Did Luther in 1537 Condemn Paul As A False Prophet?

Elsewhere, we document from 1531 onward, Luther changed his views about salvation by faith alone for one who already accepted Christ. Luther through his representatives in several church conferences said a second or "double justification" was now necessary based upon good works. See link. Only unbelievers were initially saved by faith alone, but a Christian needed a secondary justification. Id.

Also, we explained elsewhere that Luther originally in reliance upon Paul condemned any relevance of the Law given Moses. (See link.) Luther even proclaimed Paul abolished Sabbath forever. (See link.)

However, beginning in 1537, it finally dawned on Luther than anyone who abolished the Law was, by the Bible's clear words, a false prophet. Without ever relying ever again on Paul's doctrines on salvation or the Law, Luther changed course on the Law. In the following quote from Luther's Antinomian Theses (1537) - recently reprinted as Don't Tell Me That from Martin Luther's Antinomian Theses (Lutheran Press 2004), Luther implicitly condemns Paul -- that is if you compare the early Luther with the later Luther. In fact, Luther's words have Paul seemingly very much in view:

"Where there is neither divine or human government, there is neither God nor man. The same is also true: Where there is neither God nor man, there is nothing, except the devil.

Therefore it must be that those who would rid the Church of the Law are either devils themselves, or siblings of the devil. It doesn't matter that they preach and teach a great deal about God, about Christ, about grace and the Law.

...The confession of those who would rid the Church of the Law is just like when the devil cries out to Christ 'You are the son of the living God.' (Luke 4:34: 8:28)  [i.e., profess Christ with the mouth but do not obey God's Law.] It is also like the oath of every false prophet "As the Lord lives!" [what I say is true even though contrary to the Law] as Isaiah [8:20] and Jeremiah show. ***

What those who would eliminate the Law from the church say about God, about Christ, about faith, the Law, grace, and other things is much the same thing as a parrot who says 'Hello,' that is, it is said without understanding. It is simply impossible that one can learn good theology or right living from such persons.

Therefore one should run away from their teaching as the most harmful teaching of libertines, who give permission to all kinds of infamous deeds."  (Don't Tell Me That, supra, at 67-69.)

I cannot help but note these words are after Luther's own doctrines now avoided any mention of Paul's anti-law comments where once he used to cite him incessantly, e.g., on the Law, on salvation without works, etc. Luther does not offer any explanation of Paul's contrary words to reconcile them somehow to this new view by Luther. He drops out any focus on Paul's difficult and contrary passages. Paul becomes invisible. In that same setting, Luther tells us to run away from any preacher, even if he preaches a great deal about God, Christ, grace, etc., if he says the Law is abrogated. Who more than anyone but Paul could Luther have had in mind as he wrote those words?

Study Notes

Modern Publication of 'Antimonian Theses'

In 2008, Lutheran Press published Solus Decalogus est Aeternus: Martin Luther's Complete Antinomian Theses & Disputations (2008) Edited by Holger Sonntag 416 pages; Latin/English, available for $15.50 at Lutheran Press. This is advertised as the Antinomian Theses "for the very first time in English...." although the Lutheran Press published Don't Tell Me That in 2004 as an English translation of the same.

A book review of Don't Tell Me That--Martin Luther's Antinomian Theses from the Lutheran Concordia journal is at this link. This explains the context of Antinomian Theses was Luther's effort to reply to Agricola's position. Agricola was the first to propose dispensationalism -- that Jesus' words on the Law did not apply to us, but a prior dispensation. Hence, for Agricola, there was no duty to repent for violating the Law given Moses as the commands of Jesus that upheld the Law were now to be seen as no longer applying to us. The Concordia article in 2010 explains the context:

Toward the end of his life, Luther had to deal with a controversy that went to the heart of this distinction, known as the Antinomian controversy. Over several years, his friend and colleague, John Agricola, distorted the proper distinction, particularly in the area of repentance. During the final years of the 1530s, Luther wrote six sets of theses for public disputations addressing the distortions present in Agricola’s position.

Agricola’s antinomianism, an ever-present human attitude, provides a beneficial foil for contemporary discussions of the proper employment of Law and Gospel in the Christian life. Paul Strawn introduces his project by suggesting that “there is a general uprising in the Church nowadays against any preaching, teaching, ministering and music which would involve the Holy Spirit, through the Word of God, convicting hearts of sin . . . ” (9). However, he adds that there is also a true joy that comes when God’s Word is properly used: “It is the joy that can only follow the confession of sin and the conviction, by means of the Holy Spirit working through the Word of God, that sin has been forgiven because of the atonement of Christ on the cross for that sin” (11).

Also the Concordia gives us references to further research the topic:

Timothy Wengert’s Law and Gospel:Philip Melanchthon’s Debate with John Agricola of Eisleben over poenitentia (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1997) is also very helpful in providing a broader historical setting for these theses. Basic background to the controversy is available in volume 4 of James Mackinnon’s Luther and the Reformation (New York: Russell & Russell, 1962, pages 161–179).