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Luther on...Begging - By Erik Herrmann
Like many throughout the history of the church, Luther first sought to pattern himself after the beggar through the monastic vow of poverty. But he soon found that, in the best of the Christian tradition, it was the poverty of the heart—a spiritual begging—that should inform Christian theology and life...
“Wir sein Pettler. Hoc est verum: We are beggars. This is true.” These were the last words written by Martin Luther before he died. As final words go, they are striking but they sound a little depressing. Only this morning I walked by a beggar—a young man in his mid-30’s--kneeling on the ground outside the cathedral in Mainz. The day before, I saw a woman sitting near the bus stop, her hand held out and up, but her eyes cast down to the ground. I’m sure I will see another tomorrow. The sight of the destitute, the empty, the beggar—it fills us with sadness and pity. It is an existence that we seek to relieve, not emulate. Yet Luther’s analogy is not intended to discourage or degrade, but expresses a way of thinking about the Christian life and about God that is filled with hope and joy and gratitude. They are words that flow out of his intimate association with the Christ who pointed out that it is only the sick that need a doctor, only the blind that need to receive sight, and only the poor who are blessed and enter the kingdom of heaven.
Like many throughout the history of the church, Luther first sought to pattern himself after the beggar through the monastic vow of poverty. But he soon found that, in the best of the Christian tradition, it was the poverty of the heart—a spiritual begging—that should inform Christian theology and life. He would especially value this emphasis in the writings of Augustine and Bernard of Clairvaux, two writers who never tired of speaking about man as a penitent beggar, hands empty, waiting to be filled with God’s grace. The theme of human emptiness is perhaps why he also liked some of the writings of German mysticism—like, Johannes Tauler or the anonymous German Theology. In any event, Luther would give this theme his own distinct stamp and make man’s spiritual poverty a fundamental starting point for his theological thinking.
For Luther the posture of beggar—humble, penitent, never claiming to possess one’s own righteousness—is the necessary orientation of man before God. One could perhaps be rich in this world, rich in possessions, friends, influence, even rich in good works and morality. But none of these riches matter to the God who looks into the heart. There human beings are always found wanting.
Luther could speak about this spiritual poverty in several ways. First, there is that human emptiness that the law reveals: our personal lack of righteousness or merit or goodness. The law shows us that we possess nothing of ourselves that can be offered to God—we are all sinners. But for Luther, to be a sinner is more than doing or not doing, having or not having. In its primary sense, sin is the refusal to acknowledge such emptiness. The human heart is like a closed hand or fist, turned in on itself, clutching its own fabricated treasures. Only a new heart, turned open toward God, is able to receive the treasures that God promises to bestow. The poverty of man is thus the necessary correlative to the riches of Christ. To be a beggar is to believe the Gospel.
In this sense then the posture of the beggar is the posture of faith. It is the relationship that Luther described in his treatment of the First Commandment: to seek from God every good thing and help in every time of need. “We are beggars” is thus not only a confession of sin and human need, but also simultaneously a confession of the Creator, the God who is not satisfied unless he satisfies: “Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it” (Ps. 81:10). In this remarkable way Luther weaves together the first and second articles of the Creed: “It is true that the doctrine of the Gospel takes all glory, wisdom, righteousness, etc., from men and ascribes them to the Creator alone, who makes everything out of nothing.”
Finally, the posture of the beggar manifests itself in our occupation with the Bible. In these last words of this doctor in biblia, we find Luther especially reflecting upon the inexhaustible riches of the Holy Scriptures. Before this “Divine Aeneid” one stands as a beggar, seeking its treasures. It is a lifelong disposition—perhaps after a “hundred years” of guiding churches with the prophets and apostles, one can say that he has “tasted Holy Writ.” Not that the message of the Bible is obscure. Luther is wholly unlike Erasmus, who argued that the Scriptures were dark and difficult to understand. For Luther, the message of Christ was clear and abundant in the text. Rather Luther expresses here his wonder and awe that the riches of Christ come to us in such bountiful measure. And how could he not? After all, through the Word of God we beggars are also kings.
Erik Herrmann
Written By: host
Date Posted: 11/16/2006
Number of Views: 601
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