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THE BIBLE AND THE CONFESSIONS

Rev. Egon Kopereck

President of Igreja Evangelica Luterana do Brasil

Porto Alegre, RS.

Introduction

The new year the church that is in front of us will need much of the biblical message.

Making this statement, the question that immediately comes to our mind is: "Why?" Was

the Bible was less important in 2012 then it will be the next year? What's different about

the new church year is approaching?

Somehow the message of the Bible is equally important and necessary in everyday of

human existence. There is not a day that can be dispense this Word. But there are days

when we need God and his Word in a special way. The same could be said about prayer.

We must, we can and we need to pray and talk to God daily. It’s God’s recommendation,

"Call upon me in the day of trouble." (Psalm 50:15) We live turbulent days in the world.

The European crisis continues. The United States looks for better days, the Arab League is

always at war, Brazil with its moral problems. Finally the world will need much of the

Bible, the Word of God, so that the fear of the Lord bring wisdom, discernment and better

days.

Highlights of this study:

I - What the Lutheran Confessions say about the need of the Bible in the life of human

beings.

II - Secondly, the relevance of the Scriptures, and the importance of valuating it in the use

of daily life.

To study the Confessions and to listen how our reformers defended the centrality of the

Word, its truths, its teaching, the theology of the cross, and justification by faith in Christ,

is very important, necessary and fundamental .

Professor Paul P. Weirich wrote:

The Reformation of the sixteenth century made in the second half of the

millennium, left the church was in a permanent state of alert on the core question:

what really is the Gospel? Since the rejection of the proposals by the Lutheran

Council of Trent until the Catholic-Lutheran dialogue that resulted in an attempt to

convergence of the Joint Declaration of Augsburg in October 1999, is necessary to

admit that the question of denominational loyalty in light of the gospel is vital to

Christian church. Truth is that the discussion around the confessionalism can

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become an end in itself at times. But where this discussion does not happen, the

gospel tends to be suppressed by practices, attitudes and discourses that empty it.1

There are churches and people that do not accept and question the validity of confessions in

the life and practice of the church. In this sense the pastor and professor Otto Goerl wrote:

1. Arguments against adopting confessions:

a) Why do we need confessions if we have the Bible? They are unnecessary, are

superfluous.

b) They can become human traditions, official decrees of the church, con be placed in same

level or even above the Bible. So they are dangerous.

c) Faith is something very personal that can not be defined and formulated and imposed by

others upon the conscience of the individual.

d) The confessions have only historical value, they fulfilled their mission in the past, today

we live under different conditions, they are irrelevant today. They became obsolete.

e) The confessions are dead formulas that do not allow the church follow the progress of his

century and to interpret the biblical dogmas in light of the growing knowledge of mankind.

f) The confessions are cold dogmas, abstract definitions, the opposite of an alive and active

Christianity.

There may also be other objections, but we limit ourselves to the most invoked against the

use of confessions in the church.

2. In response we show the self-witness of the cardinal points of the Lutheran Confessions:

a) Confessions are not creating something new, they are only repeating the divine truths

drawn from the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament. (Intr. the Book of Concord).

b) They emphasize that only "the Bible is the only judge, rule and norm according to which

all doctrines should and must be discerned and judged." (In-tr. the Formula of Concord).

c) They rather want to be, "testimony and presentation of the faith" which is to say, a

faithful interpretation of scriptural doctrines. (Ibid).

d) They also try to avoid that "turbulent and quarrelsome people who do not want to hold a

fixed form of the pure doctrine" and so abuse of discretion to introduce errors, with the

result that "the pure doctrine is obscured and lost." (Intr. Book of Concordia).

3. Moreover, the confessions follow the guidance of Scripture itself with respect to its

character and goals.

a) A confession is a summary of the biblical truths that facilitates their study. The Small

Catechism of Luther, serves as example, it became the confession most widely used and

1 Seibert, Erni Walter. Introduction to the Lutheran Confessions, Concordia Publishing House, Porto Alegre,

RS, 2000, p. 9

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known. There are other notorious summaries found in the Bible, the Ten Commandments,

the Lord's Prayer, the Sermon on the Mount and especially the classical reduction of the 10

Commandments into only 2 Jn 21.24,25, Matthew 22:37-40.

b) The confession serves as a flag, badge, testimony to others. - Matthew 10:32, 16:13-16,

John 1:49, 6:69, Rom 10:9; 2 Corinthians 4:13, Hebrews 4:14, 1 Peter 3:15. WE BELIEVE,

WE TEACH AND WE CONFESS.

c) The confession fight for unrestricted fidelity to the revealed Word, defending the truth

and combating the error. - John 6.66-68; 1 Timothy 4.15,16; 6:3-5, 2 Timothy 4:1-4, Col.

2:8, Gal 1:8; 1 John 4.1. WE REJECT AND CONDEMN.

d) The confession help either through an accurate interpretation and formulation of concise

biblical teachings, the gather and unity believers in Jesus in a real and authentic

ecumenism. - Ephesians 4.3-6; 1 Corinthians 1:10, 1 Timothy 1:3-4, Hebrews 13.8,9. (Cf.

Mt 22.41-46). FORMULA OF CONCORD.

e) The confession are a summary of Scriptural doctrines, far from being a dead formula as

liberal and rationalist theology says, leads to the fountain of living water that refreshes the

soul and gives life and salvation. - John 6.63,68; 4.10; 7.37,38.2

That’s why we use the Confessions, we have them as base for the current problems and

difficulties. I believe that they are very important for the gospel remain alive among us.

II - The importance of Bible translations

According to the Concise Oxford Dictionary, translation is an "operation that consists of

passing a statement issued in one language to the equivalent in another language."

Pastor Dr. Rudi Zimmer, president of the Bible Society of Brazil (SBB) and the

International Bible Society (SBI): "More than mere substitution of words, translation is an

act of communication, because the text has to make sense."3

To translate correctly, one must know the original language as well as have full knowledge

of the language to which it will be translated, has to know the vocabulary, so that the

translation will faithfully reflect what was said in the original.

Luther had this concern. Luther wanted the German people to read and to understand what

was written. Understand what God wanted to say, and what he wanted to be understood. He

wanted that German people really understood God’s teaching.

Talking about his translation into German language, Luther said in his Tischreden:

2 Goerl, Otto. Formula of Concord, Concordia SA, Porto Alegre, RS, 1997, p.13 and 14

3 Zimmer, Rudi. Document the CTRE, IELB, 2011.

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This Bible - and I do not glorify myself, because this work is a glory in itself - it is so good

and so excellent, that I can say that it is the best of all versions, whether Greek or Latin, nor

you can find more in all the writings that comment it. "And Luther continued:" I carry with

me a concern that many will not read the Bible, because they are weary of it, and no one

remembers it”.4

A good translation of the Bible is very important, and that why the SBB and Biblical World

Bible Society are so concerned about the ability, preparation, knowledge of the original

languages of those who work there. However even though there is all this care in

translation, nothing replaces the original. The translation is always a similar interpretation

of the text also that’s why, when a new version of the Bible is presented, it often creates

controversy, argument, discontentment, and often rejection.

This is a situation that we now live in Brazil. I think we should always be very careful with

the zeal and good translations, which effectively our Bible Societies have, but instead of

wasting time discussing what is the best translation, we should be courageous, give support

and spread the word of God, so it will be read and meditated more and more.

What do Confessions speak about the Bible

According Augustus Nicodemus Lopes, Luther’s hermeneutics of Scripture redeemed from

the bondage of medieval exegesis and control of the Roman Catholic Church.5

“The Lutheran Confessions are seen by Lutherans confessions and not as

Theological treatises. They are not meant to be dogmatic. They are not the result of

laboratory work, but expression of struggle in the field. They are the expression of

faith convictions, public testimonies in face of opposition. The approach of the

Confessions is not comprehensive in the sense that all the themes of faith needed to

be present in its content. Confessions addressed themes that were problems to be

solved.”6

This emphasis is present in the Augsburg Confession, the Articles of Smalcald and the

Formula of Concord. The Lutheran Confessions were not simple debate and theological

dispute, but they were the defense of a confident, firm and faithful of the Word of God.

They were wrote, defended and lived within that spirit that led Dr. Martin Luther confess

and say: "If they come to steal, property, life and home, let them take all away, the heaven

4 Wolf, Manfred. One more question, Dr. Luther Synod, São Leopoldo, RS, p. 23 5 Lopes, Augustus Nicodemus. Luther also speaks. An Essay in History Interpretation Bílbica,

http://old.thirdmill.org, p. 1 6 Seibert, op. cit. p. 12

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they can take away. " Theodore E. Schmauk said: "The Confessions are the Scripture

digested assimilated and pulsating life of the Church." 7

Confessions have biblical foundation. To be biblical, is not sufficient to quote the Bible, it

is necessary to do correct exegesis, interpret it properly. For example, repentance is not

penance, but change of life.

So too, according to the Lutheran Confessions, we need to find the central theme of the

Word, to make proper and correct interpretation of it.

The central theme of Scripture, according to what we believe and confess, points to God's

love and the redemptive work of Jesus Christ.

To say that the greatest contribution of Reformation was to give more freedom of opinion

to humans, is a mistake.

Confessions believe that God gave his word. Man, to receive it, must not be self-sufficient

and proud. Not understanding the Scripture fully should not be a reason to reject it. What

God has given is too precious to be lost or tampered with false doctrine. But it should be

believed, preached and shared.8

The Catechisms were written to fight and overcome the ignorance of the people. Luther had

a great concern about people ignoring the Word and therefore the Catechisms were a

simple, easy way to carry that Word to the people, starting at home with the children. So

Luther began the Small Catechism saying: "This is how the head of the family should teach

them with simplicity at his home."9

So also the Augsburg Confession was objective, peaceful, founded on the Bible.

The Augsburg Confession was written for a political meeting, where there was a mighty

Catholic emperor at the height of his power. It also had a view of the Eck’s Theses that

tried to identify Lutheran Reformation with radical movements of that period. Under such

circumstances, the confession was pacifist instead of controversy in relation to Romanism.

It was ecumenical and nonsectarian. It was scriptural and not scholastic, and more popular

than academic.10

7 Schmauck and benzene. The Confessional Principle and the Confessions of the Lutheran Church,

Philadelphia, General Council Publication Board, 1991, p. 9 8 Seibert, op. cit. p. 13

9 Book of Concord, CM, I, p. 366 10 Seibert, op.cit. P. 14

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Thus the Book of Concord, a church document containing its confessions of faith and life,

based on the Holy Scriptures, aims to point justification by faith.

The Book of Concord is also a theological document. The documents that form the Book of

Concord are coherent and consistent with good Biblical teaching. This shows that there is,

behind its preparation, a systematic view of Scripture. The center of the Book of Concord is

the doctrine of justification by faith, which is the center of the gospel. In this theology is a

unified organicity.11

If we think these days, especially in Brazil, about the reality that I know where pseudo-

pastors, false prophets deceive and exploit the people with promises of prosperity, healing,

miracles, solution to all sorts of problems, but on the other hand, exploiting human

suffering, a humble people, slaughtering it with threats of divine punishment if they do or

not this and that. With nearly hypocrisy and almost mockery they offer help with

hypothetically blessed objects. In this universe the Book of Concord is very updated and

necessary. Pointing to the grace, mercy, love of God, not human merit. Today they do not

sell indulgences, but explore the fragility human beings, wanting to sell the grace of God.

They are erring in not pointing to the love and mercy of God. To the God who accepts and

receives the repented . The God that doesn’t promise deliverance from all suffering and

afflictions of this world, but much better, promises deliverance from eternal suffering , and

wants to be on our side every day, in the road that takes to eternal happiness in heaven. In

this journey, however difficult it may be, also promises not to abandon us, but invites us to

trust our lives in his hands (Ps. 37.5; Matt. 11:28).

In the Confessions we do not have many biblical quotations, but all confessions are based,

grounded on God's Word. Disputes were refuted in the light of the Holy Bible.

Our opponents say that they are the church, that they follow the ecclesiastical consensus . It

happens, however, that Peter here in our question, quotes also the consensus of the church:

"To Him all the prophets bear witness that through his name, receive remission of sins,

etc.." No doubt that must take account of the consensus of the universal church consensus

of the prophets. Neither the Pope nor the church can give the power to decree against the

consensus of the prophets. But the bull of Leo openly condemns this article of the

remission of sins, and so do the other opponents in Refutation. It is evident then that we

should think about the church of this people, that not only disapproves, by decree, the

sentence that we say that we obtain remission of sins by faith, not by virtue of our works

but because of Christ, but who also condemns this doctrine that should also be abolished by

11 Ibid. p. 15

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force and all good men that think like this should be destroyed by the sword and by all sorts

of cruelties.12

Confessions also highlight the Law and the Gospel. Ap IV, 5, 102, Rev. 12, 53; Ap IV, 87

Law and Gospel are, for Confessions, the summary of all Scripture. Following this line of

thought, the Gospel is the summary of Law and Gospel. The gospel is not the abstract

excluding the law, but in distinction to the law, but as the promise of God and forgiveness.

Therefore, it must be estimated thousands of times more than the commandments and

judgments.

This emphasis on gospel suggests that it is the norm in Scripture and Scripture is the norm

to find the gospel. As the gospel is the guiding norm of Scripture and because the Scripture

testimony norm of the gospel, it is understood that all articles of the Confessions, trying to

preserve the gospel, preserve the Scripture as the norm of faith. (Ap, IV 0.2 to 4. P.5-7)

Without the knowledge of the gospel, the Bible remains unintelligible and useless. From

the Gospel, which is the center, all the particular claims of Scripture receive their proper

place and meaning. The fact that somebody uses biblical passages does not make anyone

biblical. We ought to distinguish between biblical doctrine and biblicism or bibliolatry.13

Therefore, in our Confessions, the Gospel is especially highlighted . The Gospel is not a

book that exists for itself, but it is God's message addressed to us. It is not doctrine by its

own, but it's proclamation. The Gospel is not in us, but we have received it from God,

coming to us through the Word and bringing us absolution. The word heard or read,

through which the Holy Spirit works in us and operates faith in us.

The Holy Spirit completely dominates the thinking and theology of Luther. To be

understood Luther's theology is necessary to know his thoughts about the action of the Holy

Spirit. In all decisive questions of Lutheran doctrine, the Holy Spirit occupies fundamental

place

Luther was a very intelligent person, but also very humble. He made sure to apply

everything into practice of the Christian life, so that humble people could understand the

eternal truths of God.

Luther said that man only could love God, after the Holy Spirit acted in him, working

repentance and faith. The man, alone, can not love God, he needs the Holy Spirit first to

12

Book of Concord, Concordia Publishing House, Porto Alegre, RS, 1980, Apology of Confession, art. XII,

66 and 67 13 Seibert, op.cit. P. 18

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transform his life, as the apostle John said: "We love because he loved us first." (1 Jn 4:19).

It is the Holy Spirit working in us through the Word and Sacraments, and makes us to

recognize the love of God in Christ Jesus. Only after this is that the human being can love

God. This love is not a merit of his own or consequence of the human being effort, but the

action of the Holy Spirit in the life, the heart of the human being.

THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE MEANS OF GRACE

The means of grace can be defined as the way that the Holy Spirit uses to work in the lives

of human beings, to proclaim the love of God, namely, through the Word and Sacraments.

To understand Luther’s of God's Word, we must also understand what he said about Law

and Gospel. Luther made the following distinction about the Word of God: Internal Word

and External Word. The External is the word of God written and revealed to us in the Holy

Scriptures, the Bible. The Internal is God’s Word itself.

Without the internal word of God the external word (Scripture), would be merely the word

of men. The external word only reaches the ear of the man, but the internal word reaches

the heart. The external word only reaches its end when is impregnated the internal word,

but, on the other hand, the internal word needs the external word to reach the human heart.

The external Word is the vehicle that the Holy Spirit uses in order to communicate the

internal word into human heart. The word is an instrument of the Holy Spirit. Both the

internal word, as the external are part of this instrument, therefore, one is closely linked to

the another. Just as one can not separate heat from the sun rays, one can not separate the

Holy Spirit from the external and internal word.

Luther did not accept separate the Holy Spirit from the Word, because the purpose of the

Holy Spirit to use the Word is to make Christ really present in the life of the Christian. The

apostle John called the Christ, the Word. The Word is Christ in action. Christ is the Word

that made the action to save mankind. And this Word continues in action, through the

Word, which is communicated to man by the Holy Spirit. So Christ, as the Word, is closely

linked to the Holy Ghost, and the Holy Spirit acts by the saving work of Christ through the

word. Therefore, if we want to separate the Holy Spirit from the word, we are also

separating the Holy Spirit from Christ, and this is impossible, because the Father and the

Son and the Holy Spirit are one. Christ, the Word, form a unity with the Father and the

Holy Spirit, this unit is indivisible and inseparable. So the Holy Spirit acts in Christian, by

the word. Any spirit that acts outside the word is not the Holy Spirit, but some other spirit.

And that is why the apostle Paul wrote: "Test the spirits to see whether they are of God."

And the only way to get the proof is through Scriptures, for in it and through it the Holy

Spirit acts. The Holy Spirit works through the external word and internalized this word in

the heart of this man, making Christ truly present. The Holy Spirit works through the word,

but not always the word contains the Holy Spirit. Without the work of the Holy Spirit the

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word will remain simples words that speak about Jesus and does not bring the real Christ to

men.

For Luther, both the Law and the Gospel had the same content: Christ. But the difference is

the following: The content of the Law had Christ as a requirement, and the gospel has

Christ as a gift.14

THE TRUTH OFCONFESSIONS AND ITS PRACTICE

Interestingly, the Confessions speak little of the inspiration of the Bible, but highlights the

action of the Holy Spirit in the lives of listeners.

To achieve this faith, God instituted the office of preaching, giving us the Gospel and the

sacraments, by which, as by means, gives the Holy Spirit, who works faith, where and

when to he pleases, in those who hear the gospel, which teaches us that we, through the

merits of Christ, not by our own, have a gracious God, if we believe.15

Confessions acknowledge and mention the apostolic fathers, fathers of the church, not

because they are authorities themselves, but because they taught the Scriptures. They are

not on the same level as Scripture, but are accepted because they kept themselves faithful to

Scripture.16

Our Confessions, in the Book of Concord, say what we believe and stand for, but they must

indeed be confessed by us. We can not only say, "Here are our Confessions," we must

confess them, experience them, practice them in life. And this is what Luther and the

Reformers did and declare in an unquestionable way.

For the preservation of pure doctrine, and that there be full unity, permanent and acceptable

by God in church, it is necessary not only that the pure and healthy doctrine is correctly

displayed, but the opponents should be admonished who teach unlike 1 Tim 3, Titus 1. For,

as Luther says, faithful pastors should do both, ie, defend and feed the lambs against

wolves, so that they flee of the voice of strangers, John 10, and "depart the precious from

the vile." Jr 15.

Therefore we declare ourselves to one another so fully and also clear on this point as

follows: that one should always distinguish between unnecessary and useless strife, that we

should not trouble the church, since they destroy rather than build, but the necessary

controversy is needed, namely when there is a controversy with regard to the articles of

14

Prenter, Regin. Creator Spiritus. Wipf & Stock Publ., 2001. 15 Book of Concord, op. Cit. CS, V, 1, 2 and 3 16 Ibid. CMa, I, 158

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faith or on the main parts of Christian doctrine, where, to save the truth, is necessary to

reprove false doctrine .

Now, although the above writings give the Christian reader who loves and has delight on

divine truth and gives clear and correct information about all items controversial of our

Christian religion, showing him what he should receive and consider as right and true

according to God's Word the prophetic and apostolic writings, and what to reject, evade and

avoid false and wrong, however, so that the truth is much more distinct and clearly

preserved and is distinguished from all errors, so that wont happen and something to be

hidden and concealed under ordinary words, we declare ourselves to one another, clearly

and explicitly, on the main and most important articles, taken one by one, and that in this

time past to be controversial, so it is a public testimony and right not only to

contemporaries, but also for our posterity, of what is and should remain the unanimous

judgment and understanding of our churches with respect to controversial articles.17

We wanted to be testified in the presence of God and of all Christendom, among

contemporaries and posterity, that this explanation of all controversial items were explained

that this, and no other, is our doctrine , faith and confession, in which also the grace of God

we shall be present, with intrepid heart, before the tribunal of Jesus Christ and which we

will be accountable, and against which nothing will talk or write, neither secret nor public,

but rather intend, by God's grace, persevere in it, we concur with mature consideration, in

fear and invocation of God, with our own hand.18

A word about Luther's Bible

Luther loved the Bible, advocated its use, and its importance, especially, its content. God

provided an instrument so that the German people could have access to it, read it, meditate

on your content. We could say that God has provided in Luther’s translation into German a

mean for this people to read the Bible. First he translated the New Testament from the

original Greek, with the help of friend and partner, Philip Melanchthon. The New

Testament was published in 1522, with an initial print of 3,000 copies, which quickly sold.

In the first year, 6,000 copies were sold, which, for the time, was a very expressive. The

whole Bible, was published only in 1534, after being reviewed by experts in the original

languages, professors at the University of Wittenberg. About this work, Luther declared, as

already mentioned, that this was an excellent job, blessed by God, but its biggest desire was

to see the people having access to the Word, and enjoying what God left us for growth and

strengthening in faith. It is through the Word that God relates with humans. This is the

medium:

17 Ibid. FC, DS, Suma, 14-16 18 Ibid. FC, DS, XII, 40

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God never related to human otherwise and does not relate to Human beings otherwise than

by the word of promise. Otherwise , we either can relate to God except by faith in the word

of his promise.19

For Luther the Bible was unique. He considered it the Book of books. All other human

writings, including Luther's own writings were worthless, before the value, meaning and

message of God. Look what he said about it:

"The Bible alone is the rightful lord and master of all the writings and doctrines on earth."20

I would be very happy to see all my books, one and all, being in the dark and sink in the

sea. Among other reasons, because I shudder to think of the example I'm giving because I

am well aware how little benefit the church had since it began collecting many books [...]

next to the Holy Scriptures. [...] This practice not only lost precious time that could be used

to study the Scriptures, but in the end because pure knowledge of the divine Word also lost

[...] For all other writings should give primacy to the Scriptures and point to it [...]

(Nobody) will do just as well as the Holy Scriptures, i.e, as well as God made it [...] So we

should let the Prophets and the Apostles stand- at the teacher's chair and we, well below

his feet, listening to what they say. It should not be that they should hear what we say.21

The Bible is God's gift, that comforts us, guides, there feeds and gives us life.

The Bible is filled with divine gifts and saving actions. All the books of the Gentiles simply

don’t teach anything about faith, hope and love, yea, even don’t know anything about it.

They only deal with what is present ...

The Bible is the supreme of what exists, it’s a divine book, full of consolation in all

temptations, it teaches about faith, hope and love differently than what is experienced and

understood by human reason. And just in the midst of misery, it does shine these great

things in order to make us understand that a new life awaits us after this misery we

experience.22

To those who opposed the Bible or challenged his message he said:

Never was written on the face of the earth a book more clear than the Bible; over

other books, it is like the sun compared to all other lights. Those who are against it

19 Luther, Martin. Selected Works, Concordia Publishing House and Synod, Porto Alegre, RS, 1989, p. 341-

424 20

Martin Luther Gesamtedition der Werke, Weimer, 1883, vol VII, p. 317 21 WA 50, 657-661, LW 34, p.283s (pref. the Ed De Wittenberg Luther's Works, 1539) 22 Luther, Martin. Tischreden, Ed Kurt Aland, Stuttgart, Philipp Reclam, 1960

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only want to take us away from Scripture and take the place of masters over us, in

order that we will believe in preaching’s, which are nothing more than an illusion.23

Where the Bible is silent, is within our freedom to act, but can we then radicalize or sign

doctrine, because it belongs to the field of Christian freedom.

When the Bible is silent altogether (about any subject), then it is not up to us to affirm or

deny anything. But what the Bible teaches, challenges or determine something then we also

can easily carry and teach the same way ... 24

We should not measure, judge, understand and interpret the Bible according to our reason,

but prayerfully reflect upon it with all the zeal and desire it ardently.

We cannot in no way lose the Bible, but that we read and preach it, because when theology

prospers, everything is done well and is successful because it is the head of all faculties and

arts; if it were to succumb, then I renounce to-the other things.25

The Scripture interprets itself. To learn its content, all the richness of Scripture is needed

much prayer, meditation, amid the tensions and trials of life, beyond the knowledge of both

the original languages, as putting the text in its context.

I did not learn all my theology at once, but had to search it again and again, going deeper

and deeper. Who did this to me were my temptations, because nobody can understand

Scripture without practice and temptations. This is what is lacking in enthusiasts and sects.

They do not have the right critic, the devil, who is the best teacher of theology. If we do not

have that kind of devil, we are only speculative theologians, who are only going to their

own thoughts and speculating with their own reason if things should be this or that.26

We should not measure, judge, understand or interpret Scripture according to our reason,

but reflecting on it diligently and seek it with prayer. Thus, the temptations and Satan are

also one of the reasons why we learn to understand it a bit and somehow through practice

and experience, otherwise without it ever come to understand something of it, even if the

hear and read.27

About Old and New Testament, Luther saw in them a unity, a complement.

23 Gesamtedition, op. cit. 8, p. 236 24 Ibid. 43, 9301 25

Tischreden, op. cit. p. 19 26 Kleinig, John W. How is a theologian. Oration, tentatio, Meditatio. Lutheran Church, 61, 2002, p. 5-17 27 Bayer, Oswald. The Theology of Martin Luther. Ed Synod, São Leopoldo, RS, 2007, p. 6

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There is no word in the New Testament that is not reported in the Old (Testament), which

was announced there first ... The New Testament is nothing more than a revelation of the

Old. It is the same thing as if someone had in hand a sealed letter and then opened it. Thus,

the Old Testament is a letter - a testament of Christ, that he, after his death, ordered to be

read and preached everywhere through the lens of the Gospel.28

The New Testament is a book in which is written the gospel and God's promise and, in

addition, also the history of both believers as well as those who do not believe on what is

written.29

It is advisable for every Christian to read first and more frequently the main books of the

New Testament and that by daily reading, make them so familiar to yourself as your the

daily bread.30

It is true that you cannot read the Scriptures sufficiently, and what you read you can not

read well, what you read you can not understand fully; understand well what you read you

can not teach properly, and what you teach well you can not live fully.31

Nobody should think having already tasted the Holy Scriptures sufficiently unless that

along with prophets like Elijah and Elisha, with John the Baptist, Christ and the apostles,

has directed the community for 100 years.32

And take care not to get tired, or think you've done enough when read, heard and spoke

once or twice (the biblical text) and you already have complete understanding. You will

never be a theologian especially good if you do, it will be like a fruit that falls to the ground

before being mature.33

For Luther, nothing could prevent the course of God's Word.

They want to ban us that the Gospel takes its course [cf. 2 TS 3.1], something that is not in

our power, we cannot prevent, as we can not prevent the fields turn green or plants to grow

in them.34

Luther said: "tentatio, oratio, meditatio faccit teologorum.", temptation, prayer and

meditation is doing theologian. He saw an opportunity in temptation to seek comfort and

28 Pieper, Francis. Christian Dogmatics. Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, MO, 1950, p. 186 29 Kleinig, op. cit. p. 14 30 Bayer, op. cit. p. 27 31 Thome, Breno C. Council of Pastors 2012, Concordia Publishing, Porto Alegre, RS, 2012, p. 51 32

Kleinig, op. cit., Weith, G. E. The Spiritualy Jr. of the Cross, St. Louis, Concordia, 1999 33 Gesamtedition, op. cit., 10, I/181 34 Ibid 6/2

14

encouragement in God's Word. The temptation drove and drives the Christian closer to

God. In the midst of temptation, we must cling to God in prayer and in His Word to seek

guidance and solace to not get discouraged. Therefore, Luther saw the temptation a blessing

for the Christian, especially for the theologian.

The relationship between temptation, prayer and meditation in Luther is interesting. It can

not dissociate from each other. The relationship between them is a divine sequence.

Temptation leads to prayer, and prayer without the Word, without letting God speak to us,

will not produce fruits, the expected results.

Pastor Breno Thomé, inspired by Bayer, Kleinig, Pieper and Luther himself says:

The correlation of oratio and gratia Spiritus highlights their connection with God's

Word. Luther leaves no doubt about it. In the text of the Preface, he declares that he

follows the example of Sto. Augustine for being the first and almost the only one

determined to submit to the Holy Scriptures, without the interference of all fathers

and saints.35

Pieper's comment is:

What Luther says here about the need for prayer is firm in the conviction by the

Holy Spirit that there is no other book in the world as the Holy Scripture. [...] For

this reason it is the only book that teaches eternal life because the world is held

captive in opinio legis. When other books teach about eternal life [...] that salvation

is obtained without the works of the Law, by faith in Christ's vicarious satisfactio, it

is derived from Scripture.36

And Professor Thomé, adds:

To this he adds that this belongs to the theologian, to open the Scripture, not by any

faith in his intelligence, but recommends that "ask for God’s Holy Spirit, because he

only teaches one to understand God's Word and creates a spirit that subject to the

Scriptures "37

So we should pray more, however, the enemy gives no rest. The devil tries all forms to

disrupt our prayer life. Fills us with concerns, we are confused, tortures us, instead of

falling to my knees and pray.

35

Thome, op. cit. p. 39 36 Pieper, op. cit. p. 187 37 Thomé, op. cit. p. 40

15

So we should learn and keep these words in your heart and get used [to pray] so when

comes a tribulation or distress before the eyes, immediately dropped to our knees and show

the need for God, according to this admonition and promise. (Matthew 7.7-11) 38

Thus concludes Professor Thomé:

Faith, generated by the Holy Spirit, that believes in the promise that God, for

Christ's sake, wants to meet our need, is expressed in prayer. It expresses the faith

and is also the battle of faith, which puts the Christian in the front line of battle

between God and Satan. "That is to say that Luther's Theology of the Cross

becomes evident also in the Lord's Prayer."39

Thus Luther joins the prayer with meditation. The Holy Spirit acts in the human being

through the Word, and it creates a new life. Prayer is already a fruit of this new life.

Luther says the interrelationship of oratio for the gift of the Holy Spirit with meditatio

because "God will not give you his Holy Spirit without the external word." Scripture is the

Word of God, inspired by the Spirit quickening the means by which inspires and

empowers, performing his work in us. Without meditation on the word linked to prayer

does not have the Spirit. Both are essential!40

Professor Graff Anselmo, from Concordia Seminary of Sao Leopoldo, RS, on his studies

on Luther urges that:

There's only true meditation on the Word, when first there is pleasure. And this is a

uniquely Christian. "So David prays. Incline my heart unto thy testimonies and not

to covetousness' (Ps. 119.36). "Luther once said that pleasure in the Law of the Lord

must necessarily come from the heavens. [...] Human desires are in opposition to the

Law of the Lord, to the point that human beings want to avoid it. There is no free

action of the human being to love it. It is not fear for punishment nor promises of

rewards by the desire of Law that will produce this love, but this desire comes from

faith in God, through Jesus Cristo.41

By faith man has delight in the law of the Lord. In faith the human being does not escape

the law, but it also tastes and sees God's love acting and wanting him well. This delight in

the law of the LORD further increases in the midst of temptation.

The greater the temptations from outside and within, the more he clung to God and in his

promises, and it strengthened him and gave new strength. About this, Pieper wrote:

38 Luther, Martin, Selected Works, op. cit. v. 9, p. 225 39 Thome, op. cit. p. 42 40

Ibid, p. 45 41 Graff, E. Anselmo The Reformer Luther and the Principle of Theological Study: Oratio, Meditatio, tentatio.

Canoas, RS. Unpublished paper, p. 16

16

The whole theology of Luther's tentatio inside and outside. First came the interior.

After years of uncertainty and terrors of conscience under the Roman doctrine of

[good] deeds, God led him to the understanding of the Gospel of free grace of God

in Christ. Thus proved in his own heart and conscience "how straight, how true [...]

is the Word of God." Then came the tentatio outside. When Luther taught the Word

of God, the papacy, yes, almost everyone stood in his way, and said he had lost both

the right to eternal life as to earthly life. In his distress he learned "to seek and to

love the Word of God" [...] Thus, by way of distress, Luther became a "reasonably

good theologian.42

Kleinig said:

In the temptation [... he] personally experience the justice and truth of God's Word

in his whole being, not just in his intellect. He has experience of [his] kindness and

beauty [...] not only with their emotions. He experiences [its] power and strength

[...] not only with his body. The temptation, then, is the test to assess any

theologian, it reveals that, without it, no one sees and no one knows. So [...] the

temptation tests and proves the reality of someone's spirituality.43

Luther said:

For myself (to me, a rat excrement, to put myself in my proper my place (unter den

Pfeffermenge) I have a lot to thank my papists, for having beaten me, harassed and

intimidated in this way with the fury of the devil, ie , for making me a fairly good

theologian, which would never hapen without them.44

Pastor Breno Thome, working for the Council of Pastors of IELB, 2012, said:

By recognizing our own weakness and lack of spiritual wisdom, trust the Holy

Spirit's power and wisdom of God's Word. And the attack of the devil ends up

producing the opposite effect to the one proposed, because it leads the Christian to

God's Word. It becomes the sole ground of our faith and strengthens us. It gives the

capacity to work and share in the church, without relying on their own resources or

the Church or the world confirm their theology. Christian experience is in union

with Christ crucified, not on Prosperitas.45

And again Kleinig said:

42 Gesamtedition, op. cit., 6/10 43

Ibid, 53/218 44 Tischreden, 38 45 Bayer, op. cit. according WA 50, 657; LW p. 283-288

17

Through the temptation [...] he becomes a theologian, he learns the theology of the

cross [...] the spirituality of the cross. [...] Knows the pain of union with Christ

crucified. He carries the cross along with his Lord, suffering with him in church.46

Luther not only recommended reading, but he actually read it. He practiced what he spoke.

For several years, I have read the entire Bible each year at least twice. And if the

Bible were a huge and imposing tree and if its words were a twig, then I can say that

I have dealt with in each of these sprigs shake to really know what was hung on

them to know what they produced. And again and again I could gather some more

apples or pears a few more.47

My decision is to see Scripture as what's most durable and as that which occupies the first

place and only then accept or reject all other things taught from Scripture, not caring who is

the author of the writing.48

With this Word of God, the Holy Spirit acts, and we are touched and transformed.

The Word of God is true and does not produce hypocritical, but sincere and honorable

people, and also people who have a genuine faith and a correct opinion about God.49

The word of God is like a strong current, before which we can not defend the use of any

power. Like a force of nature, God's word makes people of faith to be saved. But this same

word fulminates and condemns unbelievers, this happenes because the Lord of this word is

wisdom, power and justice. Therefore, the word of God is above all we have and are.50

For Luther, and this we still confess today, the Bible is the only source of doctrine, faith

and truth. It is from the Holy Scriptures which Luther defended his point of view, making

his conscience captive to it. He said that he wanted and needed to defend what God told

him, because it also said in Luke 9:26: "Whoever is ashamed of me on earth, it ashamed

before my Heavenly Father and his angels." So the Holy Bible has always been the basis,

the foundation of all his arguments and when Luther found himself threatened, embarrassed

and forced to withdraw almost all that was written and said in the Diet of Worms, before

the Emperor Charles V, on 17 and 18 April 1521, after asking permission to reevaluate and

revise what he had said and written, said:

46 Ibid, p. 6 (WA TR 4, 311, 25-312.1) 47 Tischreden 10 48

Gesamtedition, 6/586 49 Ibid, 31, I/583 50 Ibid, 40, II/275

18

Since your majesty and Imperial grace wants a simple answer, I give it in form that

isn’t offensive or aggressive: Unless am convinced by the testimony of Scripture or

by clear arguments (since I do not believe in neither pope nor in councils

exclusively, since it is clear that they often erred and contradicted themselves) - my

conviction comes from Scripture that I refer to, and my consciousness is attached to

the word of God - nothing can nor want to portray, because it is difficult, evil and

dangerous act against conscience. God help me. Amen.51

To our days, it seems that the more we have access and ease of having contact, enjoy, read

the Scriptures, most humans are away, cools and do not appreciate this treasure, the Holy

Bible. Already at the time of Luther, he felt it. It manifested itself on this by saying:

Where is the word of God, there is no looking for her. On the other hand: where there is no

word of God, there it is welcomed. Where people have a church at the door of the house,

where the word of God is taught, there during the preaching people go visiting the market

and walk among the graves. Where it is necessary to walk ten, twenty miles, there is the

desire to gather the people and together go to the house of God in joy and gratitude.52

The Bible reading today

In our days, we see doctrinal crises afflicting the Evangelical Church in Brazil, and I think

that is also the truth in other parts of the world. I think most of these crises and difficulties

that arise in the Church, that cause divisions, bringing disagreements arises from a growing

ignorance of Scripture, and where a faulty hermeneutics, an interpretation system that, like

the times before Reformation that seeks meanings in the inspired text that go beyond that

intended by the biblical author. This allegorizing of the Scripture in the pulpit has made

many evangelical churches to contribute in the spread of numerous doctrinal errors. Like

the medieval period, when this type of interpretation served as a tool to legitimize Catholic

doctrines biblically, later rejected by the Reformers. This allegorical hermeneutics in Brazil

has served to support in evangelical groups for the most diverse and strange doctrines. I

believe that the return to a careful exegesis of the biblical text in the light of the historical

context, the grammar and syntax of the original languages, produce expository preaching of

Scripture, by which the church will be instructed, edified, comforted and corrected by the

Word of God .

Pastors and laity, studying more the Word, seek safe guidance, ask for the enlightenment

of the Holy Spirit, so that the Word of God speaks, and not human reason.

51

Schlupp, Walter O. (Trans.) the Gospel of Christ, Synod and Concordia, Porto Alegre and São Leopoldo,

RS, 1984, p 148 52 Wolf, op.cit., P.108

19

In our day, we have the Bible written, recorded in audio and video, and digital form, and

with all this, it seems that human beings, do not the value it as it should be and even take

less time to read it, hear it or meditate in the richness of its content. The word wants to be

"a lamp to our feet and a light to our path" (Ps 119:105).

Imagine the following scene: A Christian arrives in heaven and talking to Jesus when he

asked the following question. As my follower you must have read the letter I left you,

didn’t you? Embarrassed the Christian says, "Yes! I did. "How often did you read it all?

More embarrassed he answers in form of a question: How often? But it was too big. Jesus

then says: "So you are trying to tell me that you didn’t read it all?" How many years did I

give you in this world?

A lot of people hear or watch all the news. They watch all kinds of programs on television,

spend enough time on the Internet, but not organized themselves to read the Bible daily.

A survey showed that over 25% of Church members never read the Bible. Why do people

don’t read it much?

OT Ps 1.4: "The wicked shall have no pleasure in the law of the Lord."

2 Kings 22.08: "The book of the law he was lost."

Jr 36.23 and 24: "The scroll was burned by Jehoiakim."

NT. Matthew 21:16: "Have you never read?"

Matthew 22:29: "Do not know the Scripture."

1 Thessalonians 5:27: "epistle be read to all."

Today people read many books, magazines, newspapers, but the Bible stands aside.

What can be done? How to restore the interest in the Word of God? How to encourage and

make people read more God’s letter?

Luther, was concerned about the ignorance of the people on the content of the Word of

God, and devoted much of his time to translate the Bible, so that the people had access to

the sacred Scriptures. At that time, this initiative was a blessing. Many for seeking it and

read, enjoyed it. This happened because the translation was in a popular language. Luther

turned a mysterious book that was reserved only for the rich and educated, understandable

to the people in general.

What today could make a difference for the people to seek more, to read more, to hear more

and to meditate more on God's Word?

20

Maybe we should get together and work harder to reach this goal. The more distant and

unknown the Word of God is, the more the devil and his band, as Luther said, could claim

victory. The less knowledge of the truth that liberates from the commandments of God, the

more vain philosophies, false prophets and those who are serving Satan can succeed in the

world.

What to do?

Maybe we should start with ourselves. How is our dedication of time for reading and

meditation on the Word of God? Sometimes it seems that the human being acts like a child

who does not want to eat. The mother insists, offers, promises, rewards, makes threats,

finally does everything for her children to eat, but the children do not value this effort, and

stubbornly reject. Sometimes she almost forces them to eat. Our table is full, God's Word

available, but it seems that the many duties of life keep us from sitting, reading, meditating

so we cannot listen to what God speak to us.

Therefore, firstly, we the pastors, leaders, should read more, study more, dig deeper into

this treasure that God has left us. Luther's Preface to the Large Catechism says:

Now that they are free from useless and painful chatter of the canonical hours, they

should at least read, morning, noon and at night, one or two pages of the catechism,

the Little Book of Prayers, the New Testament or another part of the Bible and pray

the Our Father, for themselves and their parishioners. So demonstrating appreciation

and gratitude to the Gospel, by which they got rid of so many burdens and

concerns.53

And Luther insisted and argued very strongly about the importance of studying, reading and

meditating on Holy Scriptures. About this he said:

Persevere in reading, teaching, learning, meditating and reflecting, and do not give

up to until having experience and acquired the guarantee that they have killed the

devil though their study and became more studied than God himself and all the

saints. If they have all this dedication, I promise you that people will notice it,

achieve much fruit and God will make them great people. Over time, they

themselves will confess that the more they study the catechism, the more they learn

that they need to study more. Only then, hungry and thirsty, they will know to

appreciate it, what now so fed up, do not want to nor smell from afar. May God

grant his grace to do so. Amen54

53 Larger Catechism, Martin Luther Synod and Concordia, São Leopoldo, RS, 2012, p. 19 54 Ibid, p. 21:22

21

Secondly, strengthened, supplied by the bread of life, and the living water that comes from

God, encourage more, talk more, teach more and challenge more the people to appreciate,

read and meditate the Scripture. Instead of arguing, debating and sometimes criticizing this

or that translation, encourage and emphasize more the importance of reading it. Teaching

the children, creating in them the habit of reading the Bible.

Let’s look at some texts of the Bible:

Dt .6 ss; Deuteronomy 11.18-20; Proverbs 22.6. God wants us to keep His Word in our

hearts and teach our children;

Ps 119.9; Ec11.9 10 and 12.1. God wants young people know and keep his word, practice,

Mt 7:24-27, Colossians 3:15, James 1:22. God wants adults know the Word, and not only

know, but the practice in your life.

1 Timothy, 2 Timothy; Js1.7ss. God wants pastors meditate on His Word and know deeply

Why read the Bible?

Dt. 6.4-9 - inculcate in children

Deuteronomy 11.18-21 - By the words the heart

Deuteronomy 27.1-9 - to meet and save

Deuteronomy 31.9-11 - read before all

Js 1.8 - always read

34.16-Book Is not the Lord's fault

Deut 17:19 - read every day

Jr 34.16 – read

John 5:39-examine the Scriptures

Ephesians 5:19 - Speaking of Scripture

Cl 3.16 - For education and knowledge

1 Tim 4:13 - Apply to reading

2 Peter 2:19-21 To have a light that shines

Certainty: It is the Word of God.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 - The Word of God

Ps 119,105 – Lamp

Jr 2.30 - Word that God said

John 17:17 - It's the truth

Acts 20:27 - Brings God's counsel

Jo 3.63 - The Word that Jesus said

2 Timothy 3:16 - Inspired by God

The result: The promise of God: Isaiah 55 and Romans 1:16.

Purpose of reading:

22

2 Tim 3:15, John 5:39, Luke 16:29, John 20:31 - make wise unto salvation

John 17:17; Ps 119,105, 2 Timothy 3:16 and 17 - for education and training

Heb 10:23, Rev. 1.3 - to save the treasure we have

Ps 119,104 - to identify and combat false doctrine

Ps 119.9; 2 Timothy 3:16 - for identification of our home

Psalm 119.25, 92; Rom 15.4 - for consolation in sorrow

In the preface to the Large Catechism, Luther said, "If I had to report all profit and fruit that

God's Word produces, where would I get enough paper and time?"55

Ps 119,105, 2 Timothy 3:16: For all of us, for all people, God says: Do not stop using my

Word. It wants to be a lamp to light my path in this world. Uses this word because it is very

useful and necessary. Do not change and do not let anybody change that what is written in

it, because it is God's Word. Rev 22:18 and 19

Video: - The Book with the Black Cover and the Bible X Cellular

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Publisher Synod, São Leopoldo, RS. In 2007

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GRAFF, E. Anselmo The Reformer Luther and the Principle of Theological Study: Oratio,

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Kleinig, John W. As forms a Theologian: Oration, Meditatio, tentatio. Lutheran Church, 61,

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LUTHER, Martin. Tischreden. Union Verlag, Berlin. In 1983

55 Ibid, p. 20

23

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Note from the translator: All the quotations were translated from the Portuguese edition.