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Luther on Mothers and Motherhood

© Dr. Martin Luther, Th.D., Reformer, sinner and child of God, son

With Mothers' Day coming up, I thought I'd share what Luther had to say about mothers and motherhood. Going into Luther's Works, Luther doesn't disappoint. Frequent references are made to mothers and motherhood. However, Luther's thoughts on the subject are most interesting when he expounds on the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden.

Recall that God had placed Adam and Eve in the Garden and had given them free reign to eat of every tree, save one. They were not to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. By this tree God had given Adam and Eve the free will to obey him. The punishment for eating of that tree would be death.

But, as we all well know, Adam and Eve could not leave well enough alone. The crafty serpent came and tempted Eve, and her husband standing next to her. So God expelled them from Eden. But physical death didn't come right away. In fact, Adam is said to have lived for several centuries afterwards. In fact, the human race itself would not be wiped out, as God allowed Eve to maintain her motherhood, albeit in a painful manner. (Adam also was able to maintain his worth through labor, though that too would be marked by sweat and strife.)

Luther writes:

Therefore the woman is subject to death so far as the flesh is concerned; but so far as hope is concerned, she is free from death.

Furthermore, she also hears that in this punishment she is not being deprived of the blessing of procreation, which was promised and granted before sin. She sees that she is keeping her sex and that she remains a woman. She sees that she is not being separated from Adam to remain alone and apart from her husband. She sees that she may keep the glory of motherhood, if I may use the phrase.

Not only does she keep the blessing of fruitfulness and remain united to her husband, but she has the sure promise that from her will come the Seed who will crush the head of Satan.

[Husbands] see too that their wives are adorned with the blessing and glory of motherhood, namely, that we are all conceived, born, and nurtured by them.

In procreation and feeding and nurturing their offspring they are masters. In this way Eve is punished; but as I said in the beginning, it is a gladsome punishment if you consider the hope of eternal life and the honor of motherhood which have been left her.