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Die Meinung, daß eine kirchliche Bußstrafe in eine Fegefeuerstrafe umgewandelt werden könne, ist ein Unkraut, das offenbar gesät worden ist, während die Bischöfe schliefen. |
95 Thesen, 11. These |
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Aus Liebe zur Wahrheit und in dem Bestreben, diese zu ergründen, soll in Wittenberg unter dem Vorsitz des ehrwürdigen Vaters Martin Luther, Magisters der freien Künste und der heiligen Theologie sowie deren ordentlicher Professor daselbst, über die folgenden Sätze disputiert werden ...
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Einleitende Worte der 95 Thesen Martin Luthers von 1517 |
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Ich habe auch zu Eisenach gepredigt. Aber der furchtsame Pfarrer protestierte in Gegenwart von Notar und Zeugen vor mir, entschuldigte sich jedoch wegen dieser Notwendigkeit demütig mit der Furcht vor seinen Tyrannen. |
Luther in einem Brief an Spalatin, 14. Mai 1521 |
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Übrigens bin ich zu Eisleben geboren und dort auch in St. Peter getauft. (...) keine andere Stadt kennt mich besser als diese.
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Luther in einem Brief an Georg Spalatin am 14. Januar 1520 |
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Karl Militz hat mich in Altenburg gesehen und sich beklagt, daß ich die ganze Welt an mich und vom Papste abgezogen hätte. Er habe in vielen Herbergen ausgekundschaftet, daß unter fünf Menschen kaum zwei oder drei der römischen Partei günstig gesinnt seien.
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Luther in einem Brief an Johann von Staupitz am 20. Februar 1519 |
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Euer Kurfürstlichen Gnaden denken nur nicht, daß Luther todt sei: er wird auf den Gott, der den Papst demuthiget hat, so frei und frohlich pochen, und ein Spiel mit dem Cardinal von Mänz anfahen, deß sich nicht viel versehen. |
Luther an den Erzbischof Albrecht von Mainz, Mai 1521 |
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A Christian's life is so fraught with danger that it is just as if the believer were walking up a narrow mountain track or even worse, as if he were walking on a knife-edge. The Devil is prowling amongst us in this world, constantly seeking to devour us, so that we might lose our patience, and fall into despair and into rebellious grumbling against God. In addition, the world acts against our own interests by unyieldingly opposing our journey to heaven. In a similar way, our flesh is a heavy burden which oppresses us on all possible sides. Moreover, the path itself is so narrow that there is enough trouble to follow this path, even if there were no additional perils and obstacles. Nevertheless, we must pull through or we will otherwise fall prey either to the World or to the Devil. So you must ponder on these things and act accordingly. If you really want to be a Christian, then become one, because there is no other way. (...) Whatever, you will, at least, not make the path any broader. |
Schriften, 32. Band., S. 502 |
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We can say that love is the most delightful and the most perfect of the virtues, but this does not mean anything compared to our saying that God Himself is Love. Thus, if some one were to paint a true picture of God, he would have to find an image for pure love: it would be as if God’s nature were a fiery furnace of passionate love filling both heaven and earth. If we really could depict Love, we would have to create an image that was neither really human, nor angelic nor even celestial, but one which would have to be God Himself. |
Schriften, 36. Band, S. 424b |
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How many people are there nowadays who are full of praise for the Gospel and yet, who, at the same time, are willing to offer even a penny for the sake of the Good News. In other words, how many people are there who are willing to forsake their greed and wilfulness? There is neither a farmer nor trader who would drop his market price for corn by one penny (even if there were good reason for this reduction). On the contrary, they are much happier when they can raise the price by as much as one pound. Similarly, a citizen has no scruples at selling diluted beer for the real thing. (…). May God preserve the Gospel and our consciences wherever and whenever possible. |
Schriften, 36. Band, 432b |
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All the conflicts and wars in the Old Testament are a reflection of this Gospel message: there must be and there should be conflicts, disunity, dissension and squabbling. This was how Christianity was at the time of the apostles and martyrs and this was its best time. This is a blessed war, a blessed rebellion and uproar and it is God’s Word that has caused all this. |
Schriften, 7. Band, S. 281 |
