In the course of a conscientious discharge of the duties of his office, to which he was regularly and divinely called, and without any urgency on his part, he attained this position by inner necessity. Prieriatis responsio, yet this necessary refutation never distracted him from his chief duty, the edification of the church. Of such writings we mention: Explanation of the Lord's Prayer for the simple laity (an elaboration of the sermons of 1517); Short explanation of the Ten Commandments; Instruction.
Preparation for death; Sacraments of Baptism; the sacrament of the Holy Body; Excommunications. There was probably good reason to dedicate the book to a member of the ruling house. A review of the contents shows that the book has grown to a greater length than originally intended.
The argument on the Third and Fourth Commandments takes up nearly half of the entire treatise. In this case the members of the Church should act as godly children do whose parents have gone mad and insane.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE WORK
This proposition, which Luther here reinforces more clearly than ever before, required nothing less than a breach of all prevailing religious views, and must at the time have been perceived as the discovery of a new world, though it was no longer more than one return to the clear teaching of the New Testament Scriptures concerning the way of salvation. Luther's appeal in this treatise to kings, princes, nobility, communes, and communities, to declare against the misuse of spiritual powers and to abolish various abuses in civil life, marks this treatise as a forerunner of the great writings of reform, which appeared in the same year (1520), while, on the other hand, his support for the rights of the "poor" - which will be met here for the first time - shows that the monk of Wittenberg, who came from the narrow confines of the monastery, he had an intimate and sympathetic knowledge of the social needs of his time. Thus he proved by his example that standing in the center of the Gospel does not narrow the vision nor harden the heart, but rather produces courage in the truth and sympathy for all.
Luther's contemporaries immediately recognized the great importance of the Treatise, for within a period of seven months it went through eight editions; these were followed by six more editions between 1521 and 1525; in 1521 it was translated into Latin and in this form went through three editions until 1525; and all this despite the fact that in those years the so-called three great reformatory writings of 1520 were overshadowing everything else. The search for self-chosen works, laziness about God-commanded works, the foolish thinking that the way of works leads to the grace and good will of God, are still very prevalent within the kingdom of God today. To all this, Luther's treatise answers: Be diligent in the works of your earthly calling as commanded by God, but only after you have the first.
DEDICATION
Whether the making of many great books is an art and a benefit to the Church I leave to others to judge. If realization were as easy as persecution, Christ would long ago have been cast out of heaven again, and God's very throne overthrown. Moreover, I have never forced or begged anyone to listen to me or read my sermons.
I have freely served in the Church with what God has given me and what I owe to the Church. It is enough for me, and even more than too much, that some laymen should deign to read what I say. Even if there was nothing else that spurred me on, what I have should more than suffice.
Therefore, in dutiful humility I pray that your princely grace may accept this offer of mine with a gracious spirit, until, God grant me time, I prepare a German exposition of the Faith in its entirety. God permitting, at another time I will talk about the Faith itself - how to pray or recite it daily.
THE TREATISE
1 John 3: “By this we know that we are of the truth, if we can comfort our hearts before him and have good confidence. Therefore, it is not surprising that they became blind and leaders of the blind. Psalm 106, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." And just as trust and faith in this stage are better, higher and stronger than in the first stage, so and to the same extent are the sufferings endured in this faith.
And this faith, loyalty, trust deep in the heart is the true fulfillment of the first commandment; without it there is no other work that can satisfy this commandment. Therefore we must fear because of works, but be comforted because of the grace of God, as it is written. Another work, besides faith, is the work of the second commandment, that we will honor God's name and not take it in vain.
Whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the Name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father.” Of all this we have an illustration in the case of the Pharisee and the Publican in the Gospel. And it is true that it has never been more necessary to pray than at this time, and it will be more so from now until the end of the world.
It had to be an apostle, a bishop, a priest, one of the best who began the work of killing Christ. Even so, it is a necessity and ordained by the Church for the sake of the imperfect lay people and working people that they can also come to hear the word of God. Thus David says, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints."
The first is that we say: "Our Father, who art in heaven"; these are the words of the first act of faith, which, according to the First Commandment, does not doubt that there is a gracious Father in heaven. The fourth request is "Thy will be done"; in which we pray that we may keep and have the Seven Commandments of the Second Table, in which faith is exercised towards our neighbor; as in the first three it is. For, indeed, the knowledge and fulfillment of the first three Commandments and the last six Commandments depend entirely on this Commandment.
Submit yourselves to the king as supreme, and to the princes as his ambassadors, and to all the decrees of worldly power.” But it is the work of the secular power to protect its subjects, and to punish theft, robbery, and adultery, like St. But this has its place in the further explanation of the Ten Commandments, and can be easily inferred from these passages .
Now, as in this Commandment faith is the master and chief of the good work of charity, so it is in all the other Commandments, and without such faith charity is of no value, but rather a careless waste of money.
