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Sacred Meditations
Johann Gerhard's Sacred Meditations, first published in 1606 when the author was only twenty-two years old, is perhaps his best-known work. This volume is considered a classic of Christian devotion, and has been translated into numerous languages over the last four centuries. While Gerhard is often considered the most influential dogmatician of the Lutheran church, this book demonstrates that he is also among the greatest devotional writers.This book is divided into a series of fifty-one devotions. These short chapters cover a breadth of topics in both theology and the Christian's daily life. He begins with meditations on the cross and repentance, and brings the reader throughout the Christian life, ending with a treatment of the eternal bliss which awaits the saints.
242 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
About the author
Johann Gerhard
221 books15 followersJohann Gerhard was a Lutheran church leader and Scholastic theologian during the period of Orthodoxy.
At the age of fourteen, during a dangerous illness, he came under the personal influence of Johann Arndt, author of Das wahre Christenthum, and resolved to study for the church. He entered the University of Wittenberg in 1599, and studied philosophy and theology. A relative then persuaded him to change his subject, and he studied medicine for two years. In 1603, he resumed his theological reading at Jena, and in the following year received a new impulse from J.W. Winckelmann and Balthasar Mentzer at Marburg. He graduated in 1605 and began to give lectures at Jena, then in 1606 he accepted the invitation of John Casimir, Duke of Coburg, to the superintendency of Heldburg, today Bad Colberg-Heldburg, and mastership of the gymnasium; soon afterwards he became general superintendent of the duchy, in which capacity he was engaged in the practical work of ecclesiastical organization until 1616, when he became the senior theological professor at Jena, where the remainder of his life was spent.
Here, with Johann Major and Johann Himmel, he formed the "Trias Johannea." Though still comparatively young, Gerhard was already regarded as the greatest living theologian of Protestant Germany; in the "disputations" of the period he was always protagonist, and his advice was sought on all public and domestic questions touching on religion or morals. During his lifetime he received repeated calls to almost every university in Germany (e.g. Giessen, Altdorf, Helmstedt, Jena, Wittenberg), as well as to Uppsala in Sweden. He died in Jena.
His writings are numerous, alike in exegetical, polemical, dogmatic and practical theology. To the first category belong the Commentarius in harmoniam historiae evangelicae de passione Christi (1617), the Comment, super priorem D. Petri epistolam (1641), and also his commentaries on Genesis (1637) and on Deuteronomy (1658). Of a controversial character are the Confessio Catholica (1633–1637), an extensive work which seeks to prove the evangelical and catholic character of the doctrine of the Augsburg Confession from the writings of approved Roman Catholic authors; and the Loci communes theologici (1610–1622), his principal contribution, in which Lutheranism is expounded "nervose, solide et copiose," in fact with a fulness of learning, a force of logic and a minuteness of detail that had never before been approached.
The Meditationes sacrae (1606), a work expressly devoted to the uses of Christian edification, has been frequently reprinted in Latin and has been translated into most of the European languages, including Greek.
At the age of fourteen, during a dangerous illness, he came under the personal influence of Johann Arndt, author of Das wahre Christenthum, and resolved to study for the church. He entered the University of Wittenberg in 1599, and studied philosophy and theology. A relative then persuaded him to change his subject, and he studied medicine for two years. In 1603, he resumed his theological reading at Jena, and in the following year received a new impulse from J.W. Winckelmann and Balthasar Mentzer at Marburg. He graduated in 1605 and began to give lectures at Jena, then in 1606 he accepted the invitation of John Casimir, Duke of Coburg, to the superintendency of Heldburg, today Bad Colberg-Heldburg, and mastership of the gymnasium; soon afterwards he became general superintendent of the duchy, in which capacity he was engaged in the practical work of ecclesiastical organization until 1616, when he became the senior theological professor at Jena, where the remainder of his life was spent.
Here, with Johann Major and Johann Himmel, he formed the "Trias Johannea." Though still comparatively young, Gerhard was already regarded as the greatest living theologian of Protestant Germany; in the "disputations" of the period he was always protagonist, and his advice was sought on all public and domestic questions touching on religion or morals. During his lifetime he received repeated calls to almost every university in Germany (e.g. Giessen, Altdorf, Helmstedt, Jena, Wittenberg), as well as to Uppsala in Sweden. He died in Jena.
His writings are numerous, alike in exegetical, polemical, dogmatic and practical theology. To the first category belong the Commentarius in harmoniam historiae evangelicae de passione Christi (1617), the Comment, super priorem D. Petri epistolam (1641), and also his commentaries on Genesis (1637) and on Deuteronomy (1658). Of a controversial character are the Confessio Catholica (1633–1637), an extensive work which seeks to prove the evangelical and catholic character of the doctrine of the Augsburg Confession from the writings of approved Roman Catholic authors; and the Loci communes theologici (1610–1622), his principal contribution, in which Lutheranism is expounded "nervose, solide et copiose," in fact with a fulness of learning, a force of logic and a minuteness of detail that had never before been approached.
The Meditationes sacrae (1606), a work expressly devoted to the uses of Christian edification, has been frequently reprinted in Latin and has been translated into most of the European languages, including Greek.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 1, 2026
Johann Gerhard is in some ways the Lutheran C.S. Lewis. He is a true wordsmith, a master of poetic language, and a keen observer of biblical and spiritual truths. His constant reference of Scripture is perfectly apt and wonderfully illuminating. I found his “Sacred Meditations” to be at once harrowing and profoundly encouraging.
There are far too many of his words for me to quote here. But here are a few:
“Ah! how much then ought we love Him who first so dearly loved us. He loved us before we had any being, for it is because of His divine love that we were born into the world.”
“God has promised grace to the penitent soul, but He does not promise a tomorrow.”
“To stand in wonder before it, not to pry into it, is truest wisdom.”
“The Church thus sails in a blessed course over the sea of this world, furnished with faith as a rudder, having God for her pilot, angels for her oarsmen, and all the company of the godly for her passengers; on her deck is erected the cross of our salvation as her mast, upon which are suspended the sails of evangelical faith, and with these filled with the breezes of the Holy Spirit she is conducted to the haven of eternal rest.”
“We shall love [our loved ones] better than we ever loved them here. … There, with joy unspeakable, shall we be permitted to recognize the faces of our loved and lost, and hold sweet converse with them through eternal ages. There the sister shall walk hand in hand with her brother, and children with their parents; and no night shall ever interrupt the glad festivities of that eternal day.”
There are far too many of his words for me to quote here. But here are a few:
“Ah! how much then ought we love Him who first so dearly loved us. He loved us before we had any being, for it is because of His divine love that we were born into the world.”
“God has promised grace to the penitent soul, but He does not promise a tomorrow.”
“To stand in wonder before it, not to pry into it, is truest wisdom.”
“The Church thus sails in a blessed course over the sea of this world, furnished with faith as a rudder, having God for her pilot, angels for her oarsmen, and all the company of the godly for her passengers; on her deck is erected the cross of our salvation as her mast, upon which are suspended the sails of evangelical faith, and with these filled with the breezes of the Holy Spirit she is conducted to the haven of eternal rest.”
“We shall love [our loved ones] better than we ever loved them here. … There, with joy unspeakable, shall we be permitted to recognize the faces of our loved and lost, and hold sweet converse with them through eternal ages. There the sister shall walk hand in hand with her brother, and children with their parents; and no night shall ever interrupt the glad festivities of that eternal day.”
November 21, 2019
This is a devotional book that worked well for me. Each meditation was a good length for a morning devotional time, and Gerhard's words were powerful, with accessible translation in this edition. I did not find it to be a book with doctrinal or theological thoughts that stuck with me or taught me something, but it was meditative and led to prayer. I found Gerhard to be strong on justification, but bad on resurrection. His last several meditations reinforce the prevalent idea of a spiritual resurrection as eternity in heaven, not a heavenly rest followed by a physical resurrection in the new earth.
December 18, 2017
Weighted a bit too heavily on the law side of the law/gospel dialectic.
April 6, 2018
Excellent devotional read. Rich exposition of Law and Gospel on many topics of doctrine.
March 21, 2021
A superb devotional book that every Christian should own and read.
January 11, 2023
Banger.
July 18, 2023
I've been meaning to read this for years, so I'm glad I finally made it happen. An excellent collection of devotional thoughts that pulls no punches in laying out Law and Gospel.
December 6, 2023
Great book, I listened to the audiobook version on YouTube. I will leave the link below so that everyone can enjoy it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvWu7...
September 15, 2024
Excellent devotional. I enjoyed it very much.
January 21, 2026
Like Meditations by Marcus Aurelius is a good read for philosophy, Sacred Meditations by Johann Gerhard is a good read for theology. A devotional as well as theological text. Quite brilliant is this text.
October 12, 2014
Rich soul food. Re-read this one often.
February 19, 2026
Beautiful and poetic book. Amazing to think the author was only 20 or so years old when he wrote this magnificent piece of art.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews