Luther Bible
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The Luther Bible is a German Bible translation by Martin Luther, first printed with both testaments in 1534. This translation is considered to be largely responsible for the evolution of the modern German language.
"The task of translating the Bible which he thus assumed was to absorb him until the end of his life."[1] While he was sequestered in the Wartburg Castle (1521–1522) Luther began to translate the New Testament into German in order to make it more accessible to all the people of the "Holy Roman Empire of the German nation." He used Erasmus's second edition (1519) of the Greek New Testament—Erasmus's Greek text would come to be known as the Textus Receptus. To help him in translating Luther would make forays into the nearby towns and markets to listen to people speak. He wanted to ensure their comprehension by a translation closest to their contemporary language usage. It was published in September 1522, six months after he had returned to Wittenberg. In the opinion of the 19th century theologian Philip Schaff
The richest fruit of Luther's leisure in the Wartburg, and the most important and useful work of his whole life, is the translation of the New Testament, by which he brought the teaching and example of Christ and the Apostles to the mind and heart of the Germans in life-like reproduction. It was a republication of the gospel. He made the Bible the people's book in church, school, and house. [2]
The translation of the entire Bible into German was published in a six-part edition in 1534, a collaborative effort of Luther, Johannes Bugenhagen, Justus Jonas, Caspar Creuziger, Philipp Melanchthon, Matthäus Aurogallus, and Georg Rörer. Luther worked on refining the translation up to his death in 1546: he had worked on the edition that was printed that year.
Luther added the word "alone" to Romans 3:28 controversially so that it read: "thus, we hold, then, that man is justified without the works of the law to do, alone through faith"[3] The word "alone" does not appear in the original Greek text,[4] but Luther defended his translation by maintaining that the adverb "alone" was required both by idiomatic German and the apostle Paul's intended meaning.[5]
The whole Bible in other languages were considered a watershed in the advance of human intellectual history. Chronologically, we have — Bible in French: published in 1528 by Jacques Lefevre d’Étaples (or Faber Stapulensis); Bible in Spanish: published in Basel in 1569 by Casiodoro de Reina (Biblia del Oso); Bible in Czech: Bible of Kralice, printed between 1579–1593; Bible in English: King James version, published in 1611; Bible in Dutch: the States Bible, which was ready in 1637.
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[edit] View of canonicity
Initially Luther had a low view of the books of Esther, Hebrews, James, Jude, and Revelation. He called the Epistle of James "an epistle of straw," finding little in it that pointed to Christ and His saving work. He also had harsh words for the book of Revelation, saying that he could "in no way detect that the Holy Spirit produced it."[6] He had reason to question the apostolicity of Hebrews, James, Jude, and Revelation because the early church categorized these books as antilegomena, meaning that they were not accepted without reservation as canonical. Luther did not, however, remove them from his editions of the Scriptures. His views on some of these books changed in later years.
Luther chose to place in the Apocrypha, an inter-testamental section of his bible, those portions of the Old Testament found in the Greek Septuagint but not in the Hebrew Masoretic text. These were included in his earliest translation, but were later set aside as good to read but not as the inspired Word of God. The setting aside (or simple exclusion) of these texts from Bibles was eventually adopted by nearly all Protestants.
- See also: Biblical canon
[edit] Impact
The Zürich Bible is in part based on Luther's Bible, but the full translation appeared several years ahead of Luther, in 1531.
The Luther Bible by reason of its widespread circulation facilitated the emergence of the modern German language by standardizing it for the peoples of the Holy Roman Empire, an empire embodying most of present day Germany. It is considered a landmark in German literature.
Martin Luther has been quoted as referring to himself as an insignificant “bag of worms.” Although he never occupied any high official position in the new church, it is clear that he was a vastly significant individual.[7] The first generation of Lutherans regarded him as the Wundermann, one who was called for, and sent by, God.[8] In 1534, Luther completed one of the most significant documents of the Reformation, his translation of the Bible in the vernacular. The center of Luther’s achievement and influence were clearly religious as the ordinary layman could now read the word of God for himself. Due to his translation, the Bible managed to extend its spheres of influence towards German nationalism, liberation, education and could be utilized as a catalyst towards international Protestantism.[9]
Luther’s significance was largely due to his influence on the emergence of the German language and nationalism. This importance stemmed predominantly from his translation of the Bible into the vernacular, which was potentially as revolutionary as canon law and the burning of the papal bull.[10] Luther’s goal was to equip every Christian in Germany with the ability to hear the Word. Thus, by 1534 he completed his translation of the old and new testaments from Latin into the vernacular, one of the most meaningful acts of the Reformation.[11] Although Luther was not the first to attempt this translation, his was superior to all its predecessors. Previous translations contained poor German and were that of Vulgate, (translations of translations) rather than a direct translation to German text.[12] Luther sought to get as close to the original text as possible but at the same time, his translation was guided by how people spoke in the home, on the street and in the marketplace.[13] Luther combined his faithfulness to the language spoken by the common people to produce a work which the common man could relate to.[14] This aspect of Luther’s creation led German writers such as Goethe and Nietzsche to thoroughly praise Luther’s Bible.[15] The fact that the new Bible was printed in the vernacular allowed it to spread rapidly as it could be read by all. Hans Lufft, a renowned Bible printer in Wittenberg printed over one hundred thousand copies between 1534 and 1574 which went on to be read by millions.[16] Luther’s Bible was virtually present in every German protestant’s home, and there can be no doubts regarding the vast biblical knowledge attained by the German common masses.[17] As a testament to the vast influence of Luther’s Bible, he even had large print Bibles made for those who had failing eyesight.[18] German humanist Johann Cochlaeus depicted this notion perfectly as he complained that
"Luther's New Testament was so much multiplied and spread by printers that even tailors and shoemakers, yea, even women and ignorant persons who had accepted this new Lutheran gospel, and could read a little German, studied it with the greatest avidity as the fountain of all truth. Some committed it to memory, and carried it about in their bosom. In a few months such people deemed themselves so learned that they were not ashamed to dispute about faith and the gospel not only with Catholic laymen, but even with priests and monks and doctors of divinity."[19]
Cochlaeus's assertion pays true homage to the widespread nature of Luther’s Bible.
The fact that Luther's Bible was so widespread allowed it to have tremendous implications for the German language. Prior to Luther’s Bible, the German language had been divided into many dialects due to the varying versions of tribes and number of states. As a result, different German statesman could barely understand each other. This led Luther to conclude that “I have so far read no book or letter in which the German language is properly handled. Nobody seems to care sufficiently for it; and every preacher thinks he has a right to change it at pleasure and to invent new terms.”[20] The German language was in such a state that scholars preferred to write in Latin. Luther brought harmony to this confusion through his Bible. He popularized the Saxon dialect and adapted it to theology and religion subsequently making it the common language used in books. In order to make it intelligible to all parts of Germany, he enriched the vocabulary with that of German poets and chroniclers.[21] For this accomplishment, a contemporary of Luther’s, Erasmus Alberus, labeled him the German Cicero as he not only reformed religion, but the German language. Luther’s Bible has been hailed as the first German classic, comparative to the King James version of the Bible which became the first English classic. Thus, notable German protestant writers and poets such as Klopstock, Herder and Lessing essentially owe their stylistic qualities to Luther’s Bible.[22] Ultimately, Luther adapted the words to fit the capacity of the German public and thus, due to the influence and incredible pervasiveness of Luther’s Bible, he created and spread the modern German language.[23]
As Luther’s Bible had an incredible influence on the creation of the modern German language, it also had a role in the creation of German nationalism. Because Luther’s Bible penetrated every protestant home in Germany, his sayings and deeply poetic translation undoubtedly became part of German national heritage.[24] Luther’s enormous program of biblical exposure extended into every sphere of daily life and work, illuminating moral considerations to Germans. This exposure gradually became infused into the blood of the whole nation and occupied a permanent space in German history.[25] Luther’s translation of the Bible became the epitome of the German national spirit. He embodied the high ideals of a new, free, unified and devout German people who were liberated from the false faith of the Pope and Italians. The popularity and influence of Luther’s translation gave him the confidence to act as a spokesperson of the nation and thus the leader of the anti-Roman movement in Germany.[26] In light of this, Luther’s Bible allowed him to become a prophet of the new German nationalism[27] and helped to determine the spirit of a new epoch in German history.[28]
In a sense, Luther’s Bible also empowered and liberated all Protestants who had access to it. Immediately, Luther’s translation was a public affirmation of reform and subsequently deprived the elite and priestly class of their exclusive control over words, as well as the word of God.[29] Through his translation, Luther strove to make it easier for the ‘simple people’ to understand what he was teaching. In the major controversies amongst evangelicals at the time, most evangelicals did not understand the reasons for disagreement, let alone the commoners. Thus, Luther saw it as necessary to help those who were confused see that the disagreement between himself and the Catholic Church was real and had significance. His translation was made in order to allow the common man and woman to become aware of the issues at hand and develop an informed opinion.[30] The common individual was thus given the right to have a mind, spirit and opinion, who existed not as economic functionaries but as subjects to complex and conflicting aspirations and motives. In this sense, Luther’s Bible acted as a force towards the liberation of the German people. Luther’s social teachings and ideologies throughout the Bible undoubtedly had a role in the slow emancipation of European society from its long phase of clerical domination.[31] Luther gave men a new vision of the exaltation of the human self, one which, despite limitations, can only be experienced as a gift from God and which can neither be brought about nor truly understood.[32] Luther’s Bible thus had broken the unchallenged domination of the Catholic Church, effectively splintering its unity. He had claimed the word of God in the scriptures as the sole authority, and through his translation, every individual was able to abide by its authority, thus nullifying the need for the pope. As Bishop Fisher rightly put it, Luther’s Bible had “stirred a mighty storm and tempest in the church” empowering the no longer clerically dominated public.[33]
Although not as significant as German linguistics, Luther’s Bible also had a large impression on educational reform throughout Germany. Luther’s goal of a readable and accurate translation of the Bible became a stimulus towards universal education. This stemmed from the notion that everyone should be able to read in order to understand the word of God.[34] Luther felt that man had fallen from grace and was ruled by his own selfishness, but ultimately had not lost his moral consciousness. All men were sinners, and, in Luther’s eyes, needed to be educated. Thus his Bible was a means of establishing a form of law, order and moral teachings which everyone could abide by as that they could all read and understand his Bible. This education subsequently allowed Luther to find a State Church and educate his followers into a law-abiding community.[35] Overall, the Protestant states of Germany were educational states which encouraged the spirit of teaching which was ultimately fueled by Luther’s Bible, the supreme teacher in the hands of all Protestants.
Lastly, Luther’s Bible also had international significance in the spread of Protestantism. Luther’s translation influenced the English translations by William Tyndale and Myles Coverdale who in turn inspired many other translations of the Bible such as the Bishops' Bible of 1568, the Douay-Rheims Bible of 1582–1609, and the King James Version of 1611.[36] Luther’s work also inspired translations as far reaching as Scandinavia and the Netherlands. In a metaphor, it was Luther who broke the walls of translation and once such walls had fallen, the way was open to all, including some who were quite opposed to Luther’s belief.[37] Luther’s Bible spread its influence for the remolding of Western culture in all the great ferment of the sixteenth century. The worldwide implications of the translation far surpassed the expectations of even Luther himself.[38]
[edit] Memorable verses
Attributes that make Luther's translation of the Bible certainly characteristic are, on the one hand, a poetic, embellishing style, and on the other hand, his connection and closeness to the German people and their language.
These passages are exemplary:
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[edit] Conclusion
Martin Luther was undoubtedly one of, if not the most, significant figures of the Reformation period. His new doctrine led to his expulsion from the old church and the subsequent fragmentation of Western Christendom. Luther, more than any one individual, fractured the unity of Medieval Christendom and challenged the authority of the Church.[39] Luther’s Bible was one of the most important texts of the Reformation and an immense contributor to his own legacy. His translation put the word of God into the hands of the commoners in a language which they could read and comprehend with ease. This vernacular subsequently ended the confusion of the medieval German dialect and laid the foundations for the emergence of the modern German language. His work also had a large influence on German national heritage which was now free from clerical domination. The average German was empowered by the ability to read the word of God in his own home. The status of all exposed to Luther’s Bible was subsequently altered as one was now able to have a mind, spirit and opinion as opposed to being an economic functionary of clerical will. Finally, Luther’s work was a catalyst for educational reform and international translations of the Bible. No one before Luther and his Bible had been able to transform Christian life so completely from within.[40] Luther's Bible brought down a secularized church in which arrogance, pride and luxury held sway.[41] There are no doubts that few men have left such an impression on the history of their day, and thus Luther’s translation of the Bible was perhaps his greatest bequest to the German people and Protestants worldwide.[42]
[edit] See also
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[edit] Notes
- ^ Martin Brecht, Martin Luther: Shaping and Defining the Reformation, 1521-1532, Minneapolis: Fortress, p. 46
- ^ History of the Christian Church, 8 vols., (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1910), 7:xxx.[1]
- ^ The 1522 "Testament" reads at Romans 3:28: "So halten wyrs nu, das der mensch gerechtfertiget werde, on zu thun der werck des gesetzs, alleyn durch den glawben" (emphasis added to the German word for "all." [2]
- ^ The Greek text reads: λογιζόμεθα γάρ δικαιоῦσθαι πίστει ἄνθρωπον χωρὶς ἔργων νόμου ("for we reckon a man to be justified by faith without deeds of law")[3]
- ^ Martin Luther, On Translating: An Open Letter (1530), Luther's Works, 55 vols., (St. Louis and Philadelphia: Concordia Publishing House and Fortress Press), 35:187&ndahs;189, 195; cf. also Heinz Bluhm, Martin Luther Creative Translator, (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1965), 125–137.
- ^ Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. Martin Luther. Q&A
- ^ B.A. Gerrish, Reformers in Profile (Philadelphia: Fortpress Press, 1967), 109–110
- ^ V.H.H Green. Luther and the Reformation (London: B.T. Batsford Ltd, 1964), 192
- ^ B.A. Gerrish, Reformers in Profile (Philadelphia: Fortpress Press, 1967), 111
- ^ Carter Lindberg, The European Reformation (Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 1996), 91
- ^ A.G. Dickens, The German Nation and Martin Luther (New York: Harper and Row Publishers, 1974), 206
- ^ Carter Lindberg, The European Reformation (Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 1996), 91
- ^ ibid, 91
- ^ Mark Antliff, The Legacy of Martin Luther (Ottawa, McGill University Press, 1983), 11
- ^ Carter Lindberg, The European Reformation (Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 1996), 92
- ^ Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1910), 5
- ^ A.G. Dickens, The German Nation and Martin Luther (New York: Harper and Row Publishers, 1974), 134
- ^ Carter Lindberg, The European Reformation (Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 1996), 92
- ^ Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1910), 6
- ^ Ibid, 12
- ^ Ibid, 12
- ^ Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1910), 13
- ^ Ibid, 13
- ^ Gerhard Ritter , Luther: His life and Work ( New York: Harper and Row Publishers, 1963), 216
- ^ Idib, 216
- ^ Hartmann Grisar, Luther: Volume I (London: Luigi Cappadelta, 1914), 402
- ^ V.H.H Green. Luther and the Reformation (London: B.T. Batsford Ltd, 1964), 193
- ^ Gerhard Ritter , Luther: His life and Work ( New York: Harper and Row Publishers, 1963), 213
- ^ Carter Lindberg, The European Reformation (Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 1996), 91
- ^ Mark Edwards, Luther and the False Brethren (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1975), 193
- ^ A.G. Dickens, The German Nation and Martin Luther (New York: Harper and Row Publishers, 1974), 226
- ^ Gerhard Ritter , Luther: His life and Work ( New York: Harper and Row Publishers, 1963), 210
- ^ V.H.H Green. Luther and the Reformation (London: B.T. Batsford Ltd, 1964), 10
- ^ Carter Lindberg, The European Reformation (Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 1996), 91
- ^ Gerhard Ritter , Luther: His life and Work ( New York: Harper and Row Publishers, 1963), 241
- ^ Carter Lindberg, The European Reformation (Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 1996), 92
- ^ B.A. Gerrish, Reformers in Profile (Philadelphia: Fortpress Press, 1967), 112
- ^ Gerhard Ritter , Luther: His life and Work ( New York: Harper and Row Publishers, 1963), 212
- ^ V.H.H Green. Luther and the Reformation (London: B.T. Batsford Ltd, 1964), 197
- ^ Gerhard Ritter , Luther: His life and Work ( New York: Harper and Row Publishers, 1963), 211
- ^ Mark Antliff, The Legacy of Martin Luther (Ottawa: McGill University Press, 1983), 9
- ^ James Atkinson, Martin Luther and the Birth of Protestantism (Middlesex: Penguin Books, 1968), 217
[edit] References
- Antliff, Mark. The Legacy of Martin Luther. Ottawa, McGill University Press, 1983
- Atkinson, James. Martin Luther and the Birth of Protestantism. Middlesex: Penguin Books, 1968
- Bindseil, H.E. and Niemeyer, H.A. Dr. Martin Luther's Bibelübersetzung nach der letzten Original-Ausgabe, kritisch bearbeitet. 7 vols. Halle, 1845–55. [The N. T. in vols. 6 and 7. A critical reprint of the last edition of Luther (1545). Niemeyer died after the publication of the first volume. Comp. the Probebibel (the revised Luther-Version), Halle, 1883. Luther's Sendbrief vom Dolmetschen und Fürbitte der Heiligen (with a letter to Wenceslaus Link, Sept. 12, 1530), in Walch, XXI. 310 sqq., and the Erl. Frkf. ed., vol. LXV. 102–123.]
- Bluhm, Heinz. Martin Luther: Creative Translator. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1965.
- Brecht, Martin. Martin Luther. 3 Volumes. James L. Schaaf, trans. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1985–1993. ISBN 0-8006-2813-6, ISBN 0-8006-2814-4, ISBN 0-8006-2815-2.
- Dickens, A.G. The German Nation and Martin Luther. New York: Harper and Row Publishers, 1974
- Edwards, Mark Luther and the False Brethren Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1975
- Gerrish, B.A. Reformers in Profile. Philadelphia: Fortpress Press, 1967
- Green, V.H.H. Luther and the Reformation. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd, 1964
- Grisar, Hartmann. Luther: Volume I. London: Luigi Cappadelta, 1914
- Lindberg, Carter. The European Reformation. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 1996
- Reu, [John] M[ichael]. Luther and the Scriptures. Columbus, Ohio: The Wartburg Press, 1944. [Reprint: St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1980].
- Reu, [John] M[ichael]. Luther's German Bible: An Historical Presentation Together with a Collection of Sources. Columbus, Ohio: The Lutheran Book Concern, 1934. [Reprint: St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1984].
- Ritter, Gerhard. Luther: His life and Work. New York: Harper and Row Publishers, 1963
