04 theology of the cross: teaching

Theology of the Cross

Teaching It

Schedule

Two Natures of GodBiblical BasisPastoral TheologyTeachingOur VocationEnd of Life

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Development

• Luther in Lectures on Hebrews (1517-1518)

• Hebrews 12:11—Discipline as alien work of God (God sending pain)– For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than

pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

• Proper work of God (pain is for our benefit)

• “Fruit of righteousness is “hidden” by pain, just as salvation is “hidden” by the cross”

• God hidden in cross believers carry3

Explanation of the Disputation Concerning the Value of Indulgences, 1518

A theologian of the cross (that is, one who speaks of the crucified and hidden God) teaches that punishments, crosses, and death are the most precious treasury of all and the most sacred relics which the Lord of this theology Himself has consecrated and blessed, not alone by the touch of His most holy flesh, but also by the embrace of His exceedingly holy and divine will, and he has left these relics here to be kissed, sought after, and embraced. Indeed fortunate and blessed is he who is considered by God to be so worthy that these treasures of Christ should be given to him; rather, who understands that they are given to him. For to whom are they not offered? “Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials” [James 1:2]. For not all have this grace and glory to receive these treasures, but only the most elect of the children of God. [LW 31.225-6]

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Theologian of Glory

• Not see the crucified and hidden God alone For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified (I Corinthians 2:2)

• Sees God’s glorious manifestation among heathen, His invisible nature known from visible things [cf. Romans 1:20]

• Learns from Aristotle that object of will is good and worthy

• Evil, on other hand, is worthy of hate• God is highest good & exceedingly lovable

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Theologian of Glory• Defines treasure of Christ as removing and remitting

punishments, which are most evil and worthy of hate

• Defines treasure of Christ as impositions and obligations of punishments, which are best and worthy of love

• Yet still receives money for his treasury, while the theologian of the cross, on the other hand, offers the merits of Christ freely

• Does not consider theologian of cross worthy of consideration, but persecutes him [LW 31.227]

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Romans 2:21a You then who teach others, do you not teach yourself?

The Works of Man The Works of GodAlways seem attractive Are always unattractiveSeem good Appear to be evilAre likely mortal sins Are eternal merits

Isaiah 53:2—For [Jesus] grew up before Him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; He had no form or majesty that we should look at Him, and no beauty that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His stripes we are healed. 7

Appearances vs. Reality

• Glory judges by appearances, observes good in human works and classifies as good or bad—bad works not credited to God

• But, works evaluated by eternal standard

• Sees God working in horror of cross

• Works not occasion for pride, rather for humility and despair

• Works of God in us—humility & fear of God—represent our eternal merit

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Modern Day ReactionRationalism– Sufficiency of Reason “I will believe nothing I cannot

understand”

– Reason supersedes Revelation All is interpreted by the criterion of reason—“Man is the measure of all things”

– Emphasis on Nature The universe is orderly realm which adheres to the law of nature• Nature arbiter of what is true, final court of appeals• Reality discernible in nature, hence rise of Deism• Deism in nature’s laws and reason• Contrast to revealed truth taught in Scripture• All dogma judged by its “reasonableness”

– Autonomy Individual became final determiner of truth—reason, feelings, senses (Not Revelation)

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Catechism to Teach the Cross“But this I say for myself: I am also a doctor and a preacher, just as learned and experienced as all of them who are so high and mighty. Nevertheless, each morning and whenever else I have time, I do as a child who is being taught the catechism and I read and recite word for word the Lord’s Prayer, the Ten Commandments, the Creed, the Psalms etc. I must still read and study the catechism daily, and yet I cannot master it as I wish, but must remain a child and pupil of the catechism—and I also do so gladly. These fussy, fastidious fellows would like quickly, with one reading, to be doctors above all doctors, to know it all and to need nothing more. Well this, too, is a sure sign that they despise both their own office and people’s souls, yes, even God and His Word. They do not need to fall, for they have already fallen all too horribly. What they need, however, is to become children and to begin to learn the ABC’s, which they think they have long since outgrown” (Large Catechism Preface 7-8, Kolb-Wengert, 380-1)

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The Altar from Church to Home

“The Small Catechism, in chart and pamphlet form, quickly became one of the most important documents of the Lutheran Reformation. It moved the village altar into the family kitchen, literally bringing instruction in the faith home to the intimacies of family life” (James Nestingen)

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Catechism: Pattern of Sound Words

“Much of the influence of Lutheranism around the world can be traced to the success of this catechism in expressing the profound truths of the faith in a language that all can understand” (Mark Noll)

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How We Got the Catechisms

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Catechetical Sermons

• By 1516, Luther preached on the Catechism

• By 1522 in Wittenberg preached on Catechism at least 4 times per year

• His catechetical sermons shown in Large Catechism

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Confessional Materials• Luther replaced “confessional manuals” of medieval

church with:– “The Sacrament of Penance” of 1519 (AE 35:3-22)

– “A Discussion on How Confession Should be Made” of 1519 (AE 39:27-47)

• Guided pastor & people in new evangelical understanding of confession and absolution

• Pastoral tracts served as building blocks

• Geared toward repentance, faith and holy living

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Luther’s Devotional Material• “Personal Prayer Book” of 1522 (AE 43:3-45)• “A Booklet for Laity and Children” of 1525

(Sources and Contexts for the Book of Concord edited by R. Kolb and J. Nestingen,1-12)

• Several of Luther’s “Catechism Hymns” pre-date the publication of the Catechisms– “Here is the Tenfold Sure Command” (1524)– “We All Believe in One True God” (1524)– “From Depths of Woe I Cry to You” (1523)– “O Lord, We Praise Thee” (1524)

• Literary & theological concepts expressed in Small Catechism

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Events Leading to the Catechisms• 1524 Pastor Hausmann: need

catechism "the common folk"• 1526 Church visitations by clergy

poor state of peasants• 1527-8 “Instructions for Visitors”

remedy to the maladies diagnosed in the Saxon Visitation

• Antinomian Controversy—Agricola on the place of the Law in the Christian life—‘Gospel points out our sin’

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From Preface to the Small Catechism

“The deplorable, wretched deprivation that I recently encountered while I was a visitor has constrained and compelled me to prepare this catechism, or Christian instruction, in such a brief, plain, and simple version. Dear God, what misery I beheld! The ordinary person, especially in the villages, knows absolutely nothing about the Christian faith, and unfortunately many pastors are completely unskilled and incompetent teachers. Yet supposedly they all bear the name Christian, are baptized, and receive the holy sacrament, even though they do not know the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, or the Ten Commandments! As a result they live like simple cattle or irrational pigs and, despite the fact that the Gospel has returned, have mastered the fine art of misusing their freedom” (Kolb/Wengert, 347-348)

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How Luther Wanted Catechism Used• Basic summary of Christian doctrine along with template

for teaching

• Pattern for catechesis outlined in Preface to the Small Catechism (SC-Preface 7-18, Kolb/Wengert, The Book of Concord, 348-349)

– Avoid changes or variations in the text– After people learn text, teach to understand– Once taught small catechism, take up longer catechism

• Intended Small Catechism to be handbook for Christian doctrine, prayer book, and book for the on-going Christian life

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“The world has now become very sure of itself. It relies on books and thinks that if these are read it knows everything. The devil almost succeeded in getting me, too, to become lazy and secure and think: ‘Here you have the books. If you read them you'll have the answers.’ So the fanatics and sacramentarians suppose that because they have read only one little book they know everything. Against such security I pray the catechism every day like my little Hans and ask God to keep me in His dear holy Word, lest I grow weary of it” (Luther “Table Talk" of July or August 1532, AE 54:163)

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Teaching Catechism Prepares for Crisis

“And finally, I strongly urge that the children be taught the catechism. Should they be taken captive in the invasion, they will at least take something of the Christian faith with them. Who knows what God might accomplish through them. Joseph as a seventeen year-old youth was sold into slavery into Egypt, but he had God’s Word and knew what he believed” (1541) Appeal for Prayer Against the Turks AE 43:239

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Structure of the Small Catechism

• Traditional Ordering Lord’s PrayerCreed Commandments

• LutherCommandments CreedLord’s Prayer

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Law and Gospel in the CatechismThus the Commandments teach man to recognize his sickness, enabling him to perceive what he must do or refrain from doing, consent to or refuse, and so he will recognize himself a sinful and wicked person. The Creed will teach and show him where to find the medicine—Grace—which will help him to become devout and keep the commandments. The Creed points him to God and His mercy, given and made plain to him in Christ. Finally, the Lord's Prayer teaches all this, namely through the fulfillment of God's commandments everything will be given him. In these three are the essentials of the entire Bible" (AE 43, 4)

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Advantage of Luther’s OrderTen Commandments

CreedLord's PrayerHoly Baptism

Confession/AbsolutionSacrament of the Altar

Second Article of Creed pivotal point of CatechismTen Commandments/First Article (Father)

Second Article (Son)Third Article/Lord's Prayer (Holy Spirit)

Absolution/Sacraments (Grace)Appendices: Vocation of Faith and Love

Morning, Evening, and Table Prayers

Table of DutiesMarriage BookletBaptismal Booklet

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Framework for Pastoral Theology

First Commandment Theonomy vs. Autonomy

The Creedal/Trinitarian Shape of Christian Life

The Lord’s Prayer Lived Theology of Cross

Baptism Death/Resurrection

Confession/Absolution Living in Truth

Sacrament of the Altar Forgiveness of Sins

Daily Prayers/Table Duties Vocation

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Theology of the Cross

Teaching It

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