Gordon Cheng / 5th March 2008
/ Noticed in a book...
Despite (or, perhaps, even because) of Martin Luther's greatness, his faults are extreme and more clearly repulsive than most. Some of his words against German peasants and Jews read more like the ravings of a madman than of a theologian in his right mind.
Yet even in one of his most regrettable and offensive pieces of writing, ‘On the Jews and their lies’, what particularly obsesses his mind and stirs his anger is a desire to defend the truth of Scripture, the divinity of Christ, salvation by grace alone, the corruption of human nature, and the doctrine of the Trinity. It is not recommended reading. But any true assessment of Luther, the great re-discoverer of justification by faith alone, needs to acknowledge that, occasionally, many bad and ugly words and ideas crowded Luther's mind when he was writing.
Without looking to excuse him, it has to be said that Luther did not particularly single out Jewish people for attack. As this passage from Table Talk shows, he was quite capable of seeing that Gentiles were worse!
The Jews crucified Christ with words, but the Gentiles have crucified him with works and deeds. His sufferings were prophetical of our wickedness, for Christ suffers still to this day in our church much more than in the synague of the Jews; far greater blaspheming of God, contempt, and tyranny, is now among us than heretofore among the Jews. (Table Talk, ‘Of Jesus Christ’, CCIV)
Even in his most vitriolic and often repulsive writing, as he moves towards his conclusion of ‘On the Jews and their lies’, we see glimpses of a wider dimension of Luther's understanding. He never once denies that God's blessing comes in and through the Jews. So in the final paragraphs, we find him saying “Thus the dear Son of David, Jesus Christ, is also our King and Messiah, and we glory in being his kingdom and people, just as much as David himself and all children of Israel and Abraham.” [emphasis mine]. And just a few sentences later, he writes:
“If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord”; that is, we will also live after death, as we just heard, and as St. Paul preaches in Romans 14:8. We look for no bloodthirsty Kokhba in him, but the true Messiah who can give life and salvation. That is what is meant by a son of David sitting on his throne eternally. The blind Jews and Turks know nothing at all of this. May God have mercy on them as he has had and will have on us. Amen.
Luther's writing exposed simultaneously both the sinfulness of his own soul and the grace, kindness, gentleness and goodness of God who offers mercy “to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Rom 1:16)— as well as (we may add) the Turk, the Roman Catholic, the admirer or critic of Luther, and Luther himself.
Gordon Cheng / 4th March 2008
/ Bible insights
In preparation for the soon-to-be-expanded Briefing blog (stay tuned!), I've been spending a bit more time in the blogosphere looking at other blogs and seeing what people are up to. On one blog, I bumped into a comment on Acts 4:13. Acts 4:13 records the bit in Acts where the first-century Jewish leaders who persecuted the early church are astonished by the evangelistic boldness of Peter and John, recognizing that “they had been with Jesus”. The blog commenter wrote:
I find that phrase such a challenge and such an inspiration. “They had been with Jesus.” It is inspiring to know that the source of the disciples' boldness and confidence was not anything in themselves, but was a direct result of the time they had spent with Jesus.
Now it so happened that I had just read this snippet from Martin Luther's Table Talk a day earlier:
I know nothing of Jesus Christ but only his name; I have not heard or seen him corporally, yet I have, God be praised, learned so much out of the Scriptures, that I am well and thoroughly satisfied; therefore I desire neither to see nor to hear him in the body. (Table Talk, ‘Of Jesus Christ’, CCXXXII.)
Like Luther, I'm not persuaded that having been with Jesus in his incarnation is of any great spiritual advantage. Nor, I think, did the disciples themselves see it this way. I appreciate Matthew's honesty when he records the disciples' response to Jesus' resurrection: “And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted” (Matt 28:17). Jesus himself said, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29).
The mystery of the disciples' boldness is unlocked not by looking at the time they spent with Jesus when he was on earth. After three years with Jesus under imminent threat, the boldest disciple turned out to be Judas. He, more than any of the others, showed great initiative and independent thought—by going to the High Priest with an offer to betray his Lord.
On the other hand, the disciples became bold because of Jesus' promise. He said “[Y]ou will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). This same boldness is available to anyone who trusts Jesus for forgiveness and receives his Holy Spirit.
Gordon Cheng / 3rd March 2008
/ Bible insights
In an effort to clear heart and mind, and do a much needed rethink about ministry from a fresh angle, I've been reading Martin Luther's Table Talk in the last few days. The blessing of reading Luther is that he helps us rethink ministry and life itself by pointing us back to Scripture. Here is him commenting one of his favourite Psalms, Psalm 2:
The second Psalm is one of the best Psalms. I love that Psalm with my heart. It strikes and flashes valiantly amongst kings, princes, counsellors, judges, etc. If what this Psalm says be true, then are the allegations and aims of the papists stark lies and folly. If I were as our Lord God, and had committed the government to my son, as he to his Son, and these vile people were as disobedient as they now be, I would knock the world in pieces. (Table Talk, ‘Of God's Works’, CXI.)
This is typically violent and passionate language from the great German. But where did he get this extreme mode of speech? Read and learn:
Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying,
“Let us burst their bonds apart
and cast away their cords from us.”
He who sits in the heavens laughs;
the Lord holds them in derision.
Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
and terrify them in his fury, saying,
“As for me, I have set my King
on Zion, my holy hill.”
I will tell of the decree:
The Lord said to me, “You are my Son;
today I have begotten you.
Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
You shall break them with a rod of iron
and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.”
Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
be warned, O rulers of the earth.
Serve the Lord with fear,
and rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son,
lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
(Psalm 2)
How wonderful it is that we too can find refuge in this Son who rules with a rod of iron (vv. 9, 12)!
Ian Carmichael / 2nd March 2008
/ Ministry
Last week Gordon mentioned the way that Roman Catholics tend to use words differently (particularly the word ‘grace’). Mark Gilbert has written a set of very helpful evangelistic Bible studies which explore the content of the gospel while avoiding the confusing words or terminology. This makes them ideal for working through with Roman Catholic friends or family. The studies are called The God Who Saves and you can find more information about them in our online store. There are also leader's notes for the studies which are available for free. Read a review of them at Your.SydneyAnglicans.net.
Karen Beilharz / 28th February 2008
/ Notices
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