Reformation Commentary on Scripture Series

"As they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, 'Take, eat; this is my body.'" How should one interpret these words of Jesus? The sixteenth-century Reformers turned to Scripture to find the truth of God's Word, but that doesn't mean they always agreed on how to interpret it. For example, when approaching this passage from Matthew's gospel, Martin Luther read it literally, for "as he says in his own words, it is his body and his blood," but Thomas Cranmer argued that "there must be some figure or mystery in this speech." In this Reformation Commentary on Scripture volume, scholars Jason K. Lee and William Marsh guide readers through a wealth of early modern commentary on the book of Matthew. Readers will hear from familiar voices and discover lesser-known figures from a diversity of theological traditions, including Lutherans, Reformed, Radicals, Anglicans and Roman Catholics. Drawing upon a variety of resources—including commentaries, sermons, treatises, and confessions—much of which appears here for the first time in English, this volume provides resources for contemporary preachers, enables scholars to better understand the depth and breadth of Reformation commentary, and seeks to encourage all those who desire to read the words of Scripture faithfully.

After he had washed the disciples' feet, Jesus said, "Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another." The second half of the Gospel of John, sometimes called the most "theological" of the Gospels, includes John's account of Jesus' final night with his disciples, his betrayal and arrest, his crucifixion, his resurrection, and his appearances to his disciples. When the Reformers of the sixteenth century turned to the fourth Gospel, they found a multitude of theological treasures: a clear affirmation of the full divinity of Christ; insights into the relationships among the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; and guidance for the church in their time. For example, John Calvin claimed, "This Gospel is a key to open the door for understanding the rest; for whoever shall understand the power of Christ, as it is here strikingly portrayed, will afterwards read with advantage what the others relate about the Redeemer who was manifested." In this volume of the Reformation Commentary on Scripture, church historian Christopher Boyd Brown guides readers through a diversity of early modern commentary on chapters 13–21 of the Gospel of John. Readers will hear from familiar voices and discover lesser-known figures from a range of theological traditions, including Lutherans, Reformed, Radicals, Anglicans, and Roman Catholics. Drawing upon a variety of resources—including commentaries, sermons, treatises, and confessions—much of which appears here for the first time in English, this volume provides resources for contemporary preachers, enables scholars to better understand the depth and breadth of Reformation commentary, and seeks to encourage all those who desire to love as Jesus loves.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." When the Reformers of the sixteenth century turned to this biblical text, originally written by Paul to the first-century church in Corinth, they found truths that apply to Christians regardless of their historical context. For example, Reformed theologian Wolfgang Musculus wrote, "To be a Christian is to be in Christ. If anyone is outside of Christ, he is not a Christian. It is easy to partake of the sacraments and to be of the name and profession of Christ, but that is not what it means to be in Christ... The largest part of Christians is still an old creature for they have not yet been regenerated and renewed by the spirit of Christ. To know a Christian, therefore, we should not so much examine his external profession, but his life." In this volume of the Reformation Commentary on Scripture, Reformation scholar Scott Manetsch guides readers through a wealth of early modern commentary on the book of 2 Corinthians. Readers will hear from familiar voices and discover lesser-known figures from a diversity of theological traditions, including Lutherans, Reformed, Radicals, Anglicans and Roman Catholics. Drawing upon a variety of resources—including commentaries, sermons, treatises, and confessions—much of which appears here for the first time in English, this volume provides resources for contemporary preachers, enables scholars to better understand the depth and breadth of Reformation commentary, and seeks to encourage all those who would be newly created in Christ.

"Then David said to the Philistine, 'You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts.'" (1 Samuel 17:45) Reflecting upon David's victory over Goliath, Reformation translator, theologian and commentator William Tyndale compared it to Christ's victory over sin and death: "When David had killed Goliath the giant, glad tidings came to the Israelites that their fearful and cruel enemy was dead and that they were delivered out of all danger. For this gladness, they sang, danced and were joyful. In like manner, the good news or 'gospel' of God is joyful tidings." The books of 1-2 Samuel, 1-2 Kings and 1-2 Chronicles, which record the history of Israel from the prophetic ministry of Samuel to the fall of Jerusalem, provided the reformers with some of the best-known narratives of the Old Testament upon which to comment, including Hannah's prayer, the anointing of Saul as Israel's first king, David's triumph over Goliath and his later adultery with Bathsheba, Solomon's building of the Temple, Elijah's challenge to the prophets of Baal, and the healing of Naaman. For the reformers, these stories were not merely ancient Israelite history, but they also foreshadowed the coming of Jesus Christ, and they had immediate relevance for their lives and the church of their day. Thus, Anglican exegete John Mayer perceived within King Josiah's reform of Israelite worship after the discovery of the Book of the Law a prefiguration of "what should be done in the latter days of the gospel, in which a greater reformation of the religion is now being made." In this Reformation Commentary on Scripture volume, Derek Cooper and Martin Lohrmann guide readers through a diversity of Reformation commentary on these historical books. Here, readers will find reflections from both well-known voices and lesser-known figures from a variety of confessional traditions—Lutherans, Reformed, Radicals, Anglicans and Roman Catholics—many of which appear in English for the first time. By drawing upon a variety of resources—including commentaries, sermons, treatises and confessions—this volume will enable scholars and students to understand better the depth and breadth of Reformation-era insights on Scripture. It will also provide resources for contemporary preachers, and encourage all those who continually seek to share the "joyful tidings" of Jesus Christ.

The gospel of justification by faith alone was discovered afresh by the Reformers in the epistolary turrets of the New Testament: the letters to the Galatians and the Ephesians. At the epicenter of the exegetical revolution that rocked the Reformation era was Paul's letter to the Galatians. There Luther, Calvin, Bullinger and scores of others perceived the true gospel of Paul enlightening a situation parallel to their own times--the encroachment of false teachers and apostates upon the true teaching of salvation by grace through faith. In Ephesians, the Reformers gravitated to what they understood to be the summit of Paul's vision of salvation in Christ. Finding its source, beyond time, in the electing love of God, the Reformers disseminated the letter?s message of temporal hope for Christians living under the duress of persecution. For the Reformers, these epistles were living, capsule versions of Paul's letter to the Romans, briefs on the theological vision of the celebrated apostle. Probed and expounded in the commentaries and sermons found in this volume, these letters became the very breath in the lungs of the Reformation movements. The range of comment on Galatians and Ephesians here spans Latin, German, French, Dutch and English authors from a variety of streams within the Protestant movement. Especially helpful in this volume is Gerald Bray's editorial presentation of the development of tensions among the Reformers. The epistles of Galatians and Ephesians open up a treasure house of ancient wisdom, allowing these faithful Reformation witnesses to speak with eloquence and intellectual acumen to the church today.

Preaching's Preacher's Guide to the Best Bible Reference The Reformation was a call to return with renewed vigor to the biblical roots of Christian faith and practice. Still, for the Reformers, the truth of the Bible could never be separated from the true community of God's people gathered by his Word. In the book of Acts, they found God's blueprint for how the church should participate with the Holy Spirit in accomplishing his purposes in the world. In the latest Reformation Commentary on Scripture, we watch as the diverse streams of the Protestant movement converge on the book of Acts. As we return with the Reformers to this vision of Spirit-filled community, we are given a lesson in the nature of biblical reform from those who bore it out for the first time. Authors Esther Chung-Kim and Todd R. Hains present a vivid portrait of the Reformers? views on the contemporary church?s faithfulness to its God-given identity and calling. The Reformers approached the narrative account of the early church in the book of Acts from diverse viewpoints. Commentators like John Calvin and the Swiss Reformed Heinrich Bullinger elaborated on the theological implications of the text with a great deal of historical detail. Others like reform-minded Catholic Johann Eck evoked episodes in Acts in response to pressing concerns of the day. Sermons upheld notable characters in Acts such as Peter, Stephen, Paul, Lydia and Apollos as examples of robust faith and of life in Christian community. Anabaptists in their apologetic works focused heavily on the necessity of believer's baptism. The commentators' interactions range from irate disagreement to irenic concord, but all exhort their readers not to dissolve "the holy knot" of the plain history of Christ's works and their lasting fruits. For them, Acts is certainly history, but it cannot be mere history.

Writing to the early Christians in Rome, the apostle Paul said, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect" (Rom 12:2 ESV). Perhaps more than any other New Testament epistle, Paul's letter to the Romans has been the focus of Christian reflection throughout the church's history, transforming the minds and convicting the hearts of believers. Sixteenth-century reformer Martin Luther reflected the church's longstanding emphasis on this portion of the canon: "Let the Epistle to the Romans be the door and the key to holy Scripture for you; otherwise you will never enter into a proper understanding and comprehension of the Bible." In this volume of the Reformation Commentary on Scripture, Philip Krey and Peter Krey guide readers with care through a diversity of Reformation-era commentary on the second half of Paul's letter to the Roman church. Among the difficult issues addressed by Paul and commented on by early modern exegetes were the predestination of God's elect, the destiny of Israel, the role of Gentiles in salvation history, the ethical demands of the Christian life, and the Christian's relationship to the state. Here, readers will encounter familiar voices and discover lesser-known figures from a variety of theological traditions, including Lutherans, Reformed, Radicals, Anglicans, and Roman Catholics. The volume draws on a variety of resources, including commentaries, sermons, treatises, and confessions, much of which appears here for the first time in English. Gathering together these Reformation-era reflections, it provides resources for contemporary preachers, enables scholars to better understand the depth and breadth of Reformation biblical commentary and aids the ongoing transformation of the minds—and lives—of people today.

"Since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep." (1 Thess 4:14). The epistles of the New Testament provide unparalleled insight into the realities of the life of the early church, guidance for those called to lead the church, and comfort in the face of pressing theological questions. Among those letters are 1 and 2 Thessalonians, which address questions about the expected return of Christ, the pastoral epistles of 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus, written to two of Paul's coworkers who were overseeing early churches, and Philemon, which concerns the relationship between a slave and his master. The Protestant Reformers of the sixteenth century also found wisdom and guidance in these letters. For example, Martin Luther reminded the Christians of his day that Paul had encouraged believers "not to sorrow over the dead as others who have no hope, but to comfort each other with God's Word as having a certain hope of life and of the resurrection of the dead." In this volume of the Reformation Commentary on Scripture, Lee Gatiss and Bradley Green guide readers through a diversity of early modern commentary on the epistles of 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon. Readers will hear from familiar voices and discover lesser-known figures from a variety of theological traditions, including Lutherans, Reformed, Radicals, Anglicans, and Roman Catholics. Drawing upon a variety of resources—including commentaries, sermons, treatises, and confessions—much of which appears here for the first time in English, this volume provides resources for contemporary preachers, enables scholars to better understand the depth and breadth of Reformation commentary, and seeks to bring guidance and comfort in the midst of today's challenges.

The prophetic ministry of Jeremiah, described in the Old Testament books of Jeremiah and Lamentations, took place during a time of chaos and tragedy for the people of Israel: the fall of Jerusalem, the destruction of the temple, and the exile to Babylon. Yet, in the midst of this loss and in hope of the restoration of God's people, Jeremiah is able to declare: "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness" (Lam 3:22-23). Reflecting on these verses, Reformation commentators, who were themselves familiar with the turbulent realities of their own sixteenth century, heard not only hope for the renewal of Israel, but prophetic promise for the coming of the Messiah. Lutheran theologian and pastor Nikolaus Selnecker wrote, "Is not what Jeremiah says immeasurably beautiful, lovely, and consoling? You will think, what is my soul saying to me? That is a strong Amen, when the spirit of the heart knows and can say, 'God hears me, I know it. My heart tells me. I do not doubt God's grace. I am a child of God. He is my father and will help me.'" In this volume of the Reformation Commentary on Scripture, church historian J. Jeffery Tyler guides readers through a diversity of early modern commentary on the books of Jeremiah and Lamentations. Readers will hear from familiar voices and discover lesser-known figures from a variety of theological traditions, including Lutherans, Reformed, Radicals, Anglicans, and Roman Catholics. Drawing upon a variety of resources—including commentaries, sermons, treatises, and confessions—much of which appears here for the first time in English, this volume provides resources for contemporary preachers, enables scholars to better understand the depth and breadth of Reformation commentary, and seeks to help everyone remember that God's mercies never come to an end.

"I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? "My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth." (Ps. 121:1-2) Throughout the history of the church, Christians have often turned to the Book of Psalms in both rejoicing and suffering as a significant resource for Christian belief and practice, and as the church's prayer book and hymnal. The Protestant reformers also turned to the Psalms during their time of significant spiritual renewal, theological debate, and ecclesial reform. There they found comfort, guidance, and wisdom from God that applied to their context as much as it did to David's. As John Calvin explained, "The Holy Spirit has presented in a living image all the griefs, sorrows, fears, doubts, hopes, cares, perplexities, in short, all the emotions with which human minds are often disturbed." And as Martin Luther proclaimed, the reformers also heard a resounding affirmation of the good news of Jesus Christ: "The Psalter ought to be a precious and beloved book because it promises Christ's death and resurrection so clearly." In this volume, Herman Selderhuis guides readers through the diversity of Reformation-era commentary on the second half of the Psalter. Represented herein are well-known voices as well as lesser-known figures from a variety of theological traditions, including Lutherans, Reformed, Radicals, Anglicans, and Roman Catholics, many of whose comments appear for the first time in English. By making available a variety of resources—including commentaries, sermons, treatises, and confessions—this volume enables scholars to better understand the depth and breadth of Reformation commentary, provides resources for contemporary preachers, and offers keen insights to all who trust that their help comes from the Lord.

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die..." When the reformers of the sixteenth century turned to this well-known text from the Book of Ecclesiastes, they did not find a reason to despair, but rather confirmation of their hope and faith in God. For example, Martin Luther pointed to the comfort offered through this text: "You cannot live any longer than the Lord has prescribed, nor die any sooner. . . . To Christians this is a great comfort, so that they know that death has not been placed into the power of tyrants nor into the hands of any creature," but in the hands of God. In this volume of the Reformation Commentary on Scripture, Reformation scholar David Fink guides readers through a wealth of early modern commentary on three Old Testament books: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs. Readers will hear from familiar voices and discover lesser-known figures from a diversity of theological traditions, including Lutherans, Reformed, Radicals, Anglicans and Roman Catholics. Drawing upon a variety of resources—including commentaries, sermons, treatises, and confessions—much of which appears here for the first time in English, this volume provides resources for contemporary preachers, enables scholars to better understand the depth and breadth of Reformation commentary, and seeks to help readers find comfort in God's Word.

Preaching's Preacher's Guide to the Best Bible Reference The first eighteen verses of the Gospel of John make some of the most profound statements about the character and work of Christ in all of Scripture: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (1:1); "all things were made through him" (1:3); "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (1:14). Reformation commentators ruminated on the meaning and implications of such claims for shedding light on doctrines like the Trinity, the divinity of Christ and his incarnation, but also for grasping the saving benefits of Christ's work in justification (for those "who believed in his name") and new birth (those born of God as his children, 1:12-13). In this volume, Craig Farmer expertly guides readers through Reformation meditation on these themes and many others as they are unpacked in the first twelve chapters of the Gospel of John, from the Prologue to Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Here you will find a rich mosaic of reflection on the Gospel of John by a variety of significant well-known and lesser-known figures among the Reformed, Lutherans, Radicals and Roman Catholics. Farmer has done justice to the depth and nuance of the work of these Reformation-era pastors and scholars by drawing from a range of genres--extensive commentary, brief annotations, impassioned sermons, official confessions, and careful doctrinal and practical treatises. Contemporary scholars will find this volume indispensable for understanding the significance of the "spiritual Gospel" for Reformation theology and practice, and pastors will discover here a consistently fruitful source for preaching, teaching and discipleship in the "grace and truth" that have come through Jesus Christ (1:17).

"And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?' Then I said, 'Here I am! Send me.'" In his interpretation of Isaiah's vision of God and subsequent sending, the Anabaptist reformer Menno Simons perceived a pattern for all prophets, apostles, ministers, and preachers who are called and then sent out to spread the good news: "They did not assume the honor to themselves, as do the preachers of this world; but like Aaron, they were called by God. . . . They were brought by the Spirit of God, with pious hearts, into his service; they had always esteemed themselves unfit to serve the people of God or to stand forth in such a high and responsible station. . . . No one can serve in this high and holy office, conformably to God's will, except those whom the Lord of the vineyard has made worthy and fit by the spirit of his grace." In this volume of the Reformation Commentary on Scripture, Reformation scholar Jeff Fisher guides readers through a wealth of early-modern commentary on the first thirty-nine chapters of Isaiah. Readers will hear familiar voices and discover lesser-known figures from a diversity of theological traditions, including Lutherans, Reformed, Radicals, Anglicans, and Roman Catholics. Drawing on a variety of resources—including commentaries, sermons, treatises, and confessions—much of which appears here for the first time in English, this volume provides resources for contemporary preachers, enables scholars to better understand the depth and breadth of Reformation commentary, and seeks to help those who have been called to this task and those whom they serve.