An Explanation of Luther's Small CatechismLuther, Martin
ReligionChristian
An Explanation of Luther's Small Catechism
Luther, Martin
Lutheran Church -- Catechisms -- English
Questions.--1. What other names are given to the Tea Commandments? 2.
What do they make known to us? 3. What two sides are there to each
commandment? 4. Where was the law of God originally written? 5. Why and
when was the Law given anew? 6. Why is the Moral Law binding upon us,
while the national and ceremonial laws of Israel are not? 7. What is the
substance of the Law? 8. What is the threefold purpose of the Law? 9.
Into how many Tables is the Law divided, and what does each Table teach?
10. How many commandments does each Table include?
* * * * *
SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Matt. 22:37-40. Jesus said unto him, Thou shall love
the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all
thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is
like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two
commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Rom. 3:20. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be
justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Gal. 3:24. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto
Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
John 14:15. If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Matt. 7:12. Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do
to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
Reading.--The Giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai, Exod. 19 and 20.
CHAPTER IV.
THE LAWGIVER.
I am the Lord thy God.
These introductory words show who is the Lawgiver. [Jas. 4:12] As
earthly kings place their names at the beginning of their decrees to
give them authority, so God places His name at the beginning of the
commandments in order to make known who gives them, and whose
displeasure we shall incur if we disobey them. These introductory words
belong not only to the first but to all the commandments.
I AM. By these words God reminds us that He is a Person. He speaks to
us. He is not an impersonal God who pervades and is a part of nature. He
is above nature and has created it. [Gen 1:1]
THE LORD. The word here translated "Lord" means in the original Hebrew
"I AM THAT I AM." [Exod 8:14+] God thereby declares that He is the One
and Only Self-existent, [Isa 44:6+] Eternal, [Ps 90:1, 2+] and
Unchangeable Being. [Mal 3:6+] He is the true and living God in
contradistinction from all so-called gods. [Jer 10:10] The name Jehovah
or "LORD" is used in the Old Testament Scriptures to designate God as
the covenant God of Israel. It signified that He stood in a specially
near relation to them as His chosen people. The name has the same
comforting meaning for Christians; for they are the New Testament people
of God. [Tit 2:14+, I Pet 2-9]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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