Selections from the Table Talk of Martin Luther

by Martin Luther, Henry Bell (Translator)

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Nonfiction, Classics, Religion, Biography, Spirituality

100 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1561

About the author

Martin Luther (1483-1546) was a German monk, theologian, university professor and church reformer whose ideas inspired the Protestant Reformation and changed the course of Western civilization.

Luther's theology challenged the authority of the papacy by holding that the Bible is the only infallible source of religious authority and that all baptized Christians under Jesus are a spiritual priesthood. According to Luther, salvation was a free gift of God, received only by true repentance and faith in Jesus as the Messiah, a faith given by God and unmediated by the church.

Luther's confrontation with Charles V at the Diet of Worms over freedom of conscience in 1521 and his refusal to submit to the authority of the Emperor resulted in his being declared an outlaw of the state as he had been excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church. Because of the perceived unity of the medieval Church with the secular rulers of western Europe, the widespread acceptance of Luther's doctrines and popular vindication of his thinking on individual liberties were both phenomenal and unprecedented.

His translation of the Bible into the vernacular, making it more accessible to ordinary people, had a tremendous political impact on the church and on German culture. It furthered the development of a standard version of the German language, added several principles to the art of translation, and influenced the translation of the English King James Bible. His hymns inspired the development of congregational singing within Christianity. His marriage to Katharina von Bora set a model for the practice of clerical marriage within Protestantism.

Much scholarly debate has concentrated on Luther's writings about the Jews. His statements that Jews' homes should be destroyed, their synagogues burned, money confiscated and liberty curtailed were revived and used in propaganda by the Nazis in 1933–45. As a result of this and his revolutionary theological views, his legacy remains controversial.

Reviews

[Andrew Breza · Rating 5 out of 5]

A scattershot sampling of Luther's thoughts on a range of topics.

[Nathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A brief (and free!) collection of aphorisms, witticisms, and narratives(-isms?) from Luther, as transcribed by his followers and friends.


Good quotes:

"God giveth by creatures"

"The Gospel is altogether joyful"

"Works belong to the neighbor; faith to God"

"Without trouble, trials, and vexations, prayer cannot rightly be made."

"We ought not to measure, censure, and understand the Scriptures according to our own natural sense and reason, but we ought to diligently by prayer to meditate therein, and to search after the same...The Holy Ghost must be the only master and tutor to teach us therein, and let youth and scholars not be ashamed to learn of this tutor"

"Even so was I, as it were, tugged by my hair to the office of preaching" (!)

"The multitude of books is much to be lamented [you have no idea, Luther!]; no measure nor end is held in writing...Therefore the Bible...will be buried and obscured, so that the Text will be nothing regarded. I could wish that all my books were buried nine ells deep in the ground..."

"When one asked where God was before Heaven was created, Augustine answered, He was in himself. Luther answered, He was building Hell for such idle, presumptuous, fluttering spirits and inquisitors."

"Abstain from, with such speculations, fluttering to high; remain by the manger."

"Good works are the seals and proofs of faith; for, even as a letter must have a seal to strengthen the same, even so faith must have good works" [Luther?]

[John Yelverton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting book, as it is written almost more by an amanuensis for Martin Luther rather than from Luther himself, yet there is clearly the Luther bombastic tone in several passages. It's a very interesting book.

[Connor Longaphie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of this is really cool. But some of this is just weird

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is aptly named. As it suggests, it is chunky and - despite attempts at organization - only loosely hangs together through its preaching of the Gospel and insight into Luther's interpretation of the Reformation. The history at the beginning is interesting. Based on the intro, I believe it has been heavily edited, so this version is likely more discombobulated than the original. Nonetheless, there are many wonderful quotes, some of which I have pasted below:

"Prayer is a strong wall, and a fort of the church; it is a godly Christian's weapon, which no man knoweth nor findeth, but only he who hath the spirit of grace and of prayer."

"That which falleth in Heaven in devilish, but that which stumbleth on earth is human."

"Idolatry is the imagination of the heart."

"God giveth by creatures."

"Temptations are not overcome through our own strength."

"No man must build upon his faith."

"Unbelief weakeneth not God's Word."

"Good works are nameless."

"In adversities we should show ourselves like men, and pluck up good spirits."

"Believest thou? then thou wilt speak boldly. Speakest thou boldly? then thou must suffer. Sufferest thou? then thou shalt be comforted. For, said Luther, faith, the confession thereof, and the cross do follow one after another."

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've read a couple of Luther's books before and enjoyed them. This one however felt very scattered and odd. It didn't really sound like Martin Luther to me compared to what I've read previously. There's a couple good nuggets in there. But overall it's not the best for knowing and understanding Luther.

[Coleen Dailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read on Luther's theology and review of events going on during the beginning of his part of the REformation. A little disjointed at times because it was selections but I would definitely recommend to someone who wanted a little deeper insight into Luther.