Dr. Martin Luther

Born	10 November 1483, Eisleben
Died	18 February 1546, Eisleben
Occupation	Theologian, pastor, professor, Reformer
Known For	The Protestant Reformation, Lutheran theology, and religious writings
Major Works	Table Talk, the Ninety-five Theses, Small Catechism, and Large Catechism
Publication Notes	Translated into English by William Hazlitt. Philadelphia: The Lutheran Publication Society. Digital transcription attributed to Kathy Sewell, June 1, 1997.
Contents	00 - Introduction and Preface 01 - Of God's Works 02 - The Nature of the World 03 - Of Idolatry 04 - Of Jesus Christ 05 - Of Sins 06 - Of the Holy Ghost 07 - Of Free-Will 08 - Of the Catechism 09 - Of the Law and the Gospel 10 - Of Justification 11 - Of Prayer 12 - Of Baptism 13 - Of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper 14 - Of the Church 15 - Of the Church and its Ministers 16 - Of Excommunication 17 - Of Preachers and Preaching 18 - Of the Patriarchs and Prophets 19 - Of the Apostles and Disciples of Christ 20 - Of Angels 21 - Of the Devil and His Works 22 - Of Temptation and Tribulation 23 - Of Luther's Adversaries 24 - Of Offences 25 - Of a Christian Life 26 - Of Princes and Potentates 27 - Of Discord 28 - Of Sicknesses and Their Causes 29 - Of Death 30 - Of the Resurrection 31 - Of Allegories 32 - Of Spiritual and Church Livings 33 - Of Christian Military Action 34 - Of Lawyers 35 - Of Universities, Arts, etc. 36 - Of Astronomy and Astrology 37 - Of Learned Men 38 - Of the Jews 39 - Of the Turks 40 - Of Countries and Cities 41 - Of Vocation and Calling
Related Pages	Table Talk (Luther) Martin Luther John Frederick I, Elector of Saxony Protestant Reformation

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OF DISCORD (Economic Freedom)

731

The 10th of February, 1546, John, Prince elector of Saxony said: A controversy were easily settled, if the parties would exhibit some concord. Luther said: We would willingly have concord, but no man seeks after the medium of concord, which is charity. We seek riches, but no man seeks after the right means how to be rich, namely, through God's blessing. We all desire to be saved, but the world refuses the means how to be saved - the Mediator Christ.

In former times potentates and princes referred their controversies to faithful people, and did not so readily thrust them into the lawyer's hands. When people desire to be reconciled and to come to an agreement, one party must yield, and give way to the other. If God and mankind should be reconciled and agreed, God must give over his right and justice, and must lay aside his wrath; and we, mankind, must also lay down our own righteousness, for we also would needs be gods in Paradise, we thought ourselves wise as God, through the serpent's seduction; then Christ was fain to make an agreement between us; he interposed in the cause, and would be a mediator between God and man; this Mediator for his pains got the portion of a peace-maker, namely, the cross; he that parts two fighters, commonly gets the hardest knocks for himself. Even so Christ suffered and presented us with his passion and death; he died for our sakes. and for the sake of our justification he arose again. Thus the generation of mankind became reconciled with God.

732

When two goats meet upon a narrow bridge over deep water, how do they behave? neither of them can turn back again, neither can pass the other, because the bridge is too narrow; if they should thrust one another, they might both fall into the water and be drowned; nature, then, has taught them, that if the one lays himself down and permits the other to go over him, both remain without hurt. Even so people should rather endure to be trod upon, than to fall into debate and discord one with another.

733

A Christian, for the sake of his own person, neither curses nor revenges himself; but faith curses and revenges itself. To understand this rightly, we must distinguish God and man, the person and cause. In what concerns God and his cause, we must have no patience, nor bless; as for example, when the ungodly persecute the Gospel, this touches God and his cause, and then we are not to bless or to wish good success, but rather to curse the persecutors and their proceedings. Such is called faith's cursing, which, rather than it would suffer God's Word to be suppressed and heresy maintained, would have all creatures go to wreck; for through heresy we lose God himself, Numbers xvi. But individuals personally ought not to revenge themselves, but to suffer all things, and according to Christ's doctrine and the nature of love, to do good to their enemies.