Luther's Tragic Mistake: Commentary on Parts 1-5

I took on this endeavor in order that we may read Luther's words from his own hand and judge him by his words. We will look at all his words and ask ourselves, "Was Luther correct? Was what he said proper to say? Could he have said it better? Or was what he said better left unsaid?

In researching this tract, I found people on both extremes giving opinions about this piece and Luther as a man and a theologian. There are those who believe that this one piece invalidates everything Luther said or wrote. In a sense they were like the "judges" at the Diet of Worms-ready to condemn a man for all his writings when only a few disagreed with Church teaching. While it is unfortunate that Luther wrote such hateful and venomous words as will be found in this tract, these hateful words make up a small percentage of the tract. Throughout the tract Luther also cautions Christians in that we also have a pride that can cause our downfall.

On the other side of the spectrum are those who seek defense for Luther. I won't. What Luther wrote Luther must defend. I am merely judging his words and judging them in the light of Scripture. And while Luther might have felt in this tract that he was chastising Jews like Jesus chastised the Pharisees and Saduccess and teachers of the Law, Jesus is God and can judge hearts. Luther cannot judge hearts and cannot judge a person's faith.

Luther spoke and wrote bluntly and with a coarseness not in tune with our language today (Deadwood excepted). It becomes evident in this tract that he is bitter and frustrated by what appeared to be little effect of his preaching the Gospel to the Jews. He had believed that the Jews would convert in droves if they heard the Gospel in its unadulterated form. What Luther should have realized that if the Roman church would condemn him as an outlaw for preaching the Gospel, why would the Jews simply convert by hearing that same Gospel.

The sections this past week focused on circumcision, which was a sign for the Jews of their status as God's chosen people. Now, it is ironic that it was considered part of the Law of Moses when, in fact, it was instituted with Abraham-after God had given to Abraham the promise that his seed would bear the Messiah.

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