from the lectures of D. Martin Luther with the greatest fidelity.
Preface [Luther's].
In the entrance to my lectures I have often indicated beforehand with what intention we set out to interpret the holy Scriptures, namely, not because we wish to bring forward something new, or what is not known to others, for our theology is so widespread both in Latin and in German, that it seems that exhortations are needed rather than doctrine, but because the diligent preaching of the Word of God is the true worship of the New Testament, which is much more pleasing, holy and better to God than all the worship and sacrifices of the Old Testament. That is why the holy prophets, even at the time when the Law was still in force, cast far away the burnt offerings and other sacrifices of the Law, and praised the sacrifice of praise. But we must perform this service with all the greater zeal and diligence, because after the great darkness in which we have lived, the divine wisdom has risen again and shines on us like the sun at noon.
Therefore, just as before that time it was considered a kind of servitude to listen to a holy discourse, and this service was performed by men like other works, so now it must be considered quite differently, namely, that those who teach, read, write, and hear the holy things are true priests of God, who pay their God His well-deserved and pleasing honor. This, then, should incite us to the continued treatment of the word of God, although it is also true that we cannot have such a complete knowledge of the holy things that it should not be necessary for us to learn them anew every day, to experience them and to be strengthened in them, because of the constant temptations of Satan with which he afflicts us, so that, just as the cause of the fall does not cease, so also we do not cease
to constantly contemplate God's word for our edification and that of the church. For nothing is so pernicious as what many do nowadays, that, having acquired a small knowledge of this divine wisdom, they immediately think that they have become masters. For since this does not lie in the fact that one can speak of it however well, but in custom and experience, which is not guided and governed by human reason, but by the Holy Spirit, those are truly mistaken who are content with mere knowledge, which can never be sufficient without application. In the Old Testament, only the holy Ten Commandments were prescribed, with the learning and practice of which God wanted His people to be occupied. But who has ever been among the saints who could boast of having attained the wisdom presented by the Holy Spirit in the ten commandments? And we, to whom the whole Scripture is presented in the New Testament, wanted to boast, namely, that we had known it completely?
Therefore, we should give up this self-love and humble ourselves before the Holy Spirit and confess that this wisdom is infinite and cannot be exhausted, even if we spend our whole life learning the Scriptures. For even though we have some knowledge through God's grace, we must always return to this source, yes, to this fire, because we are daily overwhelmed with clouds of temptations, as it were, so that we may be warmed again and not give in either to Satan or to our flesh, so that the firstfruits of the spirit are destroyed. In the schools it was called acedia (sloth) (which the unlearned have called by the corrupt word accidia), which is actually the weariness of words, which arises from the presumption that one knows it well, and which nowadays among the common people is all too common.
in the swing goes. Against this vice Moses commands [5th book 6, 7th] that the law should be sharpened for the descendants, that is, that it should be practiced and practiced daily, although it is completely known. For something will always shine forth that was hidden from us before, something will always please us in it that we neglected before as something unpalatable.
So also for this reason we will interpret the Psalms, so that we may both drive out this devilish lust and strengthen and nourish the spirit by the use of the holy things, although this is the highest thing, that we know for certain that God is pleased with this service, if we act his word with teaching, reading, writing, hearing 2c. This alone should keep us doing the word without ceasing. For what is doing God's word other than constantly offering, constantly serving God, constantly practicing the fulfillment of the first, second and third commandments? The number of those who constantly blaspheme God, either by teaching other things or by pursuing the right doctrine with their sword, is exceedingly great, God be lamented. Therefore, it is highly necessary that we, who are far fewer in number, serve and praise our God, who has given us both this life and the life to come. Then we are also warned by our
Danger, so that we are not overwhelmed by laziness and weariness as satiated people, without even becoming aware of it. For contempt follows weariness; but God punishes contempt in such a way that he takes away the word completely, as the pabstry is an excellent indication for all times, since we see that this is what happened in it.
I have explained the reasons why I have undertaken the interpretation of the songs in the higher choir, namely, so that we may consecrate this hour to our Savior and offer sacrifices to Him, and fulfill the first, second, and third commandments to the best of our ability through the preaching of the mercy of God, while otherwise the whole world sins against these commandments by blaspheming against God. And I also gladly admonished you against sloth and idleness. For if anything threatens our doctrine, it is this vice. Although heretics and sects do much harm, their effect is to force us to diligently search the holy Scriptures. But this corruption, the weariness of words, arises in ourselves, and brings all the more danger with it, the less it can be perceived by us. But then the devil is sure of victory when we snore and have begun to be secure and full.