In 1975, the Protestant Church in Germany presented a revised New Testament in modern German. The reactions were extremely critical. People called it the Eimertestament, the bucket testament, because Luther’s Scheffel, the bushel under which no one hides a light, had become an Eimer, a bucket. The church reworked it within a year, and the 1984 revision went back partly to Luther’s language. The revision for the Reformation anniversary in 2017 moved closer to Luther again. Psalm 23 and the Lord’s Prayer kept their familiar wording. The church said the text should stay easy to read, to hear and to learn by heart.
theology
A Table of Duties for Every Station
In 1529, Luther compiled the Haustafel, the household table of duties, and attached it to his Small Catechism. It is a set of Bible verses for eleven stations in life: preachers and bishops, the authorities, husbands, wives, parents, children, masters of the house, servants, young people, widows, and all Christians together. Each station has its own duties. Luther also used the word Beruf, from rufen, to call, for a person’s station, office and work in the world. In Max Weber’s account, Luther taught that the individual should in principle stay in the calling and station where God had placed him.
Without Regard to the Person
Every German judge swears an oath under § 38 of the German Judiciary Act. The judge promises to judge nach bestem Wissen und Gewissen ohne Ansehen der Person, to the best of knowledge and conscience, without regard to the person. The judge also promises to serve only truth and justice. The phrase is much older than the law. It is found in the Luther Bible. Romans 2:11 reads Denn es ist kein Ansehen der Person vor Gott, for there is no respect of persons with God. The First Letter of Peter speaks of a Father who judges each one nach seinem Werk, by his work.
Scripture or Clear Reason
At the Diet of Worms in April 1521, Martin Luther was asked to recant. He refused unless he was overcome durch Zeugnisse der Heiligen Schrift oder klare Vernunftgründe, by the testimony of Scripture or by clear reasons. He named the test that could change his mind.
The famous sentence Hier stehe ich, ich kann nicht anders, here I stand, I can do no other, was not spoken at Worms in these words. It comes from a printed pamphlet version of the speech, which reads Ich kann nicht anderst, hie stehe ich. Gott helf mir! Amen.
The 95 Theses
On 31 October 1517, Martin Luther sent 95 theses to Albrecht of Brandenburg, Archbishop of Mainz and Magdeburg. They were attached to a letter. In 95 separate points, they spoke out against the business of selling letters of indulgence. Luther took the problem to the archbishop who shared in the proceeds.
The famous picture of Luther nailing the theses to the church door in Wittenberg is not certain. The Catholic church historian Erwin Iserloh first questioned it in 1961.
Weeks for One Word
In 1530, at the Veste Coburg, Martin Luther wrote his Sendbrief vom Dolmetschen, an open letter on translating. He wrote that he and his helpers had very often searched and asked for fourteen days, or three or four weeks, for one single word. In modern spelling the line reads: Und es ist uns sehr oft begegnet, dass wir vierzehn Tage, drei, vier Wochen ein einziges Wort gesucht und erfragt haben.
Let Your Yes Be Yes
In the Luther Bible, Matthew 5:37 reads: Eure Rede aber sei: Ja, ja; nein, nein. Was darüber ist, das ist vom Bösen. (Let your speech be yes, yes, and no, no. Anything beyond this comes from evil.) The verse asks for no oath and no extra assurance.
To God Alone the Glory
Johann Sebastian Bach signed many of his works Soli Deo Gloria, to God alone the glory. Georg Friedrich Händel used the same signature. Composers usually shortened it to the letters S.D.G. The composer puts his name to the work and gives the glory away in the same place.
The Left Hand and the Right Hand
In the Sermon on the Mount, Luther’s Bible warns against doing good works so that others will see them. Matthew 6:3 reads: Wenn du aber Almosen gibst, so lass deine linke Hand nicht wissen, was die rechte tut. When you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. The good deed is done in secret. The sentence lives on in everyday German as die linke Hand weiß nicht, was die rechte tut.
A Bishop Resigns
On the night of 20 February 2010, Margot Käßmann drove through a red light in Hanover with a blood alcohol level of 1.54 per mille. She was bishop of Hanover and chair of the Council of the Protestant Church in Germany. The council unanimously expressed its confidence in her. Four days later she resigned from both offices. Am vergangenen Samstag habe ich einen schweren Fehler gemacht, den ich zutiefst bereue. Last Saturday I made a serious mistake, which I deeply regret. She said that she could not stay in office with the authority it needs.