Luther's Works, Volume 67 (Annotations on Matthew: Chapters 1-18)

About the Volume
This volume contains Annotations on Matthew 1–18 (1534–35/1538), and the first chapter of Sermons on Matthew 18–24 (1537–40/1796–1847).

In December 1533, a new cycle of preaching on Matthew began in the Wittenberg Castle Church. Luther himself inaugurated the series with three sermons on Matthew 1. Then the preaching on Matthew was assigned to the Wittenberg doctoral student Hieronymus Weller (1499–1572). Behind Weller’s sermons, however, stood Luther, who prepared notes to help his student preach. The notes touched both on the interpretation of the scriptural passages and on homiletical strategies for preaching them.

In annotating Matthew’s text for another doctor of theology, Luther grappled with questions of the exegesis of the Synoptic Gospels at a high level of technical detail. Luther drew especially on the discipline of rhetoric—the use of language to persuade and move human beings—to interpret Matthew’s narrative and Jesus’ speech presented there and to identify strategies for the effective homiletical presentation of those texts to Weller’s contemporary audience.

As a modern reader, you will want to explore Luther’s treatment of the application of rhetoric to the tasks of exegesis and preaching, as well as for its exegesis of controverted passages. For Luther, trained as a Nominalist and later embracing humanist studies, a rhetorical understanding of Christ’s speech—and the rhetorical application of His Word in the present—is vitally important for Christians.

The crucial knowledge about God is not philosophical knowledge about the divine nature in relation to the creation, which could be obtained by reason or meditation or observation. Rather, it is the knowledge of God’s “counsel and will,” which must be revealed in Christ’s Word and proclaimed through the continuing ministry preached by His disciples. This was the task Luther sought to model for his timid student in the Annotations on Matthew.


About the Series
The 28 planned new volumes are intended to reflect both modern and sixteenth-century interests and to expand the coverage of genres underrepresented in the existing volumes, such as Luther's sermons and disputations. The primary basis for the translation is the comprehensive Weimar edition.


Endorsements
“Among the greatest and most prolific theologians of Christian history, Martin Luther still speaks to us today. This 28-volume new series splendidly complements its 55-volume predecessor and offers a treasure-trove of writings never before available in English, writings crucial to understanding Luther’s life, thought, and profound influence throughout the centuries. Offering readable yet reliable translations, well introduced and appropriately annotated, this new series should delight scholars as well as engage laity and clergy.”
—Mark U. Edwards, Jr., Academic Dean, Harvard Divinity School
 
“Luther’s analysis of human life and his proclamation of God’s merciful deliverance of humankind from sin and evil through Christ ring true across the cultural boundaries of time and space. This supplement to the historic edition of the reformer’s writings, completed a quarter century ago, is bringing significant additions to the texts from his pen than are currently available in English. It will also provide English-language readers access to documents that aid in understanding Luther’s own life and the development of the Wittenberg Reformation. The volumes are being edited according to the highest academic standards and their introductions and notes offer readers helpful guides to the context and content of the reformer’s writings. Casual readers and those seeking to expand and deepen their knowledge of the Reformation will profit greatly from these carefully translated and edited volumes.”
—Robert Kolb , Missions Professor of Systematic Theology, and Director of the Institute for Mission Studies, Concordia Seminary, Saint Louis
 
“Concordia Publishing House is providing a tremendous service to historians, theologians, pastors, and students by producing these new translations of Luther’s works. The editors have chosen key texts for illustrating Luther’s life and thought, from his earliest works to the biographies written soon after his death. The volumes devoted to Luther’s sermons, lectures, and disputations are especially welcome, because they will give English readers a more complete picture of Luther the preacher and professor.”
—Amy Nelson Burnett, Professor of History, University of Nebraska—Lincoln


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