Luther's Understanding of the Bible: The heart of the Reformation?

The Bible as Authority 

On October 31st , 1517, Luther is said to have nailed his 95 theses to the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church. At first glance, the dispute in which he was involved seemed to be about indulgences – the idea of buying oneself and others out of punishment for sins committed. However, the precarious background and core of the dispute was a much bigger question: Who has the authority to decide in theological matters? Does the Pope have the final say? Or can anyone disagree with the Pope if they base their argument on the bible? For Luther, the answer was clear: authority lies with whoever aligns with the Bible. 

In consequence, it no longer mattered how much prestige and power a person had. What mattered was what the Bible said. "Sola Scriptura" ("Scripture alone") is what this principle is called. 

The Bible as the Word of God 

To Luther, the Bible was the sole authority because he believed it was the word of God. He was not concerned with exactly how God had expressed his word through human language. That was a question for later theologians. For Luther, the essential point was that the Bible was God's word and therefore absolutely trustworthy: He believed that a Christian could rely on what is written in the Bible, because the Holy Spirit does not lie. Luther’s concern here was certainty and he did not find it in church authorities, but in the biblical texts only. This certainty applied to all matters of faith and Christian life: a Christian knows, according to Luther, that they are saved through faith in God, because the Bible says so. And they know how to thank God for this salvation, because that, too, is written in the Bible. 

The Bible in everyday language 

As a monk, Luther had learned to read the Bible in Hebrew, Greek and Latin. However, most people only listened to the Bible read in Latin during church services. They could not form their own understanding of the texts since they did not understand the language. The few Bible translations that did exist were not accessible to the majority. Additionally, these translations were literal translations and hence not meant for readability. 

This was unacceptable to Luther. He believed that everyone should have direct access to the word of God. So, he translated the biblical texts into German: The New Testament was published in 1522, the Old Testament in 1534. 

Luther's goal was to make the translation as understandable as possible. His guideline of "watching the ordinary folk mouth their words" is well known. Luther thus put the Bible into everyday language. He avoided complicated, outdated, or sophisticated expressions as far as possible. The “new” Bible he produced was a tremendously significant step towards a church where the priesthood of all believers is recognized, and where all people are equal before God. 

The Outer Clarity of the Bible 

During his translation work, Luther realized that not all parts of the Bible were easily translatable. Some passages were hard to translate because of complex grammar or unfamiliar words. But this did not change Luther’s belief that the Bible was clear and unambiguous. What mattered most to Luther was the Christ event: that Jesus Christ became human and was crucified for our sins, that he died and rose again. This, to Luther is the central message of the Bible. Anyone who believes that Jesus Christ also died for them and their sin is justified. All the laws of the Bible have only the purpose of showing people that they cannot justify themselves. 

With this focus, all biblical texts, even the difficult ones, can be understood. Because the Christ event is known, the Bible has an external clarity: every content of the Bible is self-explanatory in the light of the Christ event. 

The Inner Clarity of the Bible 

It is one thing that the Bible is outwardly understandable. It is another thing to believe in its message. Luther distinguished between historical truth and existential truth: one might believe the events in the Bible actually happened, but true faith means believing that these events happened for them personally. This is what makes faith. According to Luther, however, this insight cannot be achieved on one’s own; it must be given. The giver is the Holy Spirit: He works within a person’s heart, creating this understanding which Luther called the inner clarity of Scripture.  

Proper Use of the Bible

The outer and inner clarity of the Bible both call for the texts to be read regularly and repeatedly. This way, the Spirit can continue to work, and faith can be strengthened. Luther coined the formula "oratio, meditatio, tentatio" for this purpose. 

Oratio means prayer. On the one hand, praying for the Spirit who gives the correct understanding of the texts. On the other hand, it can also mean thinking about certain passages. But this also happens in a praying attitude. 

Meditatio refers to reading biblical texts aloud, either for oneself or for others. Again and again, one should think about the texts and read them. Even and especially when one thinks they know them by heart. 

Finally, Tentatio means "testing" or “trials.” Luther believed that in questions of faith and temptations from the outside, one should turn to the Bible for guidance and let it shape the arguments. 

The Bible as the words of humans 

As the Reformation progressed, more educated people began to study the Bible closely. They learned Hebrew and Greek, the original languages of the texts, and produced their own translations. The thorough examination brought attention to many contradictions in the texts. 

Sometimes, passages contradicted each other, such as the description of Noah's Ark in Genesis 6–9. At other times, they conflicted with scientific knowledge: for example, the Bible in Lev 11,4–6 seems to claim that rabbits chew the cud, which they do not. Some parts also raised questions about authorship: How could Moses have written the five books of Moses when his death is reported in Deuteronomy 34? And, yet another matter, when did Jesus actually become the Christ? The Gospels give four different answers. 

The detailed research of the biblical texts led scholars to the insight that no longer God, but humans were seen as their authors—humans at different times with different intentions and shaped as well as influenced by their living environment and the world view of their time. But how do we deal with the fact that our living environment and world view are different today? 

There are even found different layers of text in the Bible that show that new words and phrases were added to older texts. An "original" is not clearly recognizable. And how can we be sure that the older version is the valid one? 

The authority of the Bible claimed by Luther has thus fallen into crisis. The outer clarity has given way to an impressive variety and complexity. 

What remains of Luther's understanding of the Bible? 

We can no longer speak of the unambiguity of the Bible today, like Luther did. We could even say that Luther himself simplified the diversity of biblical texts with his focus on the Christ event. In doing so, he did not do justice to the biblical authors. But he did address the needs of his time, and he leaves us an understanding of the Bible that we can engage with. 

Anyone who still wants to grant authority to the Bible today does through continued study and reflection. God's word can reveal itself anew every time. Surprisingly, many understandings have endured through centuries. Some understandings have changed, opening up new paths to faith and understanding of God and his creation. 

Rather than shying away from the variety of possible understandings, we can welcome them. They guarantee that one will never be able to finish understanding the biblical texts and that one will remain in a living practice of faith through the constant efforts to understand. This practice is held by God's promise, which is conveyed through his word and whose acceptance is never our merit, but always God's grace. Luther, in turn, also saw it that way, and that is why not only his understanding of Scripture, but also and above all the doctrine of justification is at the heart of the Reformation. Those to whom this has been revealed in an inner clarity can also encounter biblical diversity with curiosity, freedom, and serenity.