"L" is for Luther

     For Luther, getting the Reformation on solid footing was a necessity, and probably influenced his handling of scripture.  He departs from the "received text" in his translation of Romans 3:28 where he doesn't hesitate to add "alone" to the phrase "justified by faith", perhaps in the belief that if the Apostle Paul had been writing during Luther's day that is the way Paul would have written it.  Certainly Luther understood the Apostle Paul as few if any others did at this time.  Below, Romans 3:27-28 excerpted from one of the OCHF Library's Luther Bibles:  (Click image for larger view.)

     In addition, Luther does not hesitate to allow his Reformation agenda to influence his estimation of the merit of the Epistle of James which he "demotes" from 20th position in the order of the New Testament books to 25th position.  Of the Epistle of James, Luther writes, "I cannot put it among the chief books, though I would not thereby prevent anyone from putting it where he pleases and estimating it as he pleases...."  Compare the order below, excerpted from a Luther Bible, with that of any other version of the New Testament:  (Click image for larger view.)

     Also, whle in his first Preface (1522) to The Revelation of St. John Luther writes, "... let everyone think of it (The Revelation of St. John) as his own spirit gives him to think...", it wasn't long before he offers an interpretation of this book that is pro-Reformation in nature (see his preface of 1534).

The 1534 Luther Bible

     From the OCHF Library collection, below are several beautiful woodcut prints extracted from the first complete Luther Bible published in 1534.  Sadly, in centuries past collectors were inclined to cut illustrations and illuminated letters from priceless Bibles.  Happily, some of these cuttings have survived including these from Luther's first complete Bible.  These woodcut illustrations were done by Melchoir Schwarzenberg in 1532, and, appeared as part of the 1534 Luther Bible printed in Wittenberg.  They were hand-colored after printing.  (Click images for larger view.)