Dear in Christ,This text is from the beginning of the book "On the Jews and Their Lies", by Martin Luther, written in 1543! (Text highlighting and [comments in brackets] are mine)
This is my reply to you and to him. It is not my purpose to quarrel with the Jews, nor to learn from them how they interpret or understand Scripture; I know all of that very well already. Much less do I propose to convert the Jews, for that is impossible. Those two excellent men, Lyra and Burgensis, together with others, truthfully described the Jews' vile interpretation for us two hundred and one hundred years ago respectively. Indeed they refuted it thoroughly. However, this was no help at all to the Jews, and they have grown steadily worse.
They have failed to learn any lesson from the terrible distress that has been theirs for over fourteen hundred years in exile. [as at the time of Luther's writing] Nor can they obtain any end or definite terminus of this, as they suppose, by means of the vehement cries and laments to God. If these blows do not help, it is reasonable to assume that our talking and explaining will help even less.
Therefore a Christian should be content and not argue with the Jews. But if you have to or want to talk with them, do not say any more than this: "Listen, Jew, are you aware that Jerusalem and your sovereignty, together with your temple and priesthood, have been destroyed for over 1,460 years?" For this year, which we Christians write as the year 1542 [as at the time of Luther's writing] since the birth of Christ, is exactly 1,468 years, going on fifteen hundred years, since Vespasian and Titus destroyed Jerusalem and expelled the Jews from the city. Let the Jews bite on this nut and dispute this question as long as they wish.
For such ruthless wrath of God is sufficient evidence that they assuredly have erred and gone astray. Even a child can comprehend this. [Futurists are worse than children, according to Martin Luther] For one dare not regard God as so cruel that he would punish his own people so long, so terribly, so unmercifully, and in addition keep silent, comforting them neither with words nor with deeds, and fixing no time limit and no end to it. Who would have faith, hope, or love toward such a God? Therefore this work of wrath is proof that the Jews, surely rejected by God, are no longer his people, and neither is he any longer their God. This is in accord with Hosea 1:9, "Call his name Not my people, for you are not my people and I am not your God." Yes, unfortunately, this is their lot, truly a terrible one. They may interpret this as they will; we see the facts before our eyes, and these do not deceive us.If there were but a spark of reason or understanding in them, they would surely say to themselves: "O Lord God, something has gone wrong with us. Our misery is too great, too long, too severe; God has forgotten us!" etc. To be sure, I am not a Jew, but I really do not like to contemplate God's awful wrath toward this people. It sends a shudder of fear through body and soul, for I ask, What will the eternal wrath of God in hell be like toward false Christians and all unbelievers? Well, let the Jews regard our Lord Jesus as they will. We behold the fulfillment of the words spoken by him in Luke 21:20: "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near ... for these are days of vengeance. For great distress shall be upon the earth and wrath upon this people."
Some may say that God has reinstated Israel since the days of Martin Luther, do search the scriptures and the facts to see whether the present day occupants of the land of Palestine are real Israelites.
In Christ,
Tomsan Kattackal
Dear brother, I strongly agree with this statement. Both the prophecies of Jesus and history strongly supporting this. I think you mentioned the jewish expectation as 'futurism' here. i have a question regarding the futurism theory of 'Rapture' which was propagated by the Roman catholic church as a counter action to the reformation of luther to mask the identity of Papacy, a kingdom of Antichrist. Even Martin luther himself mentioned papacy as Antichrist's kingdom (in his book-Babylonian captivity of the church) which reigned the world for 1260 years of medieval age. What do you think about the Rapture or Futurism theory which is dominating the pentecostal church's doctrine?
ReplyDeleteJesus' teachings are about loving your neighbors and enemies alike, blessing those who persecute you, loving one another so that the world would know that we are His disciples...
DeleteNow, look at Christianity, right from the first century they started ""heresy hunting", calling anyone who has a slightly different understanding of a single word in the scriptures as HERETIC. Right from the first century they started calling anyone who disagrees with them as ANTICHRIST. THIS IS NOT THE CHRISTIANITY THAT CHRIST ENVISIONED.
I cited a few statements of Martin Luther, not because I approve everything that he said, but as a testimony to those who esteem his words.
Please read this (I'm quoting from ESV, you may read it from any version of your choice):
1Jn 2:18 Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, SO NOW MANY ANTICHRISTS HAVE COME. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.
John makes it plain that the anticipated ANTICHRIST (many of them) HAS ALREADY COME, while he was writing his first epistle in the first century. Roman Catholic church which came into existence during the 4th century doesn't qualify as the Antichrist that John has mentioned.
Read this as well:
2Jn 1:7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
Doesn't the Roman Catholic church admit that Jesus Christ came in the flesh? Then how can it be the Antichrist?