Mondays with Marty

In this week's installment from Off the Record with Martin Luther, Luther draws some interesting conclusions from creation and the entrance of sin into the world:

1162. We were created under the open sky; and the fact that we now live under roofs and in houses is because of sin. And it is just like a sickroom with us, with many pans around and bandages. That is, we must have chambers, living rooms, houses, food, drink, etc. Earlier, before the fall of Adam, we were like young spirits, who ran about naked. At that time, we didn't need carpenters, masons, houses, etc.. (p. 253-254)

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Mondays with Marty

In this week's installment from Off the Record with Martin Luther, Luther describes heretics:

1970 A heretic is someone who changes the Word in some manner, more correctly, a worshiper of idols; from the practice of praying to this or that one for this or that, all which he has thought up. A mad prophet is a clear and appropriate expression to apply to a heretic. (p. 328)

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Mondays with Marty - Special Edition

Instead of our usual installment from Off the Record with Martin Luther, today I am linking to a new site that various friends have pointed me towards. It's called The Lutheran Insulter. Every time you refresh the page, a new pointed comment from Martin Luther appears. WARNING: sometimes the language is a bit salty!

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Mondays with Marty

In this week's installment from Off the Record with Martin Luther, Luther comments on the danger of allegories:

4448 It is dangerous to play with allegories in Christian instruction. Mostly such words ring sweetly in our ears, but there is nothing behind them. They serve the preachers very well, when they know nothing about the subject or the text. When they do not know the material, and fall into embarrassment, then they grasp for allegories, with which nothing certain is taught. That is why we must get used to sticking with the Holy Text. (p. 226)

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Mondays with Marty

In this week's installment from Off the Record with Martin Luther, Luther comments on the wonder of God's creation of human beings:

2578 He took his infant son Martin on his lap, and said: Oh, to think that God can put such a fine black-haired angel in such a piece of flesh from a stinking sack! It seems to me like taking a pancake and sticking an angel in it. But it is a real art to make a nose, mouth, hands and feet out of of a piece of flesh in a mother's womb. (p. 265)

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Mondays with Marty

In this week's installment from Off the Record with Martin Luther, Luther comments on the role of the Law in the life of the Christian:

2523 When one is in doubt or among others who have lost faith, just strike Moses dead and cover him with stones. When one has recovered, however, then the Law should be preached to him again. But the distressed should never be preached a message of distress. (p. 217)

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Mondays with Marty

In this week's installment from Off the Record with Martin Luther, Luther notes the dangers of ambition:

3559 Ambition. He talked a lot about the ambitious and pretentious, as he read from a letter sent to him by a writer aspiring to wisdom. He said ironically: When the stomach is ready to burst it is time to get rid of it through writing and praying--and then he pronounced: Arrogance is the sin of the snake. (p. 132)

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Mondays with Marty

In this week's installment from Off the Record with Martin Luther, Luther notes the dangers of human reason:

6572 Human reason either abandons hope or becomes too cocksure. Where it abandons hope, those die without the cross and without the light. Where it is presumptuous, they are deceived and the result is the same. (p. 302)

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Mondays with Marty

In this week's installment from Off the Record with Martin Luther, Luther marvels at the fact God entrusts his message to preachers:

3492. It is an oddity that God entrusts us preachers to the office of His Word, with which we are to rule over the hearts of people which we cannot see into. But it is the office of our God, who says to us: "Go, preach, I will make you successful, I know the hearts of men." That should be a comfort to us, even when the world laughs at our mission. Just as it is related that Maximilian once burst out laughing heartily at himself, and he explained later: "I laugh to think God has entrusted His mission to a drunk and disagreeable cleric, who climbs into the pulpit like a goat." (p. 223)

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Mondays with Marty

In this week's installment from Off the Record with Martin Luther, Luther exhorts us to pay careful attention to God's Word:

6004. You must diligently study God's Word, and learn to make careful distinctions; for there are, namely, two types of people in your congregation: the callused, for whom the Law, examples of God's anger, the flood, the fire of Elijah and the destruction of Jerusalem, must be held up to as examples. They need to be attacked directly and frightened. On the other hand, those who are already in terror of their souls need only the promise and the Gospel; you need to keep the examples of God's compassion before their eyes. (p. 234-35)

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Mondays with Marty

In this week's installment from Off the Record with Martin Luther, Luther reveals the secret to defeating our greatest enemy:

3643. Do you want to learn how to defeat the greatest, most heinous and most destructive enemy; the enemy who would otherwise devour you and destroy both body and soul; against whom one would spend all his money to purchase all available weapons; spend his last penny just to learn this skill? It is a sweet, dear little herb called patience!

Yes, where can I find such a medicinal herb? My answer to that is: "Take to heart Belief, which says that no one shall bring you harm without the will of God." And if it does happen, then it is a result of God's friendly, merciful will, and your enemy will bring upon himself a hundred times more harm than you. Only love flows out and says: "I will do nothing but good to him in return for evil, and let him collect fiery coals upon his head." Those are the weapons on which conquer the enemy, who appear as big as mountains, and whom cannot be otherwise conquered or destroyed with iron and steel. (p. 135)

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Mondays with Marty

In this week's installment from Off the Record with Martin Luther, Luther reminds us of the dangers of wealth:

1475. Great treasures bring great miseries. I'm rich, even though I do not have much, because I can enjoy what I have. I don't have any concerns about concealing my wealth from others. The worry about how to hang onto one's money is the worst servitude. (p. 105).

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Mondays with Marty

In this week's installment from Off the Record with Martin Luther, Luther reminds us of the way that God works:

1233. In comparison to the devil, we are nothing, like the seeds of the dandelion, which children blow away. Nevertheless, God triumphs over the devil through weakness [2 Corinthians 12:9]. (p. 254).

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Mondays with Marty

In this week's installment from Off the Record with Martin Luther, Luther explains how he feels about dreams:

801.I have prayed to God for Him to spare me from dreams' they are deceitful and full of double meanings. He does not have to reveal to me any signs of supernatural powers; I cannot take on the responsibility of interpreting such things, nor is it necessary. for God has already given me His Word, which I now have. That is what I cling to, that is what I believe in. (p. 250).

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Mondays with Marty

In this week's installment from Off the Record with Martin Luther, Luther describes the great exchange of the gospel:

5598. In regard to how a faithful soul should talk with Christ, Martin Luther said: I am Your sins, You are my salvation. Therefore I am joyful and without worry. For my sins have no power over your redemption, nor will Your salvation allow me to remain a sinner long. Praise be to God! Amen!  (p. 376).

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Mondays with Marty - Reformation Day Edition

Since today is Reformation Day, I have assembled a special collection of clips to celebrate:

Martin Luther at the Diet of Worms (2003 movie edition):




A Reformation Day Polka:




A Reformation Day Rap:




On a more serious note, you can find a listing of the 95 Theses here and a good description of the Five Solas of the Reformation here. Now go celebrate the rediscovery of the Gospel through the Reformation!

Mondays with Marty

In this week's installment from Off the Record with Martin Luther, Luther describes three kinds of people:

5956. There are three types of people: 1. The majority of people, who are completely self-confident and live without the slightest pang of conscience and have no sense of God's wrath. 2. Those whom God has frightened with the Law, who flee and are ringed with dougt, like Paul. 3. Those who in their fear suddenly hear the preaching of the Gospel of merciful forgiveness of sins and accept it.   (pp. 297-98).

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Mondays with Marty

In this week's installment from Off the Record with Martin Luther, Luther extols the value of music as a balm for melancholy:

3955. The optimum restorer for a depressed individual is music, even when played with very nominal skill. As [Virgil] said: "You raise your horn and blow, I will sing the verse." You sing the notes and I will sing the text.   (p. 139).

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Mondays with Marty

In this week's installment from Off the Record with Martin Luther, Luther laments the suffering that grain experiences at the hands of people:

851. Grain suffers a lot from people. For first of all, it is thrown onto the ground, so that it will germinate. Finally, when it is grown and ripe, it is cut up or torn out. After that it is threshed and sifted, then we grind it and brew beer or near beer from it, which farmers guzzle and then give it back above and below and tinkle on the fence.  (p. 99).

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Mondays with Marty

In this week's installment from Off the Record with Martin Luther, Luther extols the value of the Psalms:

3416. One should always have the Psalms on hand and constantly and without interruption reflect upon them, because we can never adequately appreciate their splendor unless we read them diligently (p. 343).

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