Monday, May 17, 2010

Sasse - "Is" means "Is"


The great doctrinal discussion which should begin between the churches that earnestly want to be Lutheran will have to deal with especially two doctrines: the doctrine concerning the Word of God and the doctrine concerning the Sacraments. Indeed, both doctrines will have to be treated alongside one another; for the means of grace cannot be sundered. Just as they belong together in the life of the church, even so they belong together also in theology. A person cannot at one and the same time have a Calvinistic or Crypto-Calvinistic doctrine concerning the Lord’s Supper and a “Lutheran” doctrine concerning the Word. When recently a pastor (with whom I am unacquainted and who hails from a North-German Lutheran Territorial Church) let it be known that I should ponder the fact that the Lord Christ had not at all spoken the word “is” in the Words of Institution, since Aramaic does not use a copula in that sort of sentence, I do not know what it is at which I should marvel the more: the erudition which does not know how to translate an Aramaic sentence in keeping with its meaning or this broken relation to the Holy Scripture.1 God’s word is, for the church of Christ in all ages, not an original text (Urtext) which is to be discovered behind the Greek and Hebrew words of the New and Old Testaments by scholars; rather, God’s Word is the Bible itself as it was given to us. I adduce this example only in order to show how closely the doctrine of the Real Presence in the Lord’s Supper is connected with the doctrine2 that the Holy Scripture is really (realiter et essentialiter) the Word of God. Corresponding to the est in “Hoc est corpus meum” there is an est in the doctrine of the Scripture. “Hoc est verbum Dei” is what the church must be able to say concerning the Holy Scripture; otherwise it has no Holy Scripture.

Toward Understanding Augustine's Doctrine of Inspiration, Letter's to Lutheran Pastors XXIX, Feb. 1953

1 comments:

Frank Sonnek said...

What makes this so, and also so important, is that Word of God that ... Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was made man."

As Luther says about these types of schlars you mention...

"The reason this restlessness happens is that human understanding just can´t get past this visible righteousness of works. At the same time it cannot comprehend the invisible Righteousness of faith. So doctoral studies usually means being confined to works and resting upon them.

It is impossible for anyone in times of temptation and distress feeling the sting of a guilty conscience to stop groping around for works to stand and rest upon. We then try to list the things we want to do, or did. We find nothing to put on that list and the heart feels only doubt and despair. This weakess is glued to our nature so tightly that even those who have faith and know the forgiveness of sins can not overcome it. Even consuming themselves with effort and exertion remains a daily and constant struggle.
Point: All human knowledge, understanding, ability and power is useless to get past this earthly visible righteousness, and instead transfer oneself to this article of faith ALONE. Even though we hear a lot about it and are conversant in it, there continues that old delusion and inborn corruption which wants to present something tangible and visible of it´s own to God and make those things the foundation of salvation. This is the case for those who are Christians and fight against this visible righteousness. Others are completely lost. "

Luther marburg sermon 1528 9th sunday after trinity.