The 475th Anniversary of the Apology of the Augsburg Confession’

2006 marks the 475th anniversary of the Apology of the Augsburg Confession written by Phillip Melanchthon in 1531. Using many Bible passages, the Apology “defends” what the Lutherans earlier had confessed in the Augsburg Confession. This series of twelve articles in the Lutheran Sentinel presents the issue of how we interpret the Bible and confess its truths.

The Interpretation of Scripture: Grammar of the Text

In the April installment of this series of articles, we discussed the principle of the clarity and understandability of Scripture. We noted then that the Apology of the Augsburg Confession indicates that the Bible needs to be read “carefully, contextually, and reverently.” One of the important ways in which we are able to arrive at a “contextual” reading of the text is to pay close attention to its grammar. “Grammar” is the study of the meaning, function, and structure of words as they relate to each other in a sentence.

One of the reasons why the Lutheran Reformers so highly valued the study of the original languages of Scripture is that a knowledge of the grammatical rules and vocabulary of those languages is an important part of understanding the original meaning of the Hebrew or Greek texts. For example, the Greek word leiturgia (“liturgy”) appears in several places in the New Testament (such as Luke 1:23, Acts 13:3, 2 Corinthians 9:12, and Hebrews 8:6). In defense of their doctrine of the sacrifice of the Mass, the Lutherans’ opponents had said that this word means “sacrifice.” But this betrays a lack of knowledge of the Greek language. The Apology points out that “This word does not properly mean a sacrifice but rather public service. ... It is an old word, ordinarily used in public civil law. To the Greeks it meant ‘public responsibilities,’ like taxes collected for the equipping of a fleet or similar things.” Examples from Greek authors are then provided, with the observation that a correct understanding of the meaning of this term “agrees quite well with our position, namely, that the one minister who consecrates gives the body and blood of the Lord to the rest of the people, just as a minister who preaches sets forth the gospel to the people, as Paul says [1 Cor. 4:1], ‘Think of us in this way, as servants of Christ and stewards of God’s mysteries,’ that is, of the gospel and the sacraments” (Ap XXIV:80-81, Kolb/Wengert translation).

The Apology is critical of the way in which the Lutherans’ opponents often press an arbitrary meaning onto a term, and then on that basis “foolishly distort many passages of Scripture in the defense of their errors.” An example is their usage and application of the word “sacrifice.” The Apology objects when the Roman theologians “tear the term ‘sacrifice’ out of context either from the Scriptures or from the Fathers and then attach their own ideas to it, as if ‘sacrifice’ meant whatever they want it to mean” (Ap IV).

The Apology recounts another example of this kind of grammatical irresponsibility in its reaction to the claim of the papal party that Proverbs 27:23 speaks to the matter of the Roman requirement that all sins must be confessed to a priest in order that the sinner be forgiven.

According to the Lutherans, “it is ridiculous to apply to this point the saying of Solomon, ‘Know well the condition of your flocks.’ For Solomon is not talking about confession but is simply giving some domestic advice to the heads of households, telling them to pay diligent attention to their own property and to leave others people’s alone. He commands them to take care of their own property diligently in such a way that they do not become so preoccupied with the increase of their resources as to lose the fear of God or faith or to neglect God’s Word. But our opponents, by an incredible transformation, make passages of Scripture say whatever they want them to mean. And so ‘to know’ means for them to hear confessions; ‘condition’ does not refer to the outward conduct but to the secrets of the conscience; and ‘flocks’ means people. The interpretation is surely a neat one and is worthy of those who despise the study of the rules of speech” (Ap XII:106).

It is also important to keep in mind that human language often includes figures of speech, which need to be recognized for what they are. The Apology acknowledges the importance of this in interpreting the account of the sinful woman in Luke 7. It notes that, “just as we do not receive the forgiveness of sins through other virtues of the law or on account of them, namely, on account of patience, chastity, obedience to magistrates, etc. (although these virtues ought to follow), so, too, we do not receive the forgiveness of sins on account of love for God, although it is necessary for love to follow faith. Besides, the figure of speech called synecdoche, by which we sometimes combine cause and effect in the same phrase, is well known. And in this sense Christ says in Luke 7[:47], ‘Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love.’ For Christ interprets this very statement when he adds [v. 50], ‘Your faith has saved you.’ So Christ did not intend to say that the woman had merited the forgiveness of sins by her work of love. For that reason he clearly states, ‘Your faith has saved you’” (Ap IV:151-52).

It has been rightly said that, while the divinely-inspired Scriptures are more than human literature, they are not less than human literature. This means that the words that God caused to be in the sacred texts are to be understood and interpreted according to the same grammatical criteria by which we interpret the words that appear in other comparable works of literature. God did not use some kind of special “holy grammar” in bringing his Word to man, but he used terms and literary styles that would have been familiar to the inspired penmen through whom he brought forth his revelation, and to the people among whom they lived. In the incarnation God became a man like us, except without sin. Similarly, in the inspiration of Scripture God gave us inerrant works of literature that we are indeed able to read, and that are able to make sense to us according to the ordinary rules of grammar.

David Jay Webber is Pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Scottsdale, Arizona and of Sun of Righteousness Lutheran Mission in Queen Creek, Arizona.