Qtnurnr~ta:
m4rnlngira:l SnutQly
Continning
LEHRE· UNO WEHRE
MAGAZIN PUER Ev.-LuTH. HOMILETIK
THEOLOGICAL QUARTERLY-THEOLOGICAL MONTHLY
Vol. xn December, 1941 No. 12
CONTENTS Page
Verbal Inspiration - a Stumbling-Block to the Jews and Foolish-
ness to the Greeks. Th. Engelder ........................................................ 881
Sermon Study on Heb.l:l-G. Theo. Laetsch ......................................... _ .. 913
Outlines on the Wuerttemberg Epistle Selections ................................ 927
Miscellanea ............. _ .......... ................................................................................ 944
Theological Observer. - Kirchlich Zeitgeschichtliches .............. _ ..... 951
£In Prediger muss nlcht alleln wei-
der., alJoO dB' r die Schate un tcr-
welae. w l.e de r .-ehte Chrlate.n sollen
seln. sondem auch daneben den Woel-
ten wehl'e1&. dass sie die Schate nleht
angrelfen und mit talscher Lehre ver-
tuehren und Irrtum elnfuehren.
Luther
Es 1st keln Ding, daa die Leute
mehr bel der Klrche behaelt denn
die gute Predlgt. - Apolog(e, Art. 24
If the trumpet give an uncertain
sound. who shall prepare blmself to
the battle? -1 Cor. 14:8
Pu bUshed for the
Ev. Luth. Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States
CONCORDIA PUBLISIIlNG HOUSE, St. Louis, Mo.
944
C ~tenil1
Miscellanea
~ .ddres§ - Concor iia ~ minary
September 17, 1941
Dear Students of the Seminary, respected Members of the Faculty and
of the Board of Control, kind Friends of our Institution:
In the name of the Triune God and lifting up our eyes unto the
hills from whence cometh our help, we begin today the new scholastic
year of our Seminary, the one hundred and third year in the history
of our institution. When we started our academic term two years ago,
the second World War had just broken out, and the hope was expressed
that such a serious and distressing situation in the world would come
~::J an end bdcre long and that the hour of world anguish would give
way to the reestablishment of peace. Our hopes have not been realized,
and it has pleased our God in His unsearchable wisdom and in His
mysterious ways to continue this distressing situation, all on account
of the grievous sins of humanity and the wilful and obstinate neglect
and contempt of God, the Creator, Supreme Ruler, and Savior of the
world. The times have even become more critical and perilous than
they ever were before; we are living in constant jeopardy, not knowing
but dreading what the next day will bring. But of this matter I shall
not speak today, aside from making this brief reference to it. We can
only pray and pray more assiduously, more unremittingly and fervently
than ever before,
o God. from heaven look down and see
A sight which well may move Thee.
and pray that God in His mercy will speedily bring peace with justice
to a stricken world.
But what shall we as Christians, as teachers and students of
theology, do in this distressing world situation and condition aside from
taking it earnestly and daily to our God in prayer? What is the office
and purpose of our iTl~titution in such times as we are experiencing
at present? Let us see to it that we follow the earnest and solemn
admonition of St. Paul in his letters to the Thessalonians. Let us see
to it that in these days of restlessness, of agitation, of excitement, "we
study to be quiet and do our own business," "that with quietness" we
work and be about our Father's business (1 Thess. 4: 11; 2 Thess. 3: 12;
Luke 2: 49). Permit me therefore to emphasize this purpose of our
school in these turbulent days and at all times.
In looking for something else in Luther's writings during these
days, I again came across a certain passage in his ever interesting
table talk. There we are told (XXII, 358) that on a certain occasion
when the doctor's degree was conferred on some one at the university
in Wittenberg, Dr. Carlstadt, well known on account of his Scn.Wf(ermeTei
and heretical opinions, objected to that academic custom and tried to
prove his contention with the words of fl.e Lord: "Be not ye called
Rabbi; for one is yotL'r Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethTen.
Miscellanea 945
And call no man yOU!' father upon the earth; for one is your Father,
which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters; for one is yOU!"
Master, even Chri,st," Matt. 23: 8-11. It stands to reason that Christ in
these words did not intend to forbid, as Carlstadt assumed, the Christian
use of these terms: Rabbi, Father, Master, Teacher. Luther renders
the sense of Christ's words properly in this way: "You must not under-
stand this passage as meaning: You shall not permit yourselves to be
called Mastel', but thus: You shall not invent and ,de'vise a new doctJ'ine,
you shall not pl'oduce something new; but let it remain with what I have
taught you and have commanded yOt~ to teach others and pl'oclaim it
to them." (XXII, 1529.) And in his sermons and writings he again
and again recurs to this matter and says - to quote another significant
passage -: "Be satisfied with one Rabbi and let Christ be your Rabbi,
yoU?' minister and bishop and preacher. You must all remain His
disciples. He is Pope, (he is) Confessor, 01' Seelsorger, Preceptor and
Schoolmaster. (VII, 1144-1152.) And Luther is right in his exposition;
for the words which are used in the original text, Qa~~EL, IILf)(lo%aAOC;,
xa{t1lY11.11C;, Rabbi, Teacher, Guide, signify a teacher, a teacher in intel-
lectual and spiritual matters. And therefore Christ emphasizes and
inculcates this truth: All teaching in the Church, all authority and
leadership among Christians in spiritual matters, belongs to Christ alone.
He is the Teacher, the Fuehrer or Leader, the Master, or as Luther
expresses it, "der rechte, einige Meister", "the one true Master."
This all-important truth applies to all ministers in their pulpit and
pastoral work; it applies to all instructors in theology, to whom are
committed the education and prepar! tion of the future ministers of
the Church; it applies to all students bf divinity preparing for the service
in the Church. There is a tendency nowadays to differentiate and to
make a distinction. Some say, ministers and preachers should indeed
be bound in their preaching and teaching by Christ's Word; but teachers
of theology should be more independent and have the right of scientific
investigation and thinking; and students of theology should be trained
to follow in their footsteps. But no! This word of Christ, "One is yOU!'
Master, even Christ," is addressed just to the teachers and students of
theology. It was called forth by the attitude of the scribes and Pharisees
in Israel, who were sitting in Moses' seat, as Christ states at the beginning
of His discourse; it applies to the "masters of Israel," as Christ calls
one of them on another occasion. (John 3: 10.) And His words are
addressed to His disciples, the apostles, the teachers of Christendom.
Upon these He impresses the necessity of their teaching being nothing
else than the words and teachings of Christ, the Master. He is, as
Luther says, the true Preceptor and Schoolmaster, also in theology,
He alone. And the true independence in theology consists in this, that
it considers itself bound solely by God and by Christ. That is the
instruction and, at the same time, the promise which we as theologians
receive from the Lord and Head of the Church: "If ye continue in My
Word, then are ye My disciples indeed, and ye shall know the tl'uth,
and the truth shall make you free." (John 8: 31,32.) Our theology must
not only be Christocel1tric, so that Christ and His work of redemption
60
946 Miscellanea
is the beginning, middle, and end of all thoughts and meditations which
we may have day and night, but it must be the theology of Christ
Himself, so that we teach nothing else than what Christ Himself has
taught and has commanded His disciples to observe. I do not stress
at present the high-priestly office of Christ, according to which He is
the one true Mediator and Savior, but I am stressing His prophetic
office according to which He is the one great and true Teacher whom all
should hear according to the will of the Father in heaven. We should
teach what Christ has taught. Then we are true theologians.
But how can we know, know for sure, what Christ has taught?
Rome answers this question and points to the so-called infallible
Teacher of the Church on earth, the successor of St. Peter and vicar of
Christ, the Pope. Through him Christ Himself speaks to man; the
Pope is the highest authority in matters of doctrine; everything else,
even the Bible, is subordinate to him. Christ is eliminated as Teacher.
Modern theology, also the so--called conservative theology, thinks it
hoars Christ's voice in the personal, religious experience of the theo-
logian. This is the so-called "Erfahrungstheologie" or "Erlebnis-
theologie," the theology of experience. According to this theory only
that is Christian doctrine which has been proved in the experience which
the theologian himself has experienced. But also in this theory Christ
is eliminated as the one true Master and Teacher. Human experience
takes His place.
But no! If Christ is really to remain our one true Master and
Teacher, if our theology is truly to be nothing else than Christ's
theolo"y, we mu,,~ d;"~.le by the words of :;::;:v~y :::;C"~l'~UL", where alone
in all the world we find Christ's Word. Christ Himself impresses that
upon us again and again. After His resurrection He led the men
who were to be His witnesses unto the uttermost part of the world into
the Scriptures of the Old Testament and expounded to them these Scrip-
tures. From the writings of Moses and the prophets He showed them
and made them sure that He was the promised Messiah, who had to
suffer and die for the sins of the world and rise again on the third day.
Thereby He has fixed and ordained the Scriptures of the Old Testament
as source and norm of doctrine in His Church. And to those apostles
whom He led into the Scriptures, He promised and sent His Holy
Spirit to lead them into all truth. He commissioned and ordained them
as the teachers of all Christendom. He gave them the instruction:
Teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you
(Matt. 28: 20); and He characterizes His Church, for which He prays,
as the community and sum total of those who would believe on Him
through the word of these apostles. Thus the word of the apostles and
prophets, or what is the same thing, the Holy Scripture of the Old
and New Testament, is the firm and infallible foundation of the Church,
Jesus Christ H' __ '" , eing the chief CorL_ -stone. Through both of
them, the apostles as well as the prophets, spoke the Spirit of Christ.
Ancall theobgy claiming to be t ng to be
Christ's theology, must be grounded in all its doctrinal statements upon
the inspired word of the prophets and apostles. The old axiom of our
fathers: Quod non est biblicum, non est theologicum, whatever is not
Miscellanea 947
Biblical is not theological, must be maintained absolutely, without any
giving way and crwnbling, without any quibbling and equivocation.
I Y .. now well. enough that ..... ~'lat has been mainta.ined in the pre-
ceding remarks is nothing new in the halls of this institution. It has
been stated and is being stated agair and again. But it seems to me
that in these days of rapid changes we must stress the fundamentals.
And on this opening day it should again be stated very emphatically
that this is the theology that is to be taught and learned in these halls
in the coming scholastic year. I invite you, my' dear students, to study
this theology with all diligence and fervor. I am addressing myself
to you, my young friends, 'who are now entering upon your theological
studies and are thereby beginning an entirely new and different period
in yOl.~r lives: I extend to you a most cordial and sincere welcome.
May you all make the right beginning, may you all avail yourselves of
the opportunities offered to you, and may God bless your studies from
the very start. But I also say this to you who are l'etualing to us £01'
the..!' E __ :m(. 'or - .eir·tire' mc~ ~)r ., ~ir final year. You know what
the study of theology is and implies, and I am anxious to exhort and
encourage you with all the power that words can convey to devote
your best efforts and abilities to the successful continuation of these
studies. May you all with God's assistance and help comply , "h ~'--:)
purpose which our fathers laid dOVin when they founded this institution
and which their successors have phE - - to ~le ,resent day, namely, to
educate a well-informed, a thoroughly indoctrinated, and a pious, God-
fearing ministry for the needs of the Church.
" Before closing I would like to mL_J two announcements that must
make us truly thankful to the Lord of the Church and the Giver of
all good things. Our new professor-elect, Dr. Paul Bretscher, is with US;
he will begin his teaching at once and will be formally installed in
a special service tomorrow evening in Bethel Church. In behalf of
the Faculty, of the student-body, and of the Board of Control I bid him
a cordial welcome, and I am certain that all will join me in the wish
and in the prayer that God according to His grace may bless him
abundantly in his work and make him a blessing for our Church in
general and for our institution in particular.
One of our professors, Dr. Walter A. Maier, has rounded out twenty-
five years in the service of the Church and nineteen of these years as
professor of theology in our Seminary. We all rejoice that the Lord has
blessed him so richly in his work, and we Lrnplore the Head of the
Church :ha Ie 11, ltir , t( 'lIes '1irr we say with David: Thou
blessest, 0 Lord, and it shall be blessed foreveT. (1 Chron.17: 27.)
L. FUERBRINGER
1.. Advent ________________ Rom. 14: 17 -19 Christmas ______________________ Eph. 1: 3-8
2, Advent _ . _____ .Rom. 14: 7 -12 Second Ch tm He 12: *
3. Advent _____________________ .Acts 3: 19-26 Sunday aft. Christmas ____ 1 Tim. 3: 16
4. Advent __ _ _______ 1 John 1:1-4 New Year's Eve _______ Heb.13:14
948 Miscellanea
New Year's Day ____________ 2 Cor. 13: 13 1. after Trinity ___________ Acts 2: 42-47
Sun. after New Year _1 Thess. 5: 5-10 2. after Trinity _____ 1 John 1: 5 to 2: 2
Epiphany ___________________ Isaiah 42: 1-8 3. after Trinity ______________ Acts 5: 34-42
1. after Epiphany ________ Eph. 6: 1-4 4. after Trinity _ Acts 9: 1-20
2. after Epiphany _____ Rom. 1: 16-25 5. after Trinity _ Phil. 3: 8-14
3. after Epiphany __________ Rom. 5: 1-5 6. after Trinity Eph. 2: 4-10
Septuagesima _______________ Acts 9: 36-42 7. after Trinity __________ Heb. 12: 5-11
Sexagesima _______________ Reb. 10: 19-29 8. after Trinity_ ____1 Tim. 6: 6-10
Quinquagesima _2 Cor. 11: 23-30 9. after Trinity ______ Acts 17: 24-31
Invocavit _ _ ______ 1 Pet. 1: 17 -25 10. after Trinity_ _1 Tim. 1: 12-17
Reminiscere ___________ Janles 1:2-12 11. after Trinity __________ James 2: 13-17
Oculi __ _ __ _______ __ _____ 2 Cor. 1:3-7 12. after Trinity _ Rom. 7: 18 to 8: 4
Laetare ________________________ .Heb. 10: 5-18 13. after Trinity ___________ .Phil. 2: 1-11
Judica __________________________ 2 Cor. 5: 14-21 14. after Trinity ___________ 2 Pet. 1: 2-11
Easter ____________________________ 1 Cor. 15: 1-20 15. after Trinity _____ 1 John 2: 12-17
Easter Monday ______ 1 Cor. 15: 51-58 16. after Trinity ____ 1 John 2: 28 to 3: 8
1. after Easter __ .........2 Tim. 2: 1-13 17. after Trinity _____________ Heb. 4: 9-13
2. after Easter ______________ Rev. 7: 13-17 18. after Trinity _________ 1 John 4: 7 -12
3. after Easter __________ Acts 4: 18-20 19. after Trinity ______ James 3: 13-18
4. after Easter __________ 1 Thess. 2: 9-13 20. after Trinity ___________ ~ Tim. 2: 1-6
5. after Easter ____________ 1 Tim. 6: 11-16 21. after Trinity ________ 1 Cor. 15: 35-50
Ascension _____________________ Reb. 4: 14-16 22. after Trinity __ 2 Cor. 4: 11-18
6. after Easi ________________ Col. 3: 1-10 23. after Trinity _______ Rev. 21: 1-8
Pentecost ___ _ _____________ Acts 2: 32-41 24. after Trinity _________ Heh. 11: 1-10
Pentecost 1\1 lday ___ 1 Cor. 2: 7 -16 25. after Trinity ___ James 4: 4-10
Trinity _ ____Titus 3: 4-8
NOTE: ;,e Wuerttemberg Series does not offer special texts for
Palm Sund -0, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Reformation Day,
Thanksgivin· Day, and Day of Repentance. We have asked our con-
tributors to loose appropriate texts. EDITORIAL COMMITTEE
A Recent Catholic Explanation of Genesis 3:15
All those who are familiar with the Roman Catholic use of this text
are aware of the fact that both in the antichristian theology and in the
whole field of liturgics this text has been consistently used according
to the translation of the Vulgate, stressing the ipsa and commonly de-
claring it to refer to the Virgin Mary.
It is interesting to note, however, that some Roman Catholic scholars
are honest enough to admit the error of the Vulgate translation. (Cp.
the article on the Latin Bible, CONe. THEOL. MTHLY., IV, 184--189.) The
most recent ., '; field of which we ' rledge appeared
in the Catholic Biblical Quarterly (July, 1941, 225 f.), from which
we quote: "( Protoevangelium) _ I place enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her seed.
It shall crush your head
And you shall bruise its heel.
"T" - ilOt only imprecates th _____ . It is
not to be conceived that prior to the curse the serpent walked otherwise
or ate otherwise, but that which was natural to the serpent becomes
a sign of malediction; a perpetual reminder of the sin and the par-
Miscellanea 949
ticipation of the serpent in it. Irrational animals are subject to punish-
ment elsewhere in the Old Testament. (Gen. 9:5; Ex. 21:28 f.; Lev.
20: 15 f .) . Those who consider the serpent a real one and not an apparent
one apply v.14 literally to the serpent, figuratively to Satan; 'to go about
upon the stomach' signifies to be vile and contemptible (Lev. 11: 42); 'to
eat (or lick) the dust' signifies to be humiliated, conquered (Is. 49: 23;
Amarna Letters) . For those who consider the serpent a mere apparition,
a form that Satan assumed, the words apply primarily to Satan, but in
the metaphorical sense, humiliatio perpetua ac despectus universalis.
(Ceuppens, De Historia Primaeva, Rome, 1934, p.180.)
"V. 15. Text. - The Vulgate (cf. Douay Version) has in this verse
ipsa. This r eading gives rise to two distinct questions. (1) Is this the
genuine reading of th", Vulgate? (2) What is the genuine reading of
the original text? As to the first question; the Pontifical Commission
for the Revision of the Vulgate working according to the critical prin-
ciples of Dom Quentin has given in the edition of Genesis the reading
ipsa. (Biblia Sacra justa latinam Vulgatam editionem. Genesis, 1926).
According to the Commission then this is the word that Jerome wrote
in his edition of the Latin Version. As to the second question: the MT
has hu' r eferring to the masculine preform.ative, and the suffix (referring
to hu') of the next verb is in the masculine. From the viewpoint of
textual criticism there can be no doubt that the reading of the MT is
hu' and not hi' (fern.). All the codices of the LXX read