Annotations on Matthew, Chapters 1–18. Sermons on the Gospel of St. Matthew, Chapter 18 by Martin Luther

Abstract

Reviewed by: Annotations on Matthew, Chapters 1–18. Sermons on the Gospel of St. Matthew, Chapter 18 by Martin Luther Mark Mattes Annotations on Matthew, Chapters 1–18. Sermons on the Gospel of St. Matthew, Chapter 18. By Martin Luther. Edited and introduced by Christopher Boyd Brown. Luther’s Works, Vol. 67. St. Louis: Concordia, 2015. li + 452 pp. The bulk of this volume is devoted to presenting Luther’s “annotations” on Matthew, chapters 1–18, written 1534–1535. However, it also contains sermons on Matthew 18. Luther’s Works, volume 68, continues that specific sermon series, from 1537–1540, with homilies from Matthew chapters 19–24. In the sixteenth century, “annotations” meant not impromptu notes but instead extensive commentary (xlviii). The annotations were prompted by Luther’s attempt to encourage his preaching-shy student Hieronymus Weller who had been assigned to preach on Matthew. With these notes, Weller’s confidence soared and his tongue was set free. Finding great value in these annotations, Weller’s circle of friends and Luther’s associates, behind Luther’s back, assembled them, mostly in Latin, into this text (xlv). Georg Rörer edited them for publication, which took place in October 1538. For many, this volume will prove helpful since it provides Luther’s most extensive dealing with a synoptic Gospel. The volume is valuable not for how it analyzes the structure of Matthew in contrast to the other synoptic Gospels, John, or Q in presenting the “historical Jesus.” Instead, it speaks Luther’s mature voice, all with an eye to preaching Jesus Christ as presented in Matthew. In a word, the Jesus that Luther offers is “the scandal of scandals for the [End Page 347] Jews and for all nations. This is still the case, and so it must remain forever, because on account of him [Jesus] as on account of the true God we must treat everything else as inferior, and He Himself is to be exalted over all things as the true God. Thus, under lowly words, His infinite majesty makes itself known to believers” (116). Even so, bridges to the Christology of Lutheran orthodoxy can be found. Hence, Luther refers to Christ’s active life (akin to the Lutheran orthodox designation “active obedience”) and his “passive life” (akin thus to the “passive obedience”) (129). Of the many themes that Luther develops, the conviction that a “good tree bears good fruit” is clearly explicated: “. . . a good heart is so abounding in goodness and a sheer fountain, bubbling spring, and treasure of goodness that it not only does and says good, it not only praises as good what others say and do that comes from God, but it can even turn into good for itself the evil said and done that comes from the devil . . .” (180). Hence, Luther’s ethics include bearing injustices (34) and are motivated by a “superabundance of love” (43). Luther’s study of Matthew is driven by the humanist impulse to “return to the sources” (ad fontes) (3). While the concept of desire is seldom developed in Luther scholarship, Luther himself urges that we desire God’s grace in addition to “contempt of self.” This disposition of the new being in Christ is in contrast to the self, understood as the old Adam or old Eve, who believes he or she can be quite independent of grace (45). Yet, this truth is to be balanced with Luther’s eschewal of any Christian perfectionism: Luther notes that the quest for “excessive holiness” is actually unbecoming of the church (200). In response to Roman Catholic claims of Petrine authority, Luther notes with respect to Christ’s commendation of Peter (“. . . on this rock I will build my church”) that it is not the papacy on which Christ builds the church. That Rock is itself Christ: “For it is necessary that the Church, founded and built up and victorious over hell, should stand upon a living, eternal foundation, upon the Rock that will abide with her until the end of the world” (278). This volume is a delightful addition to Concordia’s new volumes of Luther’s Works. It is always exciting to see Luther’s exegesis as a [End Page...