Martin Luther

Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians(1535)By Martin LutherTranslated by Theodore GraebnerSt. Paul wrote this epistle because, after his departure from the Galatian churches, Jewish-Christian fanatics moved in, who perverted Paul's Gospel of man's free justification by faith in Christ Jesus. The world bears the Gospel a grudge because the Gospel condemns the religious wisdom of the world. Jealous for its own religious views, the world in turn charges the Gospel with being a subversive and licentious doctrine, offensive to God and man, a doctrine to be persecuted as the worst plague on earth. As a result we have this paradoxical situation: The Gospel supplies the world with the salvation of Jesus Christ, peace of conscience, and every blessing. Just for that the world abhors the Gospel. These Jewish-Christian fanatics who pushed themselves into the Galatian churches after Paul's departure, boasted that they were the descendants of Abraham, true ministers of Christ, having been trained by the apostles themselves, that they were able to perform miracles. In every way they sought to undermine the authority of St. Paul. They said to the Galatians: "You have no right to think highly of Paul. He was the last to turn to Christ. But we have seen Christ. We heard Him preach. Paul came later and is beneath us. It is possible for us to be in error--we who have received the Holy Ghost? Paul stands alone. He has not seen Christ, nor has he had much contact with the other apostles. Indeed, he persecuted the Church of Christ for a long time."

This volume presents Martin Luther’s contribution to the modern economic sciences, providing a detailed introduction and revised translation of his major pamphlet on economic matters, ‘On Commerce and Usury’ (‘Von Kau?shandlung und Wucher’, 1524). In his teachings on indulgences, Luther picked up on the question of hoarding money, and was among the earliest voices in early modern Europe calling for an ‘ethical’ economics. Luther‘s work pre?gured many later contributions to modern economic theory, from the mercantilists and cameralists to the German Historical School.

"God gives faith not so that it can deal with insignificant things, but so that it can deal with] things the whole world cannot handle, such as death, sin, world, and devil."-Martin LutherA prolific author, renowned preacher, respected professor, and key figure in the Reformation, Martin Luther is still, after five hundred years, one of the most influential people in history. Above all, he worked to make the Bible accessible to everyone. His writings continue to guide and encourage Christians because he points us to Jesus and His Gospel. These daily devotions are drawn from the many volumes in the American Edition of Luther's Works, including volumes that are newly translated into English, thus providing material from Luther never before available to English-speaking readers. A daily dose of Luther is good for the soul

Thoroughly researched and faithfully translated, the Luther's Works series consists of Martin Luther's Bible commentaries, sermons, prefaces, postils, disputations, letters, theology, and polemics, translated and published in English for the first time. Luther's Works, Volume 67 (Annotations on Matthew: Chapters 1-18) presents Luther's annotations on Matthew he had made for Wittenberg doctoral student Hieronymus Weller, who had been assigned the preaching of Matthew. The notes touch note on the interpretation on the scriptural passages and on homiletical strategies for preaching them.

"The Bible is alive," declared Martin Luther, "it speaks to me; it has feet, it runs after me; it has hands, it lays hold of me." The Protestant Reformation's seminal leader possessed a gift for evocative speech, and he was as articulate and outspoken in private as he was in public. Fortunately for posterity, some of Luther's loyal followers took note of his informal speeches. The Table Talk of Martin Luther consists of excerpts from the great reformer's conversations with his students and colleagues, in which he comments on life, the church, and the Bible. Collected by Johannes Aurifaber, Anton Lauterbach, and other close associates of Luther, these absorbing anecdotes reveal the speaker's personality and wisdom. This text is based on the English translation by lawyer and author William Hazlitt, son of the celebrated essayist.