Never known as a shrinking violet, Martin Luther had many strong things to say on the task of the preacher. Following are excerpts from Table Talk of Martin Luther, a collection of his sayings edited by Thomas Kepler and published by Baker Book House, 1979. Used by permission.
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“To me a long sermon is an abomination, for the desire of the audience to listen is destroyed, and the preacher only defeats himself. On this account I took Dr. Bugenhagen severely to task, for although he preaches long sermons with spontaneity and pleasure, nevertheless it is a mistake.”
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“A preacher should have the following qualifications: 1. Ability to teach. 2. A good mind. 3. Eloquence. 4. A good voice. 5. A good memory. 6. Power to leave off. 7. Diligence. 8. Whole-souled devotion to his calling. 9. Willingness to be bothered by everyone. 10. Patience to bear all things. In ministers nothing is seen more easily or more quickly than their faults. A preacher may have a hundred virtues, yet they may all be obscured by a single defect, the world is now so bad. Dr. Jonas has all the attributes of a good preacher, but people cannot forgive the good man for hawking and spitting so often.”
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“Who knows their subject can speak easily, for art follows comprehension of the subject. I can never compose a sermon by the rules of rhetoric.”
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“Christ had an extremely simple way of talking, and still he was eloquence itself. The prophets, to be sure, are not very rhetorical, but they are much more difficult. Therefore simple speech is the best and truest eloquence.”
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When Katie said she could understand her minister Polner’s preaching better than Bugenhagen’s because the latter wandered too far from his text, Luther remarked: “Bugenhagen says whatever occurs to him. Jonas used to say, ‘Don’t hail every soldier you meet.’ That is right. Bugenhagen often takes along everyone whom he meets with him. He is foolish to try to say all that occurs to him. Let him take care to keep to the text and attend to what is before him and make people understand that. Those preachers who say whatever comes into their mouths remind me of a maid going to market. When she meets another maid she stops and chats a while, then she meets another and talks with her, too, and then a third and a fourth, and so gets to market very slowly. So with preachers who wander off the text; they would like to say everything at one time, but they can’t.”
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“When M”rlin, Medler or Jacob preaches, it is just as when the plug is drawn from a full cask; the liquid runs out as long as there is any left within. But such volubility of tongue doesn’t really lay hold of the audience, though it delights some, nor is it even instructive. It is better to speak distinctly, so that what is said may be comprehended.”
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“When you are going to preach, first pray and say: ‘Dear Lord, I would preach for thy honor; though I can do nothing good of myself, do thou make it good.’ Don’t think about Melanchthon or Bugenhagen or me or any learned man, and don’t try to be learned in the pulpit. I have never been troubled because I could not preach well, but I am overawed to think that I have to preach before God’s face and speak of his infinite majesty and divine being. Therefore be strong and pray.”
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When Erasmus Alber was about to take his departure, he asked Doctor Martin how he should preach in the presence of the prince. Luther replied: “Let all your sermons be very plain and simple. Think not of the prince, but of the uncultivated and ignorant people. The prince himself is made of the same stuff as they! If in my preaching I should address myself to Philip I should do no good. I preach very simply to the uneducated and it suits everybody. Though I know Greek, Hebrew and Latin, these languages I keep for use among ourselves, and then we get them so twisted that our Lord God is amazed.”
Leadership Spring 1983 p. 44
Copyright © 1983 by the author or Christianity Today/Leadership Journal. Click here for reprint information on Leadership Journal.
