LUTHERAN THEOLOGICAL REVIEW - Brock University

ZWECK: LUTHER ON JAMES 61
In the second place, consider the meaning of the crucifixion of Jesus
Christ Is it not a fact that we know the meaning of Christ’s crucifixion only
because God Himself has explained this meaning to us in His Word He is
not only the God Who Acts, but is also the God Who Speaks. If He had not
spoken to us, His acts would have benefited us nothing (compare Romans
10:14). That is the point that Luther is making about the works of Christ and
His words. If we had only the works, their meaning would be subject to
misinterpretation. Therefore, we need God’s own interpretation of the
meaning of those deeds. All Luther is saying is that, in a pinch, the words
are more necessary for us than the deeds. On this basis, he values the
doctrinal books of the New Testament more highly than the narrative books
(although these titles—“doctrinal” and “narrative”—are only relative: no
book of the New Testament is exclusively “doctrinal”, and no book is
exclusively “narrative”).
In all of this discussion about the comparative values of the four
Gospels and of the Epistles, there is, so far, no hint of a distinction between
that which is God’s Word and that which is not God’s Word. All of those
discussed are equally considered to be God’s Word, even if some present the
Gospel more succinctly than others:
In a word St. John’s Gospel and his first epistle, St. Paul’s epistles,
especially Romans, Galatians, and Ephesians, and St. Peter’s first epistle
are the books that show you Christ and teach you all that is necessary and
salvatory for you to know, even if you were never to see or hear another
book or doctrine. 30
It must be remembered that these words were originally written for people
who had never had access to the New Testament as such in their own
language, but who were acquainted only with the pericopes they heard read
out in church. Suddenly, a new treasure is being placed into their hands: the
whole New Testament, and in their own language. How should they make
best use of it That is what Luther is concerned to tell them.
It is also important to note that, in this Preface, Luther does not appeal
to the was Christum treibt “what inculcates Christ” principle. That is not the
point at issue between these noblest books and the rest of the New
Testament, as it is between James and all the books of the New Testament.
Therefore, Luther uses the verb zeigen “show”, rather than treiben
“inculcate”. His point is that all the books of the New Testament treiben
“inculcate” Christ, but some of them—in the way he has spelled out
above—zeigen “show” Him more succinctly than others. But, when it comes
to the Letter of James, the story is different.
30 AE 35:362.