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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadMartin Luther Collection: Luther, Martin - Table Talks: 11. Of The Catechism
TOPIC: Luther, Martin - Table Talks (Other Topics in this Collection)
SUBJECT: 11. Of The Catechism
Other Subjects in this Topic:
OF THE CATECHISM
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CCLXIV.
I believe the words of the apostles creed to be the work of the Holy Ghost;
the Holy Spirit alone could have enunciated things so grand, in terms so
precise, so expressive, so powerful. No human creature could have done it,
nor all the human creatures of ten thousand worlds. This creed, then, should
be the constant object of our most serious attention. For myself, I cannot
too highly admire or venerate it.
CCLXV.
The catechism must govern the church, and remain lord and ruler; that
is, the ten commandments, the creed, the Lord's Prayer, the sacraments, etc.
And although there may be many that set themselves against it, yet it shall
stand fast, and keep the pre-eminence, through him of whom it is written,
"Thou art a priest for ever:" for he will be a priest, and will also have
priests, despite the devil and all his instruments on earth.
CCLXVI.
Sermons very little edify children, who learn little thereby; it is
more needful they be taught and well instructed in schools, and at home, and
that they be heard and examined what they have learned; this way profits
much; `tis very wearisome, but very necessary. The papists avoid such pains,
so that their children are neglected and forsaken.
CCLXVII.
In the catechism, we have a very exact, direct, and short way to the
whole Christian religion. For God himself gave the ten commandments, Christ
himself penned and taught the Lord's Prayer, the Holy Ghost brought together
the articles of faith. These three pieces are set down so excellently, that
never could any thing have been better; but they are slighted and condemned
by us as things of small value, because the little children daily say them.
The catechism is the most complete and best doctrine, and therefore
should continually be preached; all public sermons should be grounded and
built thereupon. I could wish we preached it daily, and distinctly read it
out of the book. But our preachers and hearers have it at their fingers
ends; they have already swallowed it all up; they are ashamed of this slight
and simple doctrine, as they hold it, and will be thought of higher
learning. The parishioners say: Our preachers fiddle always one tune; they
preach nothing but the catechism, the ten commandments, the creed, the
Lord's prayer, baptism, and the Lord's supper; all which we know well enough
already; but the catechism, I insist, is the right Bible of the laity,
wherein is contained the whole sum of Christian doctrine necessary to be
known by every Christian for salvation.
First, there are the ten commandments of God, Doctrina Doctrinarum, the
doctrine of all doctrines, by which God's will is known, what God will have
of us, and what is wanting in us. Secondly, there is the confession of faith
in God and in our Lord Jesus Christ; Historia Historiarum, the history of
histories, or highest history, wherein are delivered unto us the wonderful
works of the divine Majesty from the beginning to all eternity; how we and
all creatures are created by God; how we are delivered by the Son of God
through his humanity, his passion, death, and resurrection; and also how we
are renewed and collected together, the one people of God, and have
remission of sins and everlasting life.
Thirdly, there is the Lord's prayer, Oratio Orationum, the prayer above
all prayers, a prayer which the most high Master taught us, wherein are
comprehended all spiritual and temporal blessings, and the strongest
comforts in all trials, temptations, and troubles, even in the hour of
death.
Fourthly, there are the blessed sacraments, Cerimoniae Cerimoniarum,
the highest ceremonies, which God himself has instituted and ordained, and
therein assured us of his grace. We should esteem and love the catechism,
for therein is the ancient, pure, divine doctrine of the Christian church.
And whatsoever is contrary thereunto is new and false doctrine, though it
have ever so glorious a show and lustre, and we must take good heed how we
meddle therewith. In all my youth I never heard any preaching, either of the
ten commandments, or of the Lord's prayer.
Future heresies will darken this light, but now we have the catechism,
God be praised, purer in the pulpits, than has been for the last thousand
years. So much could not be collected out of all the books of the Fathers,
as, by God's grace, is now taught out of the little catechism. I only read
in the Bible at Erfurt, in the monastery; and God then wonderfully wrought,
contrary to all human expectation, so that I was constrained to depart from
Erfurt, and was called to Wittenberg, where, under God, I gave the devil,
the pope of Rome, such a blow, as no emperor, king, or potentate, could have
given him; yet it was not I, but God by me, his poor, weak, and unworthy
instrument.
The Decalogue - that is, the ten commandments of God, are a
looking-glass and brief sum of all virtues and doctrines, both how we ought
to behave towards God and also our neighbour; that is, towards all mankind.
There never was at any time written a more excellent, complete, or
compendious book of virtues.
CCLXIX.
God says: "I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God." Now, God is jealous
two manner of ways; first, God is angry as one that is jealous of them that
fall from him, and become false and treacherous, that prefer the creature
before the Creator; that build upon the favors of the great; that depend
upon their friends, upon their own power - riches, arts, wisdom, etc.; that
forsake the righteousness of faith, and condemn it, and will be justified
and saved by and through their own good works. God is also vehemently angry
with those that boast and brag of their power and strength; as we see in
Sennacherib, king of Assyria, who boasted of his great power, and thought
utterly to destroy Jerusalem. Likewise in king Saul, who also thought to
defend and keep the kingdom through his strength and power, and to pass it
on to his children when he had suppressed David and rooted him out.
Secondly, God is jealous for them that love him and highly esteem his
Word; such God loves again, defends, and keeps as the apple of his eye, and
resists their adversaries, beating them back, that they are not able to
perform what they intended. Therefore, this word jealous comprehends both
hatred and love, revenge and protection; for which cause it requires both
fear and faith; fear, that we provoke not God to anger, or work his
displeasure; faith, that in trouble we believe he will help, nourish, and
defend us in this life, and will pardon and forgive us our sins, and for
Christ's sake preserve us to life everlasting. For faith must rule and
govern, in and over all things, both spiritual and temporal; the heart must
believe most certainly that God looks upon us, loves, helps, and will not
forsake us, as the Psalm says: "Call upon me in the time of trouble, so will
I deliver thee, and thou shalt praise me," etc. Also "The Lord is nigh unto
all those that call upon him; yea, all that call upon him faithfully." And,
"He that calleth upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
Further, the Lord says: "And will visit the sins of the fathers upon
the children, unto the third and fourth generation," etc. This is a terrible
word of threatening, which justly affrights our hearts, and stirs up fears
in us. It is quite contrary to our reason, for we conceive it to be a very
unjust proceeding, that the children and posterity should be punished for
their fathers and forefathers offences. But forasmuch as God has so decreed,
and is pleased so to proceed, therefore our duty is to know and acknowledge
that he is a just God, and that he wrongs none. Seeing that these fearful
threatenings are contrary to our understanding, therefore flesh and blood
regard them not, but cast them in the wind, as though they signified no more
than the hissing of a goose. But we that are true Christians believe the
same to be certain, when the Holy Ghost touches our hearts, and that this
proceeding is just and right, and thereby we stand in the fear of God. Here
again we may see what man's free-will can do, in that it understands and
fears nothing. If we did but feel and know how earnest a threatening this
is, we should for fear instantly fall down dead; and we have examples, as
where God said: that for the sins of Manasseh he will cast the people into
miserable captivity.
But some may argue: Then I see well that the posterity have no hope of
grace when their parents sin. I answer: Those that repent, from them is the
law taken away and abolished, so that their parents sins do not hurt them;
as the prophet Ezekiel says: "The son shall not bear the iniquity of the
father;" yet God permits the external and corporal punishment to go on, yea,
sometimes over the penitent children also for examples, to the end that
others may fly from sin and lead a godly life.
"But he will do good and be merciful unto thousands," etc. This is a
great, a glorious, and comfortable promise, far surpassing all human reason
and understanding, that, for the sake of one godly person, so many should be
partakers of undeserved blessings and mercies. For we find many examples,
that a multitude of people have enjoyed mercies and benefits for the sake of
one godly man; as for Abraham's sake, many people were preserved and
blessed, and also for Isaac's sake; and for the sake of Naaman the whole
kingdom of Assyria was blessed of God.
To love God is, that we certainly hold and believe that God is gracious
unto us, that he helps, assists, and does us good. Therefore, love proceeds
from faith, and God requires faith, to believe that he promises all good
unto us.
CCLXX.
The first commandment will stand and remain, that God is our God; this
will not be accomplished in the present, but in the life everlasting. All
the other commandments will cease and end; for, in the life to come, the
world will cease and end together with all external worship of God, all
world policy and government; only God and the first commandment will remain
everlastingly, both here and there.
We ought well to mark with what great diligence and ability Moses
handles the first commandment, and explains it. He was doubtless an
excellent doctor. David afterwards was a gate or a door out of Moses. For he
had well studied in Moses, and so he became a fine poet and orator; the
Psalms are altogether syllogisms, or concluding sentences out of the first
commandment. Major, the first, is God's Word itself; Minor, the second,
faith. The conclusion is the act, work, and execution, so that it is done as
we believe. As, Major: Misericors Deus, respicit miseros: Minor: Ego sum
miser; Conclusio; Ergo Deus me queoque respicit.
When we believe the first commandment, and so please God, then all our
actions are pleasing unto him. If thou hearest his Word, if thou prayest,
mortifiest thyself, then says God unto thee: I am well pleased with what
thou doest. Moreover, when we observe the first commandment, then that
placet goes through all the other commandments and works. Art thou a
Christian? wilt thou marry a wife? wilt thou buy and sell? wilt thou labor
in the works of thy vocation? wilt thou punish and condemn wicked and
ungodly wretches? wilt thou eat, drink, sleep? etc. God says continually:
Placet.
But if thou keepest not the first commandment, then says God to all thy
works and actions, Non placent, they please me not. Christ takes the first
commandment upon himself, where he says: "He that honoreth me, honoreth the
Father; he that honoreth not the Son, honoreth not the Father."