Martin Luther

From BillionQuotes

Martin Luther (November 10, 1483–February 18, 1546) was a German theologian, an Augustinian monk, and an ecclesiastical reformer whose teachings inspired the Reformation and deeply influenced the doctrines and culture of the Lutheran and Protestant traditions.

1 Sourced
2 Attributed
- 2.1 Table Talk (1569)
3 External links

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Sourced

We are beggars: this is true.
- "The Last Written Words of Luther," Table Talk No. 5468,16 February 1546. James A. Kellerman, Tr. Dr. Martin Luthers Werke, (Weimar: Hermann Boehlaus Nachfolger, 1909), Band 85 (TR 5) 317-318. [1]

By God's grace, I know Satan very well. If Satan can turn God's Word upside down and pervert the Scriptures, what will he do with my words -- or the words of others?
- Confession Concerning Christ's Supper, Part 3. Robert E. Smith, tr. Dr. Martin Luthers Werke: Kritische Gesamtsusgabe. (Weimar: Herman Boehlaus Nachfolger, 1909), pp.499-500. [2]

Faith is a living, bold trust in God's grace, so certain of God's favor that it would risk death a thousand times trusting in it. Such confidence and knowledge of God's grace makes you happy, joyful and bold in your relationship to God and all creatures. The Holy Spirit makes this happen through faith. Because of it, you freely, willingly and joyfully do good to everyone, serve everyone, suffer all kinds of things, love and praise the God who has shown you such grace.
- An Introduction to St. Paul's Letter to the Romans from Dr. Martin Luthers Vermischte Deutsche Schriften. Johann K. Irmischer, ed. Vol. 63(Erlangen: Heyder and Zimmer, 1854), pp.124-125. (EA 63:124-125)[3]

If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong (sin boldly), but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world. We will commit sins while we are here, for this life is not a place where justice resides. We, however, says Peter (2. Peter 3:13) are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth where justice will reign.
- Letter 99, Paragraph 13. Erika Bullmann Flores, Tr. from: Dr. Martin Luther's Saemmtliche Schriften Dr. Johann Georg Walch Ed. (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, N.D.), Vol. 15,cols. 2585-2590. [4]

What does it mean to have a god? or, what is God? Answer: A god means that from which we are to expect all good and to which we are to take refuge in all distress, so that to have a God is nothing else than to trust and believe Him from the [whole] heart; as I have often said that the confidence and faith of the heart alone make both God and an idol. If your faith and trust be right, then is your god also true; and, on the other hand, if your trust be false and wrong, then you have not the true God; for these two belong together faith and God. That now, I say, upon which you set your heart and put your trust is properly your god.
- Large Catechism 1.1-3, F. Bente and W.H.T. Dau, tr. Triglot Concordia: The Symbolical Books of the Ev. Lutheran Church(St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921), 565. [5]

But since the devil's bride, Reason, that pretty whore, comes in and thinks she's wise, and what she says, what she thinks, is from the Holy Spirit, who can help us, then? Not judges, not doctors, no king or emperor, because [reason] is the Devil's greatest whore. (German: "Vernunft ... ist die höchste Hur, die der Teufel hat.")
- Martin Luther's Last Sermon in Wittenberg ... Second Sunday in Epiphany, 17 January 1546. Dr. Martin Luthers Werke: Kritische Gesamtsusgabe. (Weimar: Herman Boehlaus Nachfolger, 1914),Band 51:126,Line 7ff.

When we are inclined to boast of our position [as Christians] we should remember that we are but Gentiles, while the Jews are of the lineage of Christ. We are aliens and in-laws; they are blood relatives, cousins, and brothers of our Lord. Therefore, if one is to boast of flesh and blood the Jews are actually nearer to Christ than we are.
- That Jesus Christ Was Born a Jew Luther's Works, American Edition (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1962), Volume 45, Page 201.

I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture.
- Letter to Chancellor Gregory Brück (An Den Kanzler Brück),13 January 1524.-- Dr. Martin Luther's Briefe, Sendschreiben und Bedenken: volständig aus den verschiedenen Ausgaben seiner Werke und Briefe, aus andern Büchern und noch unbenutzten Handschriten gesammelt. From the Wilhelm Martin Leberecht De Wette Collection of Luthers Letters, ( Berlin: Georg reimer, 1826 ) vol.2, page 459, (Letter # DLXXII; Latin text).
Gregor Brück: Wikipedia article in German

But the Jews are so hardened that they listen to nothing; though overcome by testimonies they yield not an inch. It is a pernicious race, oppressing all men by their usury and rapine. If they give a prince or magistrate a thousand florins, they extort twenty thousand from the subjects in payment. We must ever keep on guard against them. Table Talk, Hazlet, tr., p. 43.

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Attributed

If it were art to overcome heresy with fire, the executioners would be the most learned doctors on earth.
- To the Christian Nobility of the German States (1520)

Hier stehe ich, ich kann nicht anders. Gott helfe mir. Amen.
- Translation: Here I stand; I can do no other. God help me. Amen.
- Speech at the Diet of Worms (April 18, 1521)

The mad mob does not ask how it could be better, only that it be different. And when it then becomes worse, it must change again. Thus they get bees for flies, and at last hornets for bees.
- Whether Soldiers Can Also Be in a State of Grace (1526)

Ein' feste burg is unser Gott,
ein gute wehr und waffen.
Er hilft uns frei aus aller not,
die uns itzt hat betroffen.
- Translation: A mighty fortress is our God,
  A bulwark never failing.
  Our helper He amid the flood
  Of mortal ills prevailing.
- Ein' Feste Burg (1529)

What can only be taught by the rod and with blows will not lead to much good; they will not remain pious any longer than the rod is behind them.
- The Great Catechism. Second Command (1529)

Peace is more important than all justice; and peace was not made for the sake of justice, but justice for the sake of peace.
- On Marriage (1530)

Justice is a temporary thing that must at last come to an end; but the conscience is eternal and will never die.
- On Marriage (1530)

Idiots, the lame, the blind, the dumb, are men in whom the devils have established themselves: and all the physicians who heal these infirmities, as though they proceeded from natural causes, are ignorant blockheads.

If [women] become tired or even die, that does not matter. Let them die in childbirth--that is why they are there.

Reason must be deluded, blinded, and destroyed. Faith must trample underfoot all reason, sense, and understanding, and whatever it sees must be put out of sight and ... know nothing but the word of God.
- Said to be from V, 1312

Sin cannot tear you away from him [Christ], even though you commit adultery a hundred times a day and commit as many murders.

There is no more lovely, friendly and charming relationship, communion or company than a good marriage.

We are all ministers of the Gospel. Some of us just happen to be clergymen.

Whoever wants to be a Christian should tear the eyes out of his reason.
- Said to be from V, 425

Nothing good ever comes of violence

Moreover, they are nothing but thieves and robbers who daily eat no morsel and wear no thread of clothing which they have not stolen and pilfered from us by means of their accursed usury. Thus they live from day to day, together with wife and child, by theft and robbery, as arch-thieves and robbers, in the most impenitent security.
- [From "On the Jews and Their Lies",1543]

And to fill the measure of their raving, mad, and stupid folly, they boast and they thank God, in the first place, because they were created as human beings and not as animals.
- [From "On the Jews and Their Lies",1543]

Now just behold these miserable, blind, and senseless people.
- [From "On the Jews and Their Lies",1543]

So it became apparent that they were a defiled bride, yes, an incorrigible whore and an evil slut
- [From "On the Jews and Their Lies",1543]

They are full of malice, greed, envy, hatred toward one another, pride, usury, conceit, and curses against us Gentiles.
- [From "On the Jews and Their Lies",1543]

Besides, you also have many Jews living in the country, who do much harm... You should know the Jews blaspheme and violate the name of our Savior day for day... for that reason you, Milords and men of authority, should not tolerate but expel them. They are our public enemies and incessantly blaspheme our Lord Jesus Christ, they call our Blessed Virgin Mary a harlot and her Holy Son a bastard and to us they give the epithet of changelings and abortions. Therefore deal with them harshly as they do nothing but excruciatingly blaspheme our Lord Jesus Christ, trying to rob us of our lives, our health, our honor and belongings.
- Said to be from Luther's last sermon in Eisleben, 1546

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Table Talk (1569)

Superstition, idolatry, and hypocrisy have ample wages, but truth goes a-begging.
- 53

For where God built a church, there the Devil would also build a chapel...Thus is the Devil ever God's ape.
- 67

The Mass is the greatest blasphemy of God, and the highest idolatry upon earth, an abomination the like of which has never been in Christendom since the time of the Apostles.
- 171

There is no more lovely, friendly and charming relationship, communion or company than a good marriage.
- 292

A theologian is born by living, nay dying and being damned, not by thinking, reading, or speculating.
- 352

Reason is the greatest enemy that faith has: it never comes to the aid of spritual things, but--more frequently than not --struggles against the divine Word, treating with contempt all that emanates from God.
- 353

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