That Jesus Christ Was Born a Jew: Part 17: Closing Thoughts from Luther

And lest you think Luther avidly sought to eradicate the Jews, take heed his words: "If we really want to help them, we must be guided in our dealings with them not by papal law but by the law of Christian love. We must receive them cordially, and permit them to trade and work with us, that they may have occasion and opportunity to associate with us, hear our Christian teaching, and witness our Christian life. If some of them should prove stiff-necked, what of it? After all, we ourselves are not all good Christians either."

I want to focus on one aspect here. "We must receive them cordially, and permit them to trade and work with us, that they may have occasion and opportunity to associate with us, hear our Christian teaching, and witness our Christian life." Today many Christians believe they can only associate with other Christians. They buy their good from "Christian" merchants (one home builder in Milwaukee proudly advertises "A Christian-based company"). They only socialize with Christians. Some even will ask your religious status before selling you goods or renting you an apartment (the latter at the very least a violation of federal US law). If we cocoon ourselves from unbelievers, pray tell me, how will they hear the Gospel? How will they know a life that is better for them? We are to go out into the world so that we are a light shining on a hill, not hidden in under a basket. Even Jesus ate with Pharisees and others who did not accept his teachings.

Next week I will share a letter that Luther wrote to a Jewish friend along with which Luther sent this treatise.

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