Losing Luther
I just sat down a few minutes ago to begin Chapter 3 of Martin Luther's Commentary on Galatians and I've already got something to share...
In a previous post, I mentioned that we began our Heart Religion class reading the Crossway Classic version, but had since switched to an older one that didn't stray from the primary source. In light of this change, last week's assignment was much more rich and detailed, preparing us as men to better preach the gospel to ourselves and others. This week's reading began by explaining how "an apostle, a pastor, or preacher... reprove[s] the people committed to his charge" in light of the Apostle Paul's words, "O foolish Galatians!" I found Luther's words so encouraging, leaving blue highlighter all over the page. At the bottom, he writes, "And this discipline is not only good, but also very necessary; without the which nothing can be well done. Wherefore, unless the magistrate, the minister, the father and mother be angry, and use to reprove or rebuke when the case requireth, he is unprofitable, and never shall discharge his office rightly" (James Clarke & Co, 1956). How strong are Luther's words! They gave me such courage, but the question hung in the back of my mind, "Did Crossway get this!?!?" I immediately grabbed my untouched copy and flipped to Chapter 3, which read, "Such discipline is not only good but also very necessary; without it, nothing can be done properly" (Crossway, 1998). That's it. End of paragraph. I was raging. How could Crossway and J.I. Packer and Alister McGrath so intentionally cut out the last sentence of Luther's paragraph that so precisely applied the argument he was making!? All they had to do was finish the paragraph. One more sentence. Why would they not?
There's a few too many angles and answers of that question to discuss here, but ultimately, it's a matter of authority. Since pop evangelicalism, the wannabe of American culture, hates authority, Crossway and Co. could not stand to finish with Luther's "Therefore" that applied the proper use of anger as it relates to discipline. Unbelievable.
But if you think I'm totally taking this out of context or blowing the issue out of proportion, just read what Luther wrote before the quotes I used. However, you might have to search near and far because won't find them in a bookstore near you.
