Reading The Word of God – Week 4

 

In his lectures on the Psalms Luther regards the ex- pressions, “God speaks,” and, “the Scriptures speak,” as convertible [synonymous]. To hear or to read the Scriptures is nothing else than to hear God. They are His sanctuary in which He is present. Therefore we dare not despise one single word of the Scripture for “all its words are weighed, counted, and measured.” The prophets who spoke or wrote the Word were the organs of the Spirit; that is the precious fact that in them God himself is heard. For this reason we read in the Prophets, “The Word of the Lord came to me.” This is the friendliest and most intimate inspiration there is. Every word of the Scriptures must be precious to us because it comes from the mouth of God, is written for us, preserved for us, and will be proclaimed to the end of days. Why in one place we read so and not otherwise can be understood only by him who will permit himself to be guided by God. How unconditionally Luther accepted the authority of the Scriptures is evident from the fact that he is willing to accept things as true and real which in any legend would be rejected as absurd, if they are covered by a word of Scripture. No one should prefer his own opinion to that of the Scripture even if it seems much more plausible. (14)

 

*For additional information, source material, and details, please visit:  Reading the Word of God – Introduction 

 

Reading the Word of God – Week 3

 

Luther’s Lectures on the Psalms, 1513-1515, contain many declarations concerning the Scriptures. “What pasture is to the beast …, the nest for the birds, the stream for fish, the Scriptures are for believing souls. To the arrogant, of course, they are a stumblingblock; he will have nothing to do with them, since they offer him nothing. But to him who approaches the Scriptures with humility they open themselves and themselves produce humility, change man from a desperate sinner into a child of God. They give everything which the soul needs, and it is to tempt God, if anyone will not be satisfied with the Scriptures. They are the fountain from which one must dip. Each word of the same is a source which affords an inexhaustible abundance of water to everyone who thirsts after the saving doctrine. God’s will is completely contained therein, so that we must constantly go back to them. Nothing should be presented which is not confirmed by the authority of both Testaments and agrees with them. It cannot be otherwise, for the Scriptures are divine; in them God speaks and they are His Word.” (13–14)

 

 

*For additional information, source material, and details, please visit:  Reading the Word of God – Introduction 

 

Reading the Word of God – Week 2

 

Luther’s first statements concerning this matter we find in the marginal notes written by him in his personal copy of the Sentences of Lombardus, which, in 1510, as a Sententiarius he was called upon to teach. Here we find statements such as the following: “But you, dear reader, whoever you may be, take this as the word of a simple man: no one has ever yet had the experience that the vapors of the earth have illuminated the heavens, but rather that they hold back the light from the earth. By that I want to say that theology is heaven, or, to put it still better, the kingdom of heaven. Man is the earth, and his speculations are the vapors; now understand the rest and see for what reason there are such great di erences of opinion among the doctors. Note, too, that a swine has never been able to teach Minerva even though it o en imagines that it can.”   “All light must come from revelation, the human understanding is unable to understand supernatural matters.”   “For since no one has seen them, whatever is added to revelation is certainly nothing but human invention.”   “Arguments based on reason determine nothing, but because the Holy Ghost says it is true, it is true.” In connection with a disputed question Luther affirms, “though many famous doctors hold this opinion, yet they do not have Scripture on their side but only arguments of reason. But I have the words of Scripture on my side in this opinion that the soul is the image of God, and so I say with the Apostle, ‘Though an angel from heaven, that is, a doctor of the Church, teaches otherwise let him be anathema!’” (13)

*For additional information, source material, and details, please visit:  Reading the Word of God – Introduction 

 

Reading the Word of God – Week 1

 

We know that in 1513, when [Luther] began his lectures on the Psalms, he still operated with the fourfold sense of Scripture, the sensus literalis, allegoricus, tropologicus, and anagogicus, but that already in the course of his lectures he combined three of them into one and occasionally designated the sensus literalis as the sensus primarius scripturae behind which the sensus tropologicus must retreat. In his lectures on Romans, 1515-1516, and on Galatians, 1516-1517, this view becomes increasingly evident, and after 1519 his exposition is entirely controlled by the principle: Scripture has but one meaning, even though in his practical explanations of the Scriptures he still oftentimes pays tribute to the allegorical sense. He now declares in his writing against Emser, “Scripture shall not have a double meaning but shall retain the one that accords with the meaning by the words,” and again, “The Holy Ghost is the most simple author and speaker in heaven and earth, therefore His words cannot have more than one, the most simple meaning.” In his Christmas Postil of 1522 he even writes, “If we concede that Scripture has more than one sense, it loses its fighting force.” (10)

 

*For additional information, source material, and details, please visit:  Reading the Word of God – Introduction 

 

Reading the Word of God – Introduction

The translation of the Bible into the vernacular — into the everyday language of common people — was one of the greatest and most far-reaching accomplishments of the Reformation. As we celebrate the 500th anniversary of Luther posting the 95 theses, we might also recall that following that event in the year 1517, other events ensured that the Reformation would leave a permanent mark on the Christian church. To name only a few, we might include Luther’s three great treatises of 1520 (To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation, The Freedom of the Christian Man and The Babylonian Captivity of the Church), Luther’s catechisms of 1529 and the Augsburg Confession of 1530 by Philip Melanchthon. But we also cannot omit Luther’s translation of the Bible into German, with his publication of the New Testament in 1522 and the entire Bible in 1534.  The German Bible and the Catechisms enabled the Reformation to extend deeply into the mind and life of the laity.

During ongoing discussions between representatives of the Lutheran Church—Canada, the North American Lutheran Church and the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, the participants agreed on two foundational matters.   First, we came to a common understanding of the Holy Scriptures. In so doing, we adopted a document titled “God’s Word Forever Shall Abide: A Guiding Statement on the Character and Proper Use of the Sacred Scriptures” (appended below, issuu.com/ thelcms/docs/jlm-september-2016/6). That document has been circulated within our three church bodies to widespread approval. Second, we agreed that, to a great degree, the membership in each of our church bodies suffers from a declining familiarity with the Bible. We are reminded of the commendation of the Bereans, who “received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily” (Acts 17:11).

In order to encourage the people of our church bodies in the daily reading of Holy Scripture, we have compiled a three-year plan of daily Bible readings and a year-long series of weekly readings on Martin Luther’s approach to the Scriptures. The daily readings are on the attached calendars for 2018, 2019 and 2020. The plan provides a guide that will take the reader through the entire Old Testament one time in three years, with the exception of Psalms, which are read twice each year. e New Testament will be read twice in the three years. A reading from the Old Testament, a psalm (or portion of a psalm) and a reading from the New Testament is assigned for each day. Certain church festivals — Christmas, Easter, Pentecost and so forth — have readings appointed for the specific occasion.

The suggested readings are offered for one reason only: to enhance devotional life as an individual or a family daily examines, and is examined by, the Word of God and then responds in prayer to the heavenly Father. Toward that goal, the following suggestions may be considered.  They are merely suggestions, of course, as is this daily reading guide. The most important purpose of the guide is to encourage a daily practice of reading and meditating on the Bible, God’s Word. Since the Scriptures as a whole are God’s Word, increasing familiarity with the various books is encouraged.

Individuals who set aside time for personal devotion may find it easier than families to use this guide as a whole. Families, especially those with small children, who believe this is too ambitious for them may want to select only a portion of what is suggested, as a briefer reading that can be simply explained.

A set time is important — typically morning or evening at mealtime. The individual or family is encouraged to choose a time each day when there will be minimal or no distraction, allowing perhaps 20–40 minutes for reading and prayer.  The individual or family may begin with the sign of the holy cross and “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” as a reminder of our baptismal identity, followed by a prayer for the Holy Spirit to prepare the heart(s) to hear and understand the Word of God and to bear fruit in keeping with it (Matt. 13:13; Luke 8:11 .). One may then read the Old Testament selection, followed by the psalm and concluding with the reading from the New Testament. The individual Christian may wish to read aloud even if reading alone. While reading, remember that the two central messages of Scripture are Law and Gospel, for the Bible continually reminds us of our sins and God’s legitimate wrath against human rebellion (the Law), even as it also tells us the precious truth of God’s forgiveness, mercy and love, which are made certain in the incarnation, death, resurrection and assured return of our Lord Jesus.

With the frequent reading of the psalms comes an opportunity to use the psalter as the “prayer book of the Bible,” letting each daily psalm become an encouragement for prayer. The daily devotion will be strengthened even more if, following the counsel and practice of countless Christians, it includes confession of the Apostles’ Creed and a purposeful recitation of our Lord’s Prayer, considering each petition. As a nal suggestion for this devotional time, the use of Luther’s Morning or Evening Prayer is encouraged.

Lest this devotional exercise be viewed as an alternative to the church’s gathered life in the congregation, two other points are worth noting. First, the user(s) of this guide may wish to keep a notebook of questions that arise during the weekly devotional time. ose questions may be shared with a pastor or other church teachers for further insight in the Word of God. Second, since the morning is given to the Divine Service, the evening of the Lord’s Day is probably the best time to set aside for the daily readings, especially for a family. at time can also provide an opportunity for the family to discuss the sermon and the service that Sunday. The Sunday or weekend devotional time is also an ideal time to read the selection about Luther and Holy Scripture.

Weekly Readings —Martin Luther on Holy Scripture

As a companion to the Daily Reading Guide, the participants of the LCMS – LCC-NALC consultation are also offering selected readings from the work, Luther on the Scriptures, by Johann Michael Reu, (1869–1943), a German-born American Lutheran pastor, theologian and educator who taught from 1899 till his death at Wartburg eological Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa.

While we in no way intend for these to replace or be understood as equal to the value of daily Bible reading, we do believe they will be helpful, especially for Lutherans. Why?

Undoubtedly, there are those within Lutheranism today who no longer understand the meaning and purpose of Holy Scripture. Some Christians describe multiple methods of reading and interpreting the Scriptures, and this has had a negative impact in Lutheran churches as well. Increasingly in world Lutheranism, the notion of a “Lutheran” way of approaching the Bible has been lost, ignored or confused by competing yet supposedly equally valid means of studying Scripture. The result has been, in some places, a lack of commitment to the truth and authority of God’s Word, skepticism about the trustworthiness of God’s Word and a general lack of interest in hearing and heeding God’s Word. It should be no surprise, then, that there is the aforementioned “declining familiarity” with the Bible in our churches.

As we commend the Daily Bible Reading Guide to you, then, we also invite you to explore Martin Luther’s understanding of Holy Scripture with the series of weekly readings. Reu’s brief work, now out of print, has been shared among the participants of our consulta- tion, enlightening and directing our conversations as  we have sought a deeper and richer appreciation for God’s Word, largely through Luther’s own writing. As he speaks to us of the clarity, simplicity, trustworthiness and infallibility of Scripture, it is our hope and prayer that each member, household and congregation will turn daily to the Biblical readings with renewed desire for the Word which is a “lamp to [our] feet and a light to [our] path” (Ps. 119:105).