Who was Martin Luther?
Martin Luther was a German friar, Catholic priest, professor of theology, and seminal figure of the Protestant Reformation. Luther was born in 1483 in Eisleben, Saxony. His father worked in the copper mines and intended for his son to study law. However, at age 22, Luther had a profoundly frightening experience that led him to devote his life to the church.
As Luther studied and lectured on the Bible at the University of Wittenberg, he developed new understandings that contradicted church practices – especially the selling of indulgences. On October 31, 1517, he published his famous 95 Theses criticizing indulgences. This sparked the Protestant Reformation and changed the course of Western civilization.
Luther’s Early Life and Education
Martin Luther was born to Hans and Margarette Luther on November 10, 1483. His father worked as a leaseholder of copper mines and smelters. The family moved to Mansfeld when Martin was a child.
Hans Luther wanted his son to study law and rise up the social ranks. However, Martin attended a school operated by the Brethren of the Common Life where he received a liberal arts education. At age 17, he began university, first studying arts at the University of Erfurt.
In 1505, while returning to university after visiting his parents, Luther was caught in an intense thunderstorm. A lightning bolt struck near him, and Luther cried out, “Help, St. Anne! I’ll become a monk!” Surviving the storm, Luther saw this as a sign from God and soon joined the Augustinian monastery in Erfurt.
Luther devoted himself fully to the rigors of monastic life. However, he was troubled by feelings of sinfulness and doubt. His mentor, Johann von Staupitz, encouraged him to pursue an academic career. In 1507, Luther was ordained to the priesthood. In 1508, he began teaching theology at the University of Wittenberg. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Biblical studies in 1508 and a Bachelor’s degree in the Sentences by Peter Lombard in 1509.
Luther’s Studies and Teachings on Scripture
As a professor at Wittenberg, Luther lectured on the Psalms, Romans, Galatians, Hebrews, and the Psalms again from 1513-1515. He began developing new perspectives on issues like repentance, sin, and salvation. Studying Romans, he came to see righteousness as a gift of God’s grace rather than something to be earned through good works.
Luther’s views ran contrary to church doctrine and practices at the time. For instance, the church taught that clergy should be celibate, but Luther said chastity should not be enforced. The church preached that the clergy’s interpretation of Scripture should be accepted, but Luther advocated that all Christians should read and interpret the Bible.
Most significantly, Luther objected to the selling of indulgences. Indulgences were certificates that allegedly reduced punishment for sins. Luther believed forgiveness came through faith and repentance, not by purchasing indulgences.
In 1516, Johann Tetzel began selling indulgences near Wittenberg to raise funds to renovate St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Luther was outraged. He wrote the 95 Theses condemning indulgences and posted them on the door of Wittenberg Castle Church on October 31, 1517.
Luther’s 95 Theses and the Beginning of the Reformation
Luther likely did not expect or intend his 95 Theses to catalyze historic reform in the church. He saw them simply as an academic discussion prompt for the university. However, with the recently invented printing press, copies of the theses spread quickly across Europe.
Here are a few key excerpts from Luther’s 95 Theses:
“1. When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, “Repent” (Mt 4:17), he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.”
“27. They preach only human doctrines who say that as soon as the money clinks into the money chest, the soul flies out of purgatory.”
“32. Those who believe that they can be certain of their salvation because they have indulgence letters will be eternally damned, together with their teachers.”
“43. Christians are to be taught that he who gives to the poor or lends to the needy does a better deed than he who buys indulgences.”
“82. Why does not the pope empty purgatory for the sake of holy love and the dire need of the souls that are there if he redeems an infinite number of souls for the sake of miserable money with which to build a church? The former reasons would be most just; the latter is most trivial.”
Luther’s ideas spread rapidly. In 1520, the Pope warned Luther that he risked excommunication if he did not recant 41 sentences from his writings, including the 95 Theses. Luther burned the order in public. In response, the Pope excommunicated Luther from the Catholic Church in January 1521.
Luther was called before the Diet of Worms in 1521. Again asked to recant, Luther refused. He said, “My conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience… May God help me. Amen.” Luther had to go into protective custody at Wartburg Castle.
Even in hiding, Luther continued to write extensively. He translated the New Testament into German in 1522 so all people could read the Bible. That year, Wittenberg saw uprising iconoclastic riots as people smashed church statues and paintings. Luther returned to Wittenberg in 1522 and married a former nun, Katharina von Bora.
From 1517 to 1525, the Protestant Reformation spread rapidly. Other reformers like Ulrich Zwingli, Martin Bucer, and John Calvin joined the movement. Luther’s teachings formed the foundation of the Reformation, changing Christianity and European civilization forever.
Core Theology in Luther’s Teachings
Justification by Faith Alone
The central tenet of Luther’s theology was justification, or being made righteous, on the basis of faith alone. Luther reached this understanding while lecturing on Romans at Wittenberg.
Romans 1:17 says, “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith.'” Luther understood “the righteousness of God” as meaning righteousness imparted by God to the believer, rather than God’s own righteous nature. He saw salvation is a gift of grace received through faith, not something earned through good works.
Luther explained his “Tower Experience” when he came to this realization:
“Night and day I pondered until I saw the connection between the justice of God and the statement ‘the just shall live by faith.’ Then I grasped that the justice of God is that righteousness by which through grace and sheer mercy God justifies us through faith. Thereupon I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into paradise.”
The doctrine of justification by faith alone contradicted the church’s teaching that both faith and good works were needed for salvation. Luther saw this as a liberating truth freeing believers from dependence on the church and anxiety about eternal punishment.
Priesthood of All Believers
Based on 1 Peter 2:9 calling believers a “royal priesthood,” Luther developed the idea of the “priesthood of all believers.” Luther taught all baptized Christians have equal access to God and are all priests. Therefore, a special priestly class was not needed to interpret Scripture or mediate between laypeople and God.
Luther abolished the idea that clergy should be celibate, recognizing marriage and family life as godly vocations. He also encouraged widespread literacy and translating the Bible into local languages so that all could read and interpret it.
Two Kingdoms Theology
Luther articulated the “two kingdoms” concept distinguishing God’s roles in temporal versus spiritual affairs. The earthly kingdom is under civil governance, while the heavenly kingdom is under the gospel. Christians live as citizens of both kingdoms simultaneously.
Luther taught that secular work and vocations are holy and approved by God, just as much as overtly religious occupations. He emphasized order, authority, and obedience to governing powers in earthly matters. However, in spiritual matters, conscience reigns supreme. If secular authorities contradict the gospel, God must be obeyed over men.
Critique of Catholic Doctrines
In addition to rejecting indulgences, salvation by works, and celibacy, Luther critiqued many other Catholic doctrines including:
– Purgatory – Luther did not find biblical basis for this intermediate state between heaven and hell where sins could be purged.
– Transubstantiation – Catholicism teaches that the bread and wine literally become Jesus’ body and blood in the Eucharist. Luther believed in spiritual presence but not physical transformation.
– Papal authority – Luther condemned corruption in the papacy and said popes and councils could err. He affirmed that the Bible alone has supreme authority for doctrine.
– Veneration of Mary and the saints – Luther feared this distracted from the glory due to Christ alone as mediator between God and man.
– Monasticism – Luther believed monasteries promoted false religious elitism when all lawful vocations were holy. He closed monasteries but allowed monks and nuns to marry.
Later Years and Death
Luther remained busy with reforms and writing in Wittenberg until his death on February 18, 1546. He died of natural causes, possibly heart attack, in Eisleben, the town where he was born.
Luther left behind a huge written corpus including biblical translations, commentaries, liturgical reforms, catechisms, and over 100,000 letters and papers. While he could be brash, vulgar, and extreme in polemics, his courageous stand for truth and call to return to the authoritative Word forever changed Christianity.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Martin Luther was the pivotal figure God used to spark the Protestant Reformation. As a monk, professor, and church reformer, Luther devoted his life to understanding, teaching, and proclaiming the Word of God. His study of Scripture led him to convictions that opposed church doctrine and practices in his day.
By posting the 95 Theses in 1517, Luther unintentionally ignited a historic movement of protest and reform. His teachings on justification by faith, priesthood of all believers, two kingdoms, and critiques of Catholicism formed the foundation of Protestant theology. Luther translated the Bible into German and advocated for all Christians reading and interpreting Scripture.
Though imperfect, Luther followed his conscience captive to biblical truth. He pioneered the principle that the Bible alone, not church officials’ interpretations, stands supreme as the source of spiritual authority. Luther’s courageous stand called Christendom back to the transcendent truths of the gospel. This changed the course of history, bringing renewal to a church in desperate need of reform. Luther’s legacy continues to impact Christianity today.