Lehmann; Martin Luther; Hilton C. Oswald; Jaroslav Pelikan

Publisher:

Fortress Press

, 1961

Overview

This volume contains Luther’s most extensive exposition of his understanding of the Lord’s Supper. Directed against the more radical representatives of the sixteenth century reformation movement, this exposition is contained in the two major treatises appearing in an English translation in this volume. The translation and the wealth of historical commentary provided in this volume is a good starting point for a reassessment of the reformation contribution to our understanding of the Lord’s Supper.

Contents

Top Highlights

“Even the fanatical spirit must acknowledge that Christ gave his body in the Supper. For they are action-words which Christ spoke at the first administration, and he did not lie, when he said, ‘Take, eat, this is my body,’ just as the sun and moon came to be when he said, Genesis 1[:14], ‘Let there be a sun and a moon,’ and it was no lying word. So his word surely is not merely a word of imitation, but a word of power³⁴ which accomplishes what it expresses, Psalm 33[:9], ‘He spoke, and it came to be,’ especially because it was first spoken here, and was meant to be an action-word. Thus we have retained the first, original Supper, which they themselves grant and acknowledge.” (Volume 37, Page 181)

“Against this someone will object once more, ‘But you yourself declare that the wine remains wine in the new Supper. These words of yours make you a good papist who believes that there is no wine in the Supper.’ I reply: This bothers me very little, for I have often enough asserted that I do not argue whether the wine remains wine or not. It is enough for me that Christ’s blood is present; let it be with the wine as God wills. Sooner than have mere wine with the fanatics, I would agree with the pope that there is only blood.” (Volume 37, Page 317)

“‘Take, eat,’ for here even the unworthy and unbelieving eat Christ’s body, as Judas and many of the Corinthians did.⁴² Therefore those who administer the Supper do not necessarily have to have faith, just as faith is not necessarily presupposed in those who baptize. Again, we may say the same of those who preach and of all who hold public office. For Christ has established the validity of all these activities upon his Word and not upon the holiness of men, in order that we might be sure of the Word and the sacraments.” (Volume 37, Page 188)

Product Details

• Title: Luther’s Works, Volume 37
• Authors: Helmut T. Lehmann, Martin Luther, Hilton C. Oswald, Jaroslav Pelikan
• Series: Luther’s Works
• Publisher: Fortress Press
• Print Publication Date: 1961
• 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:42.110.137
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2025-10-21T20:12:10Z