Concordia Seminary - Saint Louis Scholarly Resources from Concordia Seminary Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation Concordia Seminary Scholarship 5-1-2005 "Why Then the Law?" Salvation History and the Law in Martin Luther's Interpretation of Galatians 1513-1522 Erik Herrmann Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.csl.edu/phd Part of the History of Christianity Commons Recommended Citation Herrmann, Erik, ""Why Then the Law?" Salvation History and the Law in Martin Luther's Interpretation of Galatians 1513-1522" (2005). Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation. 26. https://scholar.csl.edu/phd/26 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Concordia Seminary Scholarship at Scholarly Resources from Concordia Seminary. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation by an authorized administrator of Scholarly Resources from Concordia Seminary. 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SALVATION HISTORY AND THE LAW IN MARTIN LUTHER'S INTERPRETATION OF GALATIANS 1513-1522 A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Department ofHistorical Theology In Partial Fulfillment ofthe Requirements for the Degree of Doctor ofPhilosophy By Erik Horst Herrmann May, 2005 Q~~ Approved by _ Pr~ Dr. Robert Rosin Advisor Iklw,~ ---- Prof. Dr. Paul Robinson Reader ~~~ Prof Dr. Robert Kolb Reader © 2005 by Erik Horst Hemnann. All rights reserved. CONTENTS ABBREVIATIONS v ABSTRACT vii Chapter INTRODUCTION 1 The Question 4 Present Research 9 Sources and Method 11 1. GALATIANS IN THE TRADITION 14 Patristic Period 15 Augustine 29 Medieval Tradition 44 1. Early Scholasticism: The Sign, the Scourge, and the Pedagogue .45 2. Thomas Aquinas 52 3. Glossa Ordinaria, Nicholas ofLyra, and Faber Stapulensis 59 Summary 64 2. GALATIANS IN THE DICTATA SUPER PSALTERIUM 1513-1515 67 Introduction 67 1. Scholasticism, Monasticism, and Humanism 69 2. Letter and Spirit 74 Galatians 3:23-24, 4:4 81 1. Fides Revelanda-Fides Revelata. Galatians 3:23 82 2. Lex Pedagogus-Meritum de Congruo. Galatians 3:24 96 3. Plenitudo Temporis-Tempus Plenitudinis. Galatians 4:4 106 111 4. Summary 110 Adventus Spiritualis 111 1. Triplex Nativitas-Triplex Adventus 113 2. Luther and the Adventus Spiritualis in the Dictata 129 Sub Peccato-Sub Lege 135 3. GALATIANS LECTURES 1516-1517 147 Introduction 147 1. Lectures on Romans, 1515-16 148 2. Impact and Reform 160 Lectures on Galatians, 1516-1517 167 Contemporary Works 179 Summary and Conclusions 187 4. LUTHER AND GALATIANS 1519-1522 194 Introduction 194 Galatians Commentary, 1519 198 Galatians in the Weihnachtspostille, 1522 215 1. Fullness ofTime and Spiritual Advent 217 2. Quid Igitur Lex? The Use ofthe Law .225 5. HERMENEUTICS 236 EPILOGUE 248 BIBLIOGRAPHY 257 VITA 283 IV ABBREVIATIONS AWA D. Martin Luther. Operationes in Psalmos: 1519-1521. Archiv zur Weimarer Ausgabe der Werke Martin Luthers: Texte und Untersuchungen, eds. Gerhard Hammer and Manfred Biersack, vols. 1 and 2 (CologneNienna: B6hlau Verlag, 1981/91). Benzing Lutherbibliographie, Bibliotheca Bibliographica Aureliana, vol. 10/143, eds. JosefBenzing / Helmut Claus, 2 vols. (Baden-Baden: Valentin Koerner, 1989/1994). Biblia Biblia cum postillis Nicolai de Lyra et expositionibus Guillelmi Britonis in omnes prologos S. Hieronymi et additionibus Pauli Burgensis replicisque Matthiae Doering. (Nurnberg: Anton Koberger, 1487). CCCM Corpus Christianorum, Continuatio Mediaevalis (Turnhout: Brepols, 1967f.). CCSL Corpus Christianorum, Series Latina (Turnhout, 1954 ff.). CSEL Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum (Vienna: Hoelder-Pichler­ Tempsky, 1866 ff.). GCS Die grieschichen christlichen Schriftsteller der ersten drei Jahrhunderte. (Leipzig: J. C. Hinrichs, 1897-1949). Glossa Biblia Latina cum Glossa Ordinaria: Facsimile Reprint ofthe Editio Princeps Adolph Rusch ofStrassburg 148011, (Turnhout: Brepols, 1992). PO Patrologia Graeca, ed. J. P. Migne (Paris: 1857-66). PL Patrologia Latina, ed. J. P. Migne (Paris: 1844-66). Die Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart: Handworterbuch fur Theologie und Religionswissenschaft, 3d. edition, ed. Kurt Galling (Tubingen: J.C.B. Mohr (Paul Siebeck), 1958). S. Pauli Jacobus Faber Stapulensis, S. Pauli epistolae XIV ex Vulgata, adiecta intelligentia ex graeco, cum commentariis. Faksimilie-Neudruch der Ausgabe Paris 1512 (Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt: Frommann-Holzboog, 1978). SBO Sancti Bernardi Opera, ed. Jean Leclercq, O.S.B. (Rome: Editiones Cistercienses, 1957f.). SC Sources Christiennes (Paris: Les Editions du Cerf, 1942ff.). Sent. Sententiae in IVLibris Distinctae. v WA Luthers Werke, Kritische Gesamtausgabe: Schriften, 1 ff. vols. Eds. J.F.K. Knaake et al. (Weimar: H. Bohlau, 1883ff.). WABr Luthers Werke, Kritische Gesamtausgabe: Briefe, 18 vols. (Weimar: H. Bohlau, 1930-1986). WATr Luthers Werke, Kritische Gesamtausgabe: Tischreden, 6 vols. (Weimar: H. BoWau, 1912-21). All translations ofprimary sources are my own unless otherwise noted. For English translations ofLuther I have consulted the American edition ofLuther's works when applicable (Luther's Works, eds. Jaroslav Pelikan and Helmut Lehmann, 55 vols. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, and Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1955f.). Nevertheless, the translations remain my own, as do any errors. Psalm citations follow the numbering ofthe Gallican Psalter as found in the Latin Vulgate, rather than modem English editions ofthe Bible. Quotations from critical editions have retained the format ofthe original when indicating the biblical text or manuscript peculiarities. Sometimes this will appear in the form ofcapitalization, in other instances as bold or extended type. VI ABSTRACT Herrmann, Erik H. "'Why Then the Law?' Salvation History and the Law in Martin Luther's Interpretation ofGalatians 1513-1522." Ph.D. Diss., St. Louis, MO: Concordia Seminary, 2005. 283 pp. This study examines Luther's early exegesis ofGalatians 3: 19-4:7 and its relationship to his theological development, especially his doctrine oflaw and gospel. Luther's earliest exegetical lectures on the Psalms (1513-15) demonstrate essential agreement with the interpretation ofGalatians common throughout the exegetical tradition. The law's function is understood solely in terms ofits preparatory role in salvation history among Old Testament Israel. It has no value beyond the coming ofChrist, who instead imparts the new law ofthe gospel. Like the Old Testament itself, the law ought to be interpreted spiritually, a type and shadow ofthe evangelical law. In Luther's lectures on Paul, first Romans (1515-16) and then Galatians (1516-17), a new understanding develops which interprets Paul's doctrine ofthe law more broadly so that its preparatory role is applicable in all times. Coupled with an increasingly more radical view of sin, Luther comes to interpret Galatians as a description ofthe law's theological function on the individual conscience, regardless ofthe dispensation ofsalvation history. Rather than a veiled type foreshadowing the spiritual doctrines ofthe gospel, the law prepares one for the gospel by revealing man's sin, a testimony to the fundamental human situation. Important in this transformation are the anti-Pelagian writings ofAugustine, which Luther read thoroughly during this time, and his dispute with late scholastic theology and its doctrine ofmerit. Luther's published commentary on Galatians in 1519 along with the Weihnachtspostille of 1522 represent the public presentation ofthis interpretation ofPaul, marking the beginning of Luther's influence on the history ofPauline exegesis. These are especially significant in the context ofLuther's relationship to the German reform movement and his escalating conflict with the papacy. A final chapter makes some further observations on the possible consequences that Luther's interpretation ofthe law had for hermeneutics. Unlike traditional spiritual exegesis which is grounded in the progression ofrevelation in salvation history, Luther finds the distinction oflaw and gospel better equipped to address the problem of application. The four­ fold method ofinterpretation is eventually abandoned in favor ofthis distinction as the primary hermeneutical approach to the Scriptures. Vll INTRODUCTION This is a study about Martin Luther as an exegetical theologian. Accordingly, its interest in Luther's doctrine ofthe law is an exegetical concern rather than an interest in the doctrine per se. 1 That is to say, the question posed intersects the larger problem ofhow and to what extent Luther's exegetical work shaped his theological development. This, in tum, draws the eye toward his relationship to the preceding theological and exegetical tradition. Commenting on Gerhard Ebeling's provocative remark that all ofchurch history is the history ofbiblical interpretation, Jarsolav Pelikan wryly observed that "the interpretation ofthe Scriptures has played a role ofgreater import and influence in the history