Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadMartin Luther Collection: Luther, Martin - Table Talks: 37. Of Allegories
TOPIC: Luther, Martin - Table Talks (Other Topics in this Collection)
SUBJECT: 37. Of Allegories
Other Subjects in this Topic:
OF ALLEGORIES
-----------------------
DCCLXII.
Allegories and spiritual significations, when applied to faith, and that
seldom are laudable; but when they are drawn from the life and conversation,
they are dangerous, and, when men make too many of them pervert the doctrine
of faith. Allegories are fine ornaments, but not of proof. We are not
lightly to make use of them, except the principal cause be first
sufficiently proved, with strong grounds and arguments, as with St Paul in
the fourth chapter to Galatians. The body is the logic, but allegory the
rhetoric; now rhetoric, which adorns and enlarges a thing with words, is of
no value without logic, which roundly and briefly comprehends a matter. When
with rhetoric men will make many words, without ground, it is but a trimmed
thing, a carved idol.
DCCLXIII.
An allegory is when a thing is signified and understood otherwise than
as the words express. Of all languages, none is so rich in allegories as the
Hebrew. The German tongue is full of metaphors, as when we say: He hangs the
clock according to the wind: - Katherine von Borna is the morning star of
Wittenbert, and so on. These are metaphors, that is, figurative words.
Allegories are, as when Christ commands that one should wash another's feet,
of baptizing, of the Sabbath, etc.
We must not hold and understand allegories as they sound; as what
Daniel says, concerning the beast with ten horns; this we must understand to
be spoken of the Roman empire. Even so, circumcision in the New Testament is
an allegory, but in the Old testament it is no allegory. The New Testament
frames allegories out of the Old, as it makes two nations out of Abraham's
sons.
DCCLXIV.
The legend of St George has a fine spiritual signification, concerning
temporal government and policy. The virgin signifies the policy; she is
vexed and persecuted by the dragon, the devil, who goes about to devour her;
now he plagues her with hunger and dearth, then with pestilence, now with
wars, till at length a good prince or potentate comes, who helps and
delivers her, and restores her again to her right.
DCCLXV.
To play with allegories in Christian doctrine, is dangerous. The words,
now and then, sound well and smoothly, but they are to no purpose. They
serve well for such preachers that have not studied much, who know not
rightly how to expound the histories and texts, whose leather is too short,
and will not stretch. These resort to allegories, wherein nothing is taught
certainly on which a man may build; therefore, we should accustom ourselves
to remain by the clear and pure text. Philip Melancthon asked Luther what
the allegory and hidden signification was, that the eagle, during the time
he broods and sits upon the eggs, hunts not abroad; and that he keeps but
one young thrusting any others out of the nest. Likewise, why the ravens
nourish not their young, but forsake them when they are yet bare, and
without feathers? Luther answered: "The eagle signifies a monarch, who alone
will have the government and suffer none besides himself to be his equal.
The ravens are the harsh and hard-hearted swine and belly-gods, the
papists."
DCCLXVI.
The allegory of a sophist is always screwed; it crouches and bows
itself like a snake, which is never straight, whether she go, creep, or lie
still; only when she is dead, she is straight enough.
DCCLXVII.
When I was a monk, I was much versed in spiritual significations and
allegories. `Twas all art with me; but afterwards, when through the epistle
to the Romans, I had come a little to the knowledge of Christ, I saw that
all allegories wee vain, except those of Christ. Before that time I turned
everything into allegory, even the lowest wants of our nature. But
afterwards I reflected upon historical facts. I saw how difficult a matter
it was for Gideon to have fought the enemy, in the manner shown by the
Scripture; there was no allegory there or spiritual signification; the Holy
Ghost simply says, that Faith only, with three hundred men, beat so great a
multitude of enemies. St Jerome and Origen, God forgive them, were the cause
that allegories were held in such esteem. But Origen altogether is not worth
one word of Christ. Now I have shaken off all these follies, and my best art
is to deliver the Scripture in the simple sense; therein is life, strength,
and doctrine; all other methods are nothing but foolishness, let them shine
how they will. `Twas thus Munzer troped with the third chapter of John:
"Unless one be born again of water," and said: Water signifies tribulation;
but St Augustine gave us the true rule, that figures and allegories prove
nothing.
DCCLXVIII.
Few of the legends are pure; the legends of the martyrs are least
corrupted, who proved their faith by the testimony of their blood. The
legends of the hermits, who dwell in solitudes, are abominable, full of
lying miracles and fooleries, touching moderation, chastity, and nurture. I
hold in consideration the saints whose lives were not marked by any
particular circumstances, who, in fact, lived like other people, and did not
seek to make themselves noted.
DCCLXIX.
In the legend of the virgin Tecla, who, as they say, was baptized by St
Paul, `tis said: "she awakened in him carnal desire." Ah! loving Paul, thou
hadst another manner of thorn in thy flesh than carnal. The friars, who live
at their ease, and jollity, dream, according to their licentious
cogitations, that St Paul was plagued with the same tribulations as
themselves.
DCCLXX.
The legend of St Christopher is no history, but a fiction composed by
the Greeks, a wise, learned, and imaginative people, in order to show what
life that of a true Christian should be. They figure him a great, tall and
strong man, who bears the child Jesus upon his shoulders, as the name
Christopher indicates; but the child was heavy, so that he who carries him
is constrained to bend under the burden. He traverses a raging and
boisterous sea, the world, whose waves beat upon him, namely, tyrants, and
factions, and the devil, who would fain bereave him of soul and life; but he
supports himself by a great tree, as upon a staff; that is, God's Word. On
the other side of the sea stands an old man, with a lantern, in which burns
a candle; this means the writings of the prophets. Christopher directs his
steps thither, and arrives safely on shore, that is, at everlasting life. At
his side is a basket, containing fish and bread; this signifies that God
will here on earth nourish the bodies of his Christians, amid the
persecutions, crosses and misfortunes which they must endure, and will not
suffer them to die of hunger, as the world would have them. `Tis a fine
Christian poem, and so is the legend of St George; George, in the Greek,
means a builder, that builds edifices justly and with regularity, and who
resists and drives away the enemies that would assault and damage them.
DCCLXXI.
`Tis one of the devil's proper plagues that we have no good legends of
the saints, pure and true. Those we have are stuffed so full of lies, that,
without heavy labor, they cannot be corrected. The legend of St Catherine is
contrary to all the Roman history; for Maxentius was drowned in the Tiber at
Rome, and never came to Alexandria, but Maximian had been there, as we read
in Eusebius, and after the time of Jusius Caesar there had been no king in
Egypt. He that disturbed Christians with such lies, was doubtless a
desperate wretch, who surely has been plunged deep in hell. Such
monstrosities did we believe in popedom, but then we understood them not.
Give God thanks, ye that are freed and delivered from them and from still
more ungodly things.