Great Christian Biographies with John Piper: Martin Luther, Part 2

Second thing that links us is that he was a family man. Eventually 41 years old he marries Katerina von Bora. That would be worth a lecture, but. You do that for your own people. It'll be more interesting than this one probably.

He knew the pressure and the heartache of rearing and losing children. Katie Bore him six children boom boom boom. She was 26 years old not 41 when they got married. And and the first child Johannes was born in 1526.

Elizabeth was born in 1527 Magdalena 1529 Martin 1531 Paul 1533 and Margaret in 1534. Now here compute with me again between Elizabeth and Magdalena. He gets us right here, yes. Between the birth of Elizabeth 1527 Magdalena 1529 is the year that he preached 200 times and Elizabeth died that year at.

Eight months old.

One of the reasons for this man's remarkable impact is that he was.

Absolutely.

Undaunted in his productivity. I.

Mean when you have a year Where your kid gets sick and dies you take a break you cut back. You survive, right? He preached more that year than any other year. Unless we think he neglected his children, which would be an easy thing to draw on those Sunday afternoons.

For example after he had often preached twice once at 5 a .m. And once at 10. He led his family in Afternoon devotions which for them was one hour and it was another sermon and it was just not for the kids.

But for everybody who was in the house, and you know, his house was always full of visitors. You learn that from the table talk. So Luther knew this is the second thing that unites us. Luther knew the the pressures of being a public man Pressured and a family man.

Here's the third thing. He was a churchman. He was not an ivory tower. Theological Scholar he was in on and led most of the controversies of his day in those Conferences there was the Heidelberg disputation.

There was the Leipzig disputation with Eck and Karlstadt there was the diet of worms with the Emperor. There was the Marburg colloquy with Zwingli. There was the diet of Augsburg which produced that great document one after the other everybody in the Northern Europe was looking to him as the lightning rod for getting these things worked out.

Besides that there was a stream of publications that all related to the church in 1520. He wrote a hundred and twenty 133 published works in 1522 130 in 1523 183 compute one every other day. He's preaching hundreds of times a year.

He's lecturing every day at the University. He has six kids and He writes a publishable document every other day besides that. Everybody flocked to him besieging his door hourly trooped citizens doctors princes.

Diplomatic enigmas were to be solved. Naughty theological points were to be settled. The ethics of social life were to be laid down. Now let me give you an illustration here because if you're like me you tend to resent interruptions when you want to study and You tend to excuse yourself for not being more productive because there are many pressures in your life and there are people to be visited in counseling sessions to be had and and Family matters to be tended to and broken cars to be fixed and while they didn't have broken cars to fix They had broken bodies that nobody could figure out.

Nobody could fix his constipation. I Mean, this was a horrible thing that he had to deal with. I'll come back to that later. I got things to say about his physical condition, but They had their problems.

No, no electric light during all this time. No heat during all this time produced nice like we have heat your perfect temperature. It gets a little chilly on the front row. I just kind of wasn't somebody fix this thing, you know, and I didn't have any of that.

So I wanted to know does Martin Luther Deal with the nitty-gritty Practical stuff like how you do small groups in a church, you know well, here's what I found out when the Reformation got underway and.

The.

Fabric was rent for how you do church.

Who's gonna reinvent church.

Who's gonna answer the hundreds of questions, what do we do now that the Rome is not our guide and mother anymore. Well, where did they look. They look to poor Martin the university professor who's preaching 200 times a year To answer every practical question.

So here's what he suggests. He goes to the the state officials in Saxony and he goes to the university says let's have visitors Capital V send the visitors through all the parishes to Take stock of how the parishes are going and make suggestions for how to do church.

They didn't use that term, but that's what he was doing and they say well, what are we going to tell him? I'll write you something so he writes this thing called Instructions for the visitors of parish pastors in electoral Saxony if you want to read Nitty-gritty stuff in Martin Luther get that little work in the collected works.

For example among all the things he dealt with he has a section in there called the education of younger children. And he gets so specific that he says now the way we're going to do this and is that we'll break them down into.

Pre-readers.

Readers and advanced readers and.

Then he suggests how to teach them.

They shall first learn to read the primer in which are found the alphabet the Lord's Prayer and the Creed and other prayers. When they have learned this they shall be given Donatus and Cato to read Donatus and to expound Cato.

The schoolmaster is to expound one or two verses at a time and the children are to repeat these at a later time so that they thereby build up a vocabulary.

Martin Luther wasting his time telling people how to teach kids, right?

Don't ever say.

That you can't be productive or that you don't have time to study because you got to solve nitty-gritty nursery problems or Sunday school problems or Small group problems or worship problems. That's the way I feel and I'm rebuked.

By Martin Luther saying get off it.

You're in the real world. And I am a university professor and I preach two or three times a week and I go to conferences All over the world and besides that there's a warrant out for my arrest and I can be killed anywhere outside, Saxony.

Get off it.

Belly aching American pastors.

So my conclusion is let us listen to this man. All that's introduction believe it or not. What difference the book made in his? Study. Now, here's the key. I think. The importance of study was so interwoven for Luther with the discovery of the gospel the precious conscience relieving Gospel, it was so interwoven how he made his discovery that he could never be anything But passionate about the importance of study.

Couldn't. He couldn't just given his history in his own personal life. Study was never anything less than utterly crucial life-giving history-shaping stuff that we are called to do. And I wonder today.

This is an exhortation.

Whether we take so much for granted.

About the truth and about the word that we can hardly imagine what it cost Luther to break through to the truth and To sustain access to the truth. We really need to ask brothers. We need to ask whether all the ground gained by Luther the other reformers May be lost if we lose a passion for study While assuming that truth just remains obvious now to see this Intertwining of study and gospel discovery.

Let's go back to his discovery. Let me read it to you. You've read this but I want to read it again. This is so I Mean this moment in his life Which he dates in 1518 during his psalm lectures when he found the gospel and walked through gates into paradise the historical implications of this moment for our lives, but this church and all your churches is just.

Incalculable.

Now listen as I read this. It's about a page and a half. Listen as I read this for about six places. I'll point them out when I'm done, but you listen six places where study was the issue in the discovery.

I had indeed been captivated with an extraordinary ardor for Understanding Paul in the epistle to the Romans, but up till then it was a single word in chapter 1 verse 17. In it the righteousness of God is revealed that had stood in my way.

Before I hated that word.

Righteousness of God Which according to the use and custom of all the teachers I had been taught to understand Philosophically regarding the formal or active Righteousness as they called it with which God is righteous and punishes the unrighteous sinner.

Thus I raged against God with my troubled conscience.

Nevertheless, I I.

Beat.

Importunately upon Paul at that place most ardently desiring to know what st. Paul wanted at last by the mercy of God. Meditating day and.

Night I.

Gave heed to the context of the words namely.

In it.

Righteousness of God is revealed as it is written. He who through faith is.

Righteous shall live.

There.

There I began to.

Understand that the righteousness of God is that by which righteous? The righteous lives by a gift of God namely by faith. And this is the meaning the righteousness of God is revealed by the gospel namely the passive righteousness with which the merciful God justifies us by faith as It is written he who through faith is righteous shall live here.

I felt that I was all together Born again and had entered paradise itself through open gates. Here a totally other face of the entire scripture showed itself to me thereupon I ran through the scriptures from memory looking for analogies and I extolled my Sweetest word with love as great as the hatred with which I had before hated the word Righteousness of God.

Thus that place in Paul Was for me truly the gate of paradise. Now, let me rehearse them for you. I had been captivated with an extraordinary ardor for understanding Paul I.

Beat.

Importunately upon Paul at that place Romans 117 at that place Most ardently desiring to know what st. Paul wanted. Where are people today doing that?

Where is somebody struggling with. Where are I'm gonna?

Where are the Christian counselors today who are beating on the book of Romans? Give it to me. Give me a solution for multiple personality disorder. Where is anybody doing that at last by the mercy of God?

Meditating day and night. Thereupon I ran through the whole scripture from memory. That place in Paul was for me a gate to paradise. The seeds of all of Luther's study habits are. There they're all there.

So let me begin. I've got six I think and here we go. The marks of Luther at study number one. Luther came to elevate the biblical text itself above all commentators and church fathers. Maybe I don't need to dwell on this because it's been hit at least twice.

He wrote. For a number of years. I have now annually read through the Bible twice. Heiko Oman said he did that at least ten years after the great discovery. Read through the Bible twice a year if the Bible were a large mighty tree.

He said.

And.

All its words were little branches. I.

Have tapped at all the branches.

Eager to know what was there and what it had to offer. He who is well acquainted with the scripture text. He said is a distinguished Theologian. The dear fathers. He wrote the dear fathers wished by their writing to lead us to the scriptures.

But we so use them as to be led away from the scriptures though the scriptures alone are the vineyard in which we ought to work and toil. The Bible is buried. He said in a wealth of commentaries and if he had a wealth What do we have.

The Bible is buried in a wealth of commentaries and the text is being neglected. Although in every branch of learning They are the best who are well acquainted with their text. Now that was not owing to a kind of.

Purist.

Literary liberal arts. Fascination it was owing to the very simple fact. He found his life that way. He found his life by beating on the Apostle Beating on verse 17 just hammering at it. I will not let you go until you bless me and.

Speak to me.

The truth precinct accuracy by living with the God of The scriptures. They're gonna pass over things there and move to the second one. The second Thing is that because of his preoccupation with the primary place of the text over against secondary literature.

He was.

Intensely Preoccupied with grappling with the very words of Paul and the other biblical writers. Let's mark that intensely preoccupied with grappling with the very words of Paul he told his students that the exegete should treat a difficult passage Differently no differently than Moses did the rock in the desert when he smote it with his rod In order to get water from it in the summer and the fall.

Here's an illustration in the summer and the fall of 1526 Everybody almost had left Wittenberg that could leave Wittenberg because the plague. He did not feel free to do that. So he and Johannes Brueghenhagen stayed there and ministered the people and there was a little cluster of theological students left at the University Who didn't leave for some reason and he decided he would take up?

Ecclesiastes during the plague and teach it and he writes Solomon the preacher is Giving me a hard time as though he begrudged anyone lecturing on him.

But he must.

Yield.

Hey, you see that's that that's years later, but it's the same metaphor. He beat. He beat importantly on the Apostle Paul and here he says Solomon you will yield. Word of God will be understood.

Here, I will not let you go.

So that's the second trait of his study an intense Preoccupation with the very wording of the text. Here's the third one. The power and preciousness of what Luther saw when he beat Important importunately on on the Apostles language convinced him forever that reading Greek and Hebrew Was one of the greatest privileges and responsibilities of a Reformation preacher.

Now we've heard a little bit from both Kent and Ian, but both of them. I think a little timidly. I'm not going to be timid Because I am representing Luther and he didn't know the meaning of the word timid.

All right. Now just put on your thick skins all you who have forgotten your Greek and Hebrew Because you're gonna feel awful when I'm done Though I will try to rescue you from the pit at the end he said.

He is certain That unless the languages remain the gospel must finally perish. This is no there's no Academic gamesmanship. He's not playing around with oh Let's be scholarly.

He asks.

Do you inquire? What use there is in learning the languages. Do you say we can read the Bible well in German. And he answers his own question without the languages We could not have received the gospel.

This is why it's so precious to him. Without the languages We could not have received the gospel. Languages are the scabbard that contains the word of the Spirit. If we neglect The literature we shall eventually lose the gospel.

No sooner did men cease to cultivate the languages. Then Christendom Declined even until it fell under the undisputed dominion of the Pope. But no sooner was the torch relighted. Then this papal owl fled with a shriek into congenial gloom.

In former times the fathers were frequently mistaken because they were ignorant of the languages and in our days There are some who like the Walden Z's do not think the languages are of any use. But although their doctrine is good. They have often erred in the real meaning of the sacred text and They are without arms against error and I fear much that their faith will not remain.

Pure.

The main issue for Martin Luther was the preservation and the purity of the Christian faith where the languages of Greek and Hebrew are not prized and pursued. Care is my word now care in biblical observation and biblical thinking and concern for truth.

Decreases it has to.

Because tools to think otherwise are not present. If you do not know Greek you cannot. Handle the biblical text as seriously as you could if you knew Greek. It's not a question of preference. It's a question of possibility.

It is not possible to handle the biblical text as.

Rigorously as.

Carefully to show as much concern for the original intention as if you were reading it in the language in which the Apostles wrote. He said this is him. Now if the languages had not made me Positive as to the true meaning of the word. I might have still remained a chained monk Engaged in quietly preaching Romish errors in obscurity of a cloister.

The Pope the sophists and their anti-christian Empire would have remained unshaken. You see what he thinks hung on His languages. The whole Reformation he believes hung on the languages. He says it is impossible For him not to run into obstacles everywhere who does not know the languages.

And then he adds this.

That.

Freshness and force in preaching come From knowing the languages he says. But when the preacher is versed in the languages his discourse is has freshness and force. The whole of scripture is treated and faith finds itself constantly renewed by a continual variety of words and works.

I Left out the the harsher things that he said About those who have neglected their languages, but now let me say a word. I hope will encourage you.

And.

Exhort you in two ways. Many of you either never have had time or the will To learn Greek and Hebrew and many more of you have let them languish. By the way, I'm 50 This month and I have maybe Lord willing 15 more years in this church and Every time I go away in January to renew myself at the Shalom house for a few days read Martin Luther and think about the year I Find myself by reading these kinds of things pricked in my conscience and awakened to revive and renew my efforts with Hebrew.

Greek is not a problem for me because I had a chance to teach it. So when you teach something you really learn it. I never taught Hebrew and so it's. I've struggled with it ever since seminary Days, and so I have resolved again age 50 age 50.

This is an exhortation especially to younger guys who think I'm 30 35 40. What's the use of me trying? Oh, well with languages because too late baloney. It's not too late. John Elliott at age 42 learned the Algonquin language and planted dozens of churches and the Algonquin language has words in it 23 letters long.

You won't find any words in the Greek New Testament 23 letters long. It's not too late. But here's what I would say to you try to ameliorate things here a bit. I would say that knowing the languages can make any devoted preacher a better preacher.

More fresh more faithful more confident more penetrating, but it is possible to be a Very good preacher and a very powerful preacher without them at least for a season the test of our faithfulness, I think as a Corporate body in the church in America or around the world the test of our faithfulness to the word.

Is this if we have lost our languages ourselves do we have a heart and a mind large enough To show concern for the whole Church of Christ by promoting the preservation widespread teaching and use of the languages.

Or are we so weak and frightened and Small of.

Self.

Possession that we have to minimize their importance to justify our ignorance. So I plead with you who do not have the languages to exalt them.

Humbly exalt them.

Now you can take the time to learn especially if you're younger. I Want to make my Hebrew better in 1996 so that I will be more faithful in my exposition of the Old Testament more penetrating more fresh more reliable.

And if you're younger you can do that, but I have in mind something bigger than that suppose. You have just settled it. You're never going to know them. You're going to do the best you can with your English Bible.

Glorify them.

Raise up young men in your church to become Language lovers and tell them you wish you had and that you wish you could. If you had your life to live over you probably would Glorify them and when you go to the to the seminary tell the faculty teach them stop taking it away.

Yes, I don't know them. Yes I'm a pastor but I think we need them because the gospel is at stake and time will show that if we Minimize our commitment to the original languages. We minimize attention to specificity in the Bible.

It's everywhere today folks. Minimizing specificity of doctrine is everywhere and part of it is the loss of the languages. Okay, I think I'm done on that point. No, I'm gonna say one more thing. Luther's gonna say one more thing.

Quote. It is a sin and a shame not to know our own book or to understand the speech and words of our God. It is still greater sin and loss that we do not study languages especially in these days when God is I Marvel at what he's saying here because he's not talking about computers.

I Have Greek and Hebrew Instant-parsing in front of me every day. Just get Bible works or is a dozen good programs out there. Boom. It's parsed. Boom, you get the meaning in front of you. Boom. You got 18 examples of it elsewhere.

It's just there.

Now listen to this in view of that it says.

It is a sin and a shame especially in these days when God is offering and giving us men and books and every facility and Inducement to this study and desires his Bible to be an open book.

Oh.

How happy the dear fathers would have been if they had our opportunity to study the languages and come Thus prepared to the Holy Scriptures. Oh how their effort puts our indolence to shame. That was written in the 1500s.