Was Martin Luther anti-Semitic?

[mikesw]

Men of God can be mistaken in many things.
Mistakes are mistakes, and Luther was WRONG in his views towards the Jews.

Now, how we judge a man, a man as a whole, is a different thing.
I would not like to judge Luther with criteria that God could use to judge me.
I would like to be as merciful to Luther as I want God to be merciful with me.

do you recognize the possibility that he ran into extremist views among Jews? He probably was more right than wrong. But I would not find it agreeable today to go and burn schools and synagogues as Martin advised to the government to control extremism. I would give that advice to Israel today against its actions against neighbors.

 

[Runningman]

Do you believe the Bible is inspired?

Do you believe hell exists as the Bible describes it?

Yes and yes.

 

[Dizerner]

Yes and yes.

Do you believe that Christ was sent to atone for your sins by suffering their punishment?

 

[Runningman]

Do you believe that Christ was sent to atone for your sins by suffering their punishment?

Yes, but I am curious what you think the punishment is.

 

[Dizerner]

Yes, but I am curious what you think the punishment is.

Paul describes that punishment in the book of Romans as two things, wrath and death.

The Law brings wrath and the wages of sin is death.

Now death in Scripture is not mere non-existence as that would be a relief for a lifetime of sin.

We learn in the book of Revelation that death includes "the second death" in the Lake of Fire.

 

[Runningman]

Paul describes that punishment in the book of Romans as two things, wrath and death.

The Law brings wrath and the wages of sin is death.

Now death in Scripture is not mere non-existence as that would be a relief for a lifetime of sin.

We learn in the book of Revelation that death includes "the second death" in the Lake of Fire.

John 3:16 implies that all who believe in Jesus have eternal life but that all who don't perish. That means they don't have eternal life in hell.

 

[atpollard]

The story of the relationship between Martin Luther and the Jews living in Germany when he was alive is a complex relationship that cannot be summarized into such a neat little box as “Luther was an anti-Semite” sound byte.

• You have ignored his earlier writings advocating Christian love for the Jews to win them to Christ.
• You have ignored the historic context that literally millions of German were being driven into impoverished servitude by Jewish moneylenders.
• You have ignored the fact that the book you quote was among the last that Luther wrote and was written in response to the steadfast rejection of Christ by the Jews of his day.
• You have ignored the fact that similar hyperbolic fiery rhetoric was common and was directed by Luther against NON-JEWS and by opponents against Luther … that is just how people wrote back then.

Thus, by removing the historic context, blaming Luther for how his words would be used hundreds of years later, and holding him to modern standards of behavior instead of that of his culture … you have created a ‘strawman’ to puff up yourself. So YES, Martin Luther was an anti-Semite by 21st century standards, but he wasn’t a hypocrite puffed up with hubris like so many that just want to tear him down for no reason but to artificially lift themselves up. Jesus is the yardstick, not Martin Luther.

 

[mikesw]

The story of the relationship between Martin Luther and the Jews living in Germany when he was alive is a complex relationship that cannot be summarized into such a neat little box as “Luther was an anti-Semite” sound byte.

• You have ignored his earlier writings advocating Christian love for the Jews to win them to Christ.
• You have ignored the historic context that literally millions of German were being driven into impoverished servitude by Jewish moneylenders.
• You have ignored the fact that the book you quote was among the last that Luther wrote and was written in response to the steadfast rejection of Christ by the Jews of his day.
• You have ignored the fact that similar hyperbolic fiery rhetoric was common and was directed by Luther against NON-JEWS and by opponents against Luther … that is just how people wrote back then.

Thus, by removing the historic context, blaming Luther for how his words would be used hundreds of years later, and holding him to modern standards of behavior instead of that of his culture … you have created a ‘strawman’ to puff up yourself. So YES, Martin Luther was an anti-Semite by 21st century standards, but he wasn’t a hypocrite puffed up with hubris like so many that just want to tear him down for no reason but to artificially lift themselves up. Jesus is the yardstick, not Martin Luther.

Right. Runningman did not read the text and shared the points out of historical context. Failed exegesis. The article that was mentioned also made that error.

 

[Dizerner]

John 3:16 implies that all who believe in Jesus have eternal life but that all who don't perish. That means they don't have eternal life in hell.

Existence is not life. Scripture says people are born "dead in their sins." Jesus said they did not have life, when they existed.

Please think deeply about that.

Right now you are denying the Biblical hell, not a good place to be.


Jesus to truly "die" would have to literally cease to exist forever, if that is how you define death.

Otherwise people would pay off their own sin debt merely by dying themselves, thus they would merit heaven.

Nobody would even NEED Jesus, they just die, pay for their sins, and then be reinstated.

 

[Dizerner]

I don't think Luther always was that way.

He got a bit crusty in old age.

 

[Pancho Frijoles]

Do you believe the Bible is inspired?

Yes.

Do you believe hell exists as the Bible describes it?

No… precisely because the Bible is inspired by God.

When a person believes that the Bible is inspired by God, she reads it in a godly way.
When a person does not believe the Bible is inspired by God, she reads it in an ungodly way.

 

[Dizerner]

Yes.

No… precisely because the Bible is inspired by God.

When a person believes that the Bible is inspired by God, she reads it in a godly way.
When a person does not believe the Bible is inspired by God, she reads it in an ungodly way.

So inspiration for you is not believing what it says.

That's a contradictory position, friend.

 

[Pancho Frijoles]

So inspiration for you is not believing what it says.

One thing is what the Bible says, and a different thing what the Bible teaches.
You shouldn’t believe what the a Bible says, and in fact you don’t.
Fortunately, you don’t.
That’s why you can sleep at night, just as Paul could sleep at night.

 

[TOTHALORDBEALLGLORY]

Martin Luther hated Jews. Jesus is a Jew. Therefore there is a powerful argument to make that Martin Luther was anti-Christ.

He who hates is a murderer .
However the example of anti christ and being an anti christ
is one who denies JESUS is the CHRIST
in fact one who believes not the testimony God gave of the SON is calling GOD a liar .
Would you like a massive example of many anti christs at work .
Try examining interfaith , the lovey do road to God , which its leaders claim that all religions be serving GOD
Now who wants to be co helper to that LIE of anti christ . NOT ME my friend and none who name the name
of Christ should have in any way any part in that mess .
Now would you like an biblical example of what is also seen as hate . This might shock you to the core my friend .
Ye shall not hate your neighbor in your heart , you shall in any way CORRECT HIM and not allow sin upon him .
Judge not correct not , IS HATING for it wont correct the sinner of his sins . It rather hushes and says dont judge .
Pretty scary huh . Remember when i said that satan can quoate scrips , HE can .
HE sure can say GOD is love but he gonna paint a picture of what he calls love . We better all be on gaurd .

 

[TOTHALORDBEALLGLORY]

For the record, I am not judging his salvation. Lord knows we all need His mercy and grace or we can't make it, but i want to know if we can trust Martin Luther as a shepherd over the church. I firmly believe we cannot. I don't know who hurt Martin, or who poisoned his mind with evil, but I would like people to know who he publicly portrayed himself to be, with his writings, for their safety.

Provided what seemed to motivate Martin to rebrand the established norm at the time was hatred, I just think it's best to throw a word of caution to the wind; he shouldn't be trusted.

Nor can calivn , the RCC and scores of others .
I tell us all what and who can be TRUSTED and that all others must be tested by this .
GOD can be trusted and the what is HIS BOOK known as the BIBLE . Them words are meat to the soul of the sheep .
And by them we must test all things that all men do say and teach and we must continue
daily to always test all men . ANY who speaks must always be tested and tested every time they do speak .
It really is bible time in the building my friend . NEVER let a wise sounding scholar or man
fool ya into thinking one cannot simply learn and read the scrips for themselves .

 

[TOTHALORDBEALLGLORY]

I don't think Luther always was that way.

He got a bit crusty in old age.

and this is why people must always continue to be tested . No man is infallible .
Ever wonder perhaps as to why paul said to exhort one another daily lest any of you becomes hardened through
the deceitfulness of sin , lest any root of bitterness spring up and trouble you
and thereby MANY BE DEFILED . Its a day by day walk my friend and our trust and hope MUST BE IN THE LORD
and in HIS words we must stay to learn and to be refreshed , to be stirred up by remembrance .
So get a big ol facefull of the lovely bible daily my friends . And beware of men for we have many seducers
and many do follow their pernsiscious ways in these latter hours .

 

[Runningman]

The story of the relationship between Martin Luther and the Jews living in Germany when he was alive is a complex relationship that cannot be summarized into such a neat little box as “Luther was an anti-Semite” sound byte.

• You have ignored his earlier writings advocating Christian love for the Jews to win them to Christ.
• You have ignored the historic context that literally millions of German were being driven into impoverished servitude by Jewish moneylenders.
• You have ignored the fact that the book you quote was among the last that Luther wrote and was written in response to the steadfast rejection of Christ by the Jews of his day.
• You have ignored the fact that similar hyperbolic fiery rhetoric was common and was directed by Luther against NON-JEWS and by opponents against Luther … that is just how people wrote back then.

Thus, by removing the historic context, blaming Luther for how his words would be used hundreds of years later, and holding him to modern standards of behavior instead of that of his culture … you have created a ‘strawman’ to puff up yourself. So YES, Martin Luther was an anti-Semite by 21st century standards, but he wasn’t a hypocrite puffed up with hubris like so many that just want to tear him down for no reason but to artificially lift themselves up. Jesus is the yardstick, not Martin Luther.

Martin changed over time, but in the end we can see clearly who he was.

Why do you want to protect that man who talked about killing Jews and burning their books, synagogues, houses, and schools? He fueled Hitler and is partially responsible for the Holocaust and yet Martin Luther is a so called Christian who founded Protestantism. Maybe you don't want to get your hands dirty too and should distance yourself from him.

 

[Runningman]

Right. Runningman did not read the text and shared the points out of historical context. Failed exegesis. The article that was mentioned also made that error.

I read the text. I did not take anything out of context.

 

[Runningman]

Existence is not life. Scripture says people are born "dead in their sins." Jesus said they did not have life, when they existed.

Please think deeply about that.

Right now you are denying the Biblical hell, not a good place to be.


Jesus to truly "die" would have to literally cease to exist forever, if that is how you define death.

Otherwise people would pay off their own sin debt merely by dying themselves, thus they would merit heaven.

Nobody would even NEED Jesus, they just die, pay for their sins, and then be reinstated.

Existence and eternal life are states of being, but are both things. Eternal life would be alive forever, it refers to immortality. It's not an abstract idea. The Bible repeatedly says those who do not obey the gospel will perish, are destroyed, die, etc. No one is in hell in eternal conscious torment.

 

[Runningman]

He who hates is a murderer .
However the example of anti christ and being an anti christ
is one who denies JESUS is the CHRIST
in fact one who believes not the testimony God gave of the SON is calling GOD a liar .
Would you like a massive example of many anti christs at work .
Try examining interfaith , the lovey do road to God , which its leaders claim that all religions be serving GOD
Now who wants to be co helper to that LIE of anti christ . NOT ME my friend and none who name the name
of Christ should have in any way any part in that mess .
Now would you like an biblical example of what is also seen as hate . This might shock you to the core my friend .
Ye shall not hate your neighbor in your heart , you shall in any way CORRECT HIM and not allow sin upon him .
Judge not correct not , IS HATING for it wont correct the sinner of his sins . It rather hushes and says dont judge .
Pretty scary huh . Remember when i said that satan can quoate scrips , HE can .
HE sure can say GOD is love but he gonna paint a picture of what he calls love . We better all be on gaurd .

Martin was anti-Jew. Jesus is a Jew. Therefore Martin is automatically anti-Christ. He was probably lying about all of the things he said about believing in Jesus. I posted the evidence in the OP.