MARTIN LUTHER PAGE 37 The Man Martin Luther (His Character) Rough edges, bombastic, loud, opinionated, etc. these have all been used to describe Luther’s personality. What friends and foe alike readily admit though is that he was a man of principal, character and unquestionable integrity. The Diversity of Luther’s Character 1. Even many of his enemies recognized the purity of his character: Thomas Wolsley Catholic Archbishop of York: 2. Luther’s Love and Memory Mastery of the Scriptures 3. Work Ethic - Output - Life & Times (1523) 4. Transparent Emotions - Humor, Wit, Laughter, Anger, “Bafoonery”, “Scatology” 5. Honesty, Equality, Self-Deprecation, Passionate Love of Others The Man Martin Luther (His Passions / Loves) Not only did Martin Luther’s Reformation change the very definition of “church” the Reformation changed the very definition of “Christian Marriage” His Marriage to Katharina von Bora “My Rib” 1. Raised in Convents - The Great Escape From Nimbshen - Leonard Köppe's Covered Herring Wagon 2. Katharina’s Love - Lost & Found 3. Engagement, Marriage & Honeymoon (6/13/1525) 4. “The Morning Star of Wittenberg” Among Many Others Katie Luther (Proverbs 31 Personified) 1. Ran The “Cloister” & Holdings including “The Farm” 2. She was Martin’s Best Friend, Lover, Closest Confidant, Muse, Physician, Massage & PhysicalTherapist, Pharmacist, as Luther suffered his entire life with- “gout, insomnia, catarrh, hemorrhoids, constipation, stones, dizziness, and ringing in the ears.” 5 WEEK 9 - Luther The Man The Man Who Changed The World “Luther’s life is approved by unanimous consent of all, and the fact that his character is so up right that even his enemies find nothing to slander in it…” 2 “She also planted the fields, cared for an orchard, harvested a fish pond, looked after the barnyard, and slaughtered the livestock, and brewed and sold the best beer in Wittnenberg” 4 “From Heaven Above To Earth I Come” 6 How glad we’ll be to find it so! then with the shepherds let us go To see what God for us has done in sending us His own dear Son. 7 Come here, my friends, lift up your eyes, and see what in the manger lies. Who is this child, so young and fair? The blessed Christ-child lieth there. 8 Welcome to earth, O noble Guest, through whom the sinful world is blest! You came to share my misery that You might share Your joy with me. Words & Music by Martin Luther 1 Luthers Farm in Zühlsdorff They harvested: Peas, Beans, Lettuce, Cumcumbers, Cabbage, Fruit Trees, Apples, Pears, Peaches, Grapes, & Nuts They even had a fish Pond with Trout, Carp and Pike and Pearch Livestock: Pigs, Ducks, Hens and Cattle - Which Katie was Butcher “Morning Star of Wittenberg” “Lady of Zühlsdorff” “The Lady of the Pig Market” “The Leading Luther” “My Lord Katie” “My Empress Katie” “My Rib”
Transcript
MARTIN LUTHER PAGE 37
The Man Martin Luther (His Character)Rough edges, bombastic, loud, opinionated, etc. these have all been used to describe Luther’s personality. What friends and foe alike readily admit though is that he was a man of principal, character and unquestionable integrity.The Diversity of Luther’s Character1. Even many of his enemies recognized the purity of his character: Thomas Wolsley Catholic Archbishop of York:
2. Luther’s Love and Memory Mastery of the Scriptures
5. Honesty, Equality, Self-Deprecation, Passionate Love of Others
The Man Martin Luther (His Passions / Loves)Not only did Martin Luther’s Reformation change the very definition of “church” the Reformation changed the very definition of “Christian Marriage”His Marriage to Katharina von Bora “My Rib”1. Raised in Convents - The Great Escape From Nimbshen - Leonard Köppe's Covered Herring Wagon 2. Katharina’s Love - Lost & Found
3. Engagement, Marriage & Honeymoon (6/13/1525)
4. “The Morning Star of Wittenberg” Among Many Others
Katie Luther (Proverbs 31 Personified)1. Ran The “Cloister” & Holdings including “The Farm”
2. She was Martin’s Best Friend, Lover, Closest Confidant, Muse, Physician, Massage & PhysicalTherapist, Pharmacist, as Luther suffered his entire life with- “gout, insomnia, catarrh, hemorrhoids, constipation, stones, dizziness, and ringing in the ears.” 5
WEEK 9 - Luther The ManThe Man Who Changed The World“Luther’s life is approved by unanimous consent of all, and
the fact that his character is so up right that even his enemies find nothing to slander in it…” 2
“She also planted the fields, cared for an orchard, harvested a fish pond, looked after the barnyard, and slaughtered the livestock, and brewed and sold the best beer in Wittnenberg” 4
“From Heaven Above To Earth I Come”
6 How glad we’ll be to find it so!
then with the shepherds let us go To see what God for us has done in
sending us His own dear Son.
7 Come here, my friends, lift up your eyes, and see what in the manger lies.
Who is this child, so young and fair? The blessed Christ-child lieth there.
8 Welcome to earth, O noble Guest,
through whom the sinful world is blest! You came to share my misery that You
might share Your joy with me.
Words & Music byMartin Luther 1
Luthers Farm in Zühlsdorff
They harvested: Peas, Beans, Lettuce, Cumcumbers, Cabbage, Fruit Trees, Apples, Pears, Peaches, Grapes, & Nuts
They even had a fish Pond with Trout, Carp and Pike and Pearch
Livestock: Pigs, Ducks, Hens and Cattle - Which Katie was Butcher
“Morning Star of Wittenberg”“Lady of Zühlsdorff”
“The Lady of the Pig Market”“The Leading Luther”
“My Lord Katie”“My Empress Katie”
“My Rib”
PAGE 38 ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL
Lucas Cranach’s “Wedding Portraits”
Marriage and Family as Gods “Little Churches” 1. Marriage a School of “Patience and Forgiveness” 2. Husband & Wife as Equal / Complementary
3. Children - “Humbling tools we love more than life itself”
4. Life in the Home - Life on Earth: Joy and pain, God’s gift of a reflection of Christ’s ultimate love for his church, The Father’s love for us as his children and the Holy Spirit’s work first, drawing and leading us, and then keeping us together.
The Home and Family -“ It’s the Little Things”1. Permanent Guests: Aunt Lena 4, “Adopted kids”, “Paying Students”, Out of town guests wanted to stay with “The Doctor” - All Welcome, All the time. (Example Karlstadt returns to Wittenberg 11:00 PM the night of Luther’s wedding)
2. Christ & The Gospel Permeated the Luther Home - 24/7/365
3. Music, Joy, Merriment, Fun, Controlled Chaos, Töepel (The Family Dog)4. Child Rearing (Training) “The apple ought to lie next to the rod”, “Boys First”, Katie and Martin’s 3 day ordeal with their first born Hans. “I would rather have a dead son than a disobedient one”: “Well God may give you a dead wife and broken heart first”A Typical Day in The Black Cloister (Luther House)4:00 AM “The Morningstar of Wittenberg”: Arises begins her day6:00 AM - 10:00 AM Luther Preaches / Teaches at the University 2 doors down or The Town Church 10:00 AM The Principal Meal of The day served during morning break of the University (When in Session)11:00 AM - 5:00 PM - The Doctor “Dead To The World” unless for scheduled meetings / emergencies5:00 PM - Community Supper - Followed by “Table Talk” discussions6:00 PM - 9:00 PM Music, Play With Kids, Catechize Kids (others), Games, Laughter9:00 PM - House bedtime / Weather Permitting Luther Offered his Private night Prayers at the open window for anyone to listen and participate in.
”The Luther’s” : The First Modern “Christian Home”
As we have seen the “way to God” in the Medieval Roman Church was “The Cycle of Penance”. Not only did Luther change how we were to relate to God - he fundamentally changed how we in a society were to relate to each other through giving and service. There is no more glaring example than the God’s covenant Christian marriage and family. Martin and Katie’s marriage in many ways became the “first modern Christian Home”.
Luther and Katherine had six children: Hans (June 7, 1526); Elizabeth (December 10, 1527); Elizabeth died as an infant in August 1528Magdalene (May 4, 1529); Magdalene died in her early teens in 1542Martin (November 9, 1531); Paul (January 29, 1533; Margaret (December 17, 1534)
Martin Luther (On Marriage)
“There is a lot to get used to in the first year of marriage,” he wrote. “One wakes up in the
morning and finds a pair of pigtails on the pillow which
were not there before.”
“ Before I was married, the bed was not made for a whole year and became foul with sweat. But I worked so hard and was so weary I tumbled in without
noticing it.”
“I brought nothing into marriage except some old
books and some smelly clothes”
“Union of the flesh does nothing. There must also be union of manners and mind.”
Martin Luther (On His Family)
“Hans,” Luther said, “is cutting his teeth and beginning to make
a joyous nuisance of himself. These are the joys of marriage of which the pope is not worthy.”
“ Luther said of Elizabeth when she was born on December 10, 1527, “God has produced from me and my wife Katie a little
heathen.”
“The mother of course has the brunt of it. But the father may
have to hang out the diapers, to the neighbors' amusement. Let them laugh. God and the angels
smile in heaven.”
“All my life is patience. I have to have patience with the pope,
the heretics, my family, and Katie.”
MARTIN LUTHER PAGE 39
“I simply taught, preached, and wrote God’s Word; otherwise I did nothing. And then, while I
slept, or drank Wittenberg beer with my Philip [Melanchthon] and my Amsdorf [Nicholaus
von], the Word so greatly weakened the papacy that
never a prince or emperor did such damage to it. I did
nothing. The Word did it all..”
Martin Luther
His Friendships
1. University Students / Young Associates 2. Towns People / Church Members
3. Boarders / Visitors (Table Talk)
His Close Personal FriendsProfessional / Theological: Philip Melanchthon, Nicholaus von AmsdorfBusiness / Politics: Lucas Cranach, George Spalatin (Duke Frederick)Spiritual / Pastors: Johann von Staupitz, Johannes Bügenhagen (Dr. Pomeranus)
His Work / Leisure 1. Theology - Reading / Meditation 2. Publishing / Writing - Output has never really been matched in history (1523)
3. Music - Lute (Family Songs & Singing) Church Hymns
His Faith / Devotion To Christ 1. Personal Piety / Devotion / Bible Reading / Prayer 2. The Gospel
3.The Reason For His Existence / Legacy
Because he had a genuine love and interest in people it was very easy for Luther to become close to his friends and associates.
1523 A typical year of content / creation / writing in the life of Dr. Luther: Lectured every day (new material) at the University - Exposition of Deuteronomy (250 pages)As head of the Cloister - Preaches to Monks every AM and church calendar days (500 pages)1523 Published 13 Books: Jan: Temporal Authority: To What Extent it Should be Obeyed Feb: Lectures on 2 Peter & Jude, Mar: An Exhortation to the Knights of the Teutonic Order, April: The Adoration of the Sacrament, May: Treatise on The Christian Assembly & Congregation, That Jesus Was Born a Jew, June: Lectures on Deuteronomy, Aug: Ordinances of a Common Chest, To All Christians in Worms, Preface to The Old Testament, Commentary on I Corinthians 7, Nov: Treatise Concerning The Ministry (640 Pages)During the year he translated Old Testament books (Joshua through Esther) to German (300 Pages)
In 1523 Luther also composed personal 200+ letters and correspondence (Extant texts > 100 pages) Preached over 150 times in the Parish Church (Avg. 3 a week) (Est. 1,000 pages)
Philip Melancthon
Nicolaus von Amsdorff
"A person should work in such a way that he remains well and does no injury to his body. We should not break our heads at work and injure our bodies ... I myself used to do such things,
and I have racked my brains because I still have not
overcome the bad habit of overworking. Nor shall I
overcome it as long as I live” 3
Martin Luther
Luther In His Study
Bibliography & Notes1. Luther, Martin. The Hymns of Martin Luther.: Concordia Pub House, 2016. 26. Print.
2. Plass, Ewald M. This Is Luther: A Character Study. St. Louis, MO: Concordia Pub. House, 1984. P 19.
3. Luther, Martin, and Ewald Martin Plass. What Luther Says: An Anthology, Vol. 3, Saint Louis, MO: Concordia House, 1972. P. 1496-1497
4. Thigpen, Paul, Christianity Today, Martin Luther's Later Years: A Gallery - Family Album, http://www.christianitytoday.com/history/issues/issue-39/martin-luthers-later-years-gallery--family-album.html
5. Ibed
PAGE 40 ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL
Q&A ...My Take a Ways...
Can you relate to Luther’s Love and Devotion to Katie?
Can you see how and why people loved Martin?
Have you ever seen hospitality anywhere close to how the Luther’s lived?
Relating To Our Lives… If Studying the Life of Martin Luther does not inspire us to… 1. Love and Appreciate Christ and His Gospel More 2. Renew Our Desire to Live Daily for Christ’s Glory and Others, Or
3. Unapologetically Stand for Christ, the Gospel and the Truth of God's Word Despite Hardship, Opposition, and Persecution
Then I believe the good Dr. himself would say that we have “wasted our time”
NEXT WEEK (Sunday February 26th)Legacy of a SinnerThe Controversial Luther
