. . (t!nurnr~iu IDqtnlngirul 4nut41y Continuing Lehre und Wehre (Vol. LXXVI) Magazin fuer Ev.-Luth. Homiletik (Vol. LIV) Theol. Quarterly (1897-1920) -Theol. Monthly (Vol. X) Vol. II February, 1931 No.2 CONTENTS PIEPER, F.: Dr. Friedrich Bente ........................ . MUELLER, J. T.: Atheistic Propaganda in Our Country KRETZMANN, P. E.: Das Schicksal der letzten Koenige Judas .................................................. . KRETZMANN, P. E.: The Last Twenty-five Years of Page 81 87 95 Peter's Life ............................................ 105 LAETSCH, TH.: Sermon Study on 1 Cor. 1, 21-31.. . . . .. 115 Dispositionen ueber die von der Synodalkonferenz ange- nommene Serie alttestamentlicher Texte............... 124 Theological Observer. - Kirchlich-Zeitgeschichtliches ...... 131 Book Review. - Literatur .................................. 151 Ein Prediger muss nicht allein weiden, also dass er die Schafe unterweise, wie sie rechte Christen 80llen sein, 80ndem auch daneben den Woelfen wehr(J1l, dass sie die Schafe nicht angreilen und mit falscher Lehre verfuehren und Irrtum ein· fuehren. - Luther. Es ist kein Ding, das die Leute mehr bei der Kirche behaelt denn die gute Predigt. - Apologie, Art. 24. If the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle Y 1 Cor. 4,8. Published for the Ev. Luth. Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States CONCORDIA PUBLISHING HOUSE, St. Louis, Mo . II Concordia Theological Monthly FEBRUARY, 1931 t D. ~fiebridj ~eltte, t mon bem (iHeften @So~n bei3 (!)ntfd)fafenen, ~rof. ~au! \Bente in ~od !lBai)ne, ~nb., ging bem 1tntet~ aeidjneten !:lie fo!genbe Wadjtidjt au: ,,~eute motgen fdl~ et~ieHen w,it Me Wadjtidji bon GraHfotnia, baB bet Heoe ma±et montag, ben 15. ;De" >aemoet [1930J, lim 7 1t~t aoenM, "rotHdj lInb fanft entfd)!afen if±. ~ie \Beerbigung [oU montagnadj~ mit±ag um 2 tt~t in @St. Qouii3 bon bet Sheual'itdje au~ [±aitfinben. @:lie ,tuUtben un£l au SDani berpfHdjien, wenn @Sic oei ®elegen~eit bet e±Iir~e !lBode an bie betfammcHc ®emeinbe tidjtcn Wnntcn. ;Die ~auptreidjenptebigt witb matet£l e~emaHget @Seefforgct, P. ~. ~onig, in engHfdjet @SjJtadje _ ~aHen. Il!udj ~alien wir ,'Qcttn No, 2 D. ~. ~fo±cnljauct gelieten, eini~1c t D. iYtiebrid) ~eltte, t !lBotic an bie merfammlung all tidjten. ~[)nen fUr !:lie Qielie banfcnb, bie @5ic meinem Hclien mater et~ wiefen ~alien, geidjnet im Wamen bet ~amme: ~aur~. \Bente." lillit ranen P. ~iinig0 ~tebigt noet ~f. 103, 15-18 ~iet forgen: The Lord of life and death has again removed from this vale of tears a beloved husband and father, an honored teneher of the OhUl'ch, a staunch defender of th(~ true relig'ion. Last Monday, quite suddenly, after but an hour's illness, Dr. F. Bente was delivered from every evil work and translated into the heavenly kingdom. We are met here to-day, not chiefly to dry tears, but to point out blessings; 6 82 t D. B'rtebtld) mente. t not to honor a human being, but to praise the mercy of a gracious God. This is done at the suggestion of the deceased, The hymn which is about to be sung in German, a grand hymn of our Lutheran Ohurch [Nun lob, mein' Seel', den He1'l'en], is sung' at his request. It is a hynm of praise. It is based on the words of the 103d Psalm, the opening words of which read: "Bless the Lord, 0 my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name." Hence, though we keenly feel the pain of parting, let us, even through tears, look to God in heaven and extol His lasting mercy. WE PRAISE THE MEROY OF OUR GOD. 1. The mercy of God looms larger when we consider what man is. "As for man," says our text [Ps. 103, 15-18], "his days are as grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind pas seth over it, and it is gone, and the place thereof shall know it no more." The grass grows up and remains fresh and green for a short time only; soon it withers, dries, is cut off. The flowers of the field are beautiful to behold, but a warm wind passes over them, and they are gone. So is man. His days are short. He is born only to die; aye, with the day of his birth he begins to die. "Verily, every man at his best state is altogether vanity." All this is borne out by human experience. All of this is the result of sin. "For we are consumed by Thine angel', and by Thy wrath are we troubled." While man was in Paradise, he knew nothing of death. He was told: "In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Man ate, man died, and all his descendants sin likewise, hence also die. To this our psalm rcfers when it says: "He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust." These are the men on whom God had mercy, men who offended Him, the great and holy God, who daily sin much and indeed deserve nothing but punishment, who now have a mortal body and are doomed, not merely to death, but to eternal damnation. But while man passes away like a shadow, the mercy of God endures. Far above the vanishing eal·thly things and vanishing human beings is the vaulted heaven of God's eternal mercy. What is mercy~ God's loving-kindness, His grace and forgiveness shown unto perish- ing sinncrs. Instead of punishing men, as they deserve, God desires to do good, to help. While justice is clamoring for punishment, mercy says, Forgive, forget, for the sake of Him whose coming into the world at Ohristmas-time brought salvation, life, and light. Taking the place of men, atoning for their sins, rcconciling the world to God, satisfying justice, Jesus earned God's mercy, causing Him to forgive iniquity, transgression, and sin. This mercy towards the sinner is from everlasting to everlasting. It is older than the hills and moun- tains, older than earth itself, as old as God in heaven. Before the t D. iYtitbttd) ~ellte. t 83 worlds were made, from eternity, God decreed that mankind should be saved through the death of His Son; from eternity He decreed that we should come to faith in Jesus in time, believe the Word, live as Ohristians and die in peace, entering eternal life. This mercy is to everlasting. It was manifested in time in the prophecies of old. It is revealed at Ohristmas-time. There, in a humble stall, lies the visible proof of the mercy and loving-kindness of· God; on Oalvary's cross we behold additional evidenee of the mercy of God which is from everlasting to evm·lasting. And this mercy is shown unto us; by the grace and mercy of God we were led to faith in the Savior of men, kept in that faith through sickness and health, and through faith we receive grace for grace, forgiveness of all our sins. We therefore praise the mercy of our God. 2. It is not difficult to apply the words of our text to the deceased. They as well as the rest of the psalm form the basis for the next hymn [liThe Bridegroom Soon Will Oall Us"]. In choosing it, the deceased is making his last confession of faith in Him who forgiveth all our iniquities, who healeth all our dis(cases; he is preaching his last ser- mon, delivering his last lect1ll'e, writing his last theological treatise. His subject is sin and grace, the mercy of God. The deceased Dr. Bente had tasted of that mercy. His sinful nature would have kept him out of heaven but for the mercy of a loving Lord, who washed him in Holy Baptism and made a covenant of grace with him. It was God's mercy tha t he received Ohristian training in llis youth; His mercy that he entered the holy ministry in 1882; His grace and mercy that he proclaimed to sinful men that love eternal of a forgiving God; His mercy towards the deceased and especially towards our Synod that brought Dr. Bente to our Seminary, where in sermons and lec- tures and articles for the press he championed the sola gratia and sola SC1'iptu1'a and with keen logic and in forceful language defended the truth against all errol'; it was God's mercy that equipped him for ,"".successful work as editor of Lehrl3 uncZ Wehre and especially also as Ifeditor-in-chief of the Oonconlia T1-iglotta, the confessional writings '1" of our Lutheran Ohurch. God's mercy was manifested to the deceased throughout his earthly life, through sorrow and heartache, in days of joy and hap- piness. Especially during the last six years did the merciful God give him a blessed period of preparation for eternity as it is accorded to comparatively few men. He made use of his time of grace. He walked with God, loved His Word, the services of His house, also the wonderful hymns of our Ohurch and would sing the next hymn frequently. He believed what he WI'ote and taught. On one occasion, a few years ago, he accompanied me on a visit to one who had fallen into the deepest depths of sin and shame, but now had repented. 84 t D. ~tleDrid) ~ellte. i' When I returned to the carin which 11e was waiting, he remarked, "If it· were not for the mercy of God, we would have fallcn just as low." Such humble faith in the grace of God in Jesus he confessed to the very end of his life. "Who dieth thus dies well." . Is it not true, beloved mourners, that you this day have reason to praise the mercy of God? You know what the deceased has been to you. That was God's mercy, nothing else. You know that he is celebrating Ohristmas in heaven and is seeing what he here believed and taught. The mercy ·of God will not fOl'sake you, but will comfort and cheer you and provide for you. Only remain true to what your deal' departed taught you that you may, too, die in faith and celebrate eternal Ohristmas with him. vVe, deal' brethren in the ministry, want to praise God's mercy bestowed upon us and our Ohurch through our departed colleague and teacher and pray the Lord of the Ohl1l'ch to keep us ever true to the Gospel the deceased taught. May the blessed Savior keep His protecting hand over our Seminary, its faculty, our entire ministry, and the members of our Synod that we all lllay praise the mercy of our God here in time and hereafter in eternity! For Jesus' sake. Amen. j)et llntetaeicljnete ticljtete an hie @emeinbe unb bie Bonae :ittauet~ berfammtung bie forgenben ~or±e: j)et ~rnann, beifen Eeib tub.: ljeute in bas @taU betten, tum: tin tu a lj t e t ~ljeoroge, ein :itfjeofoge, nicljt bon Wlenfcljen gcmacljt, fonbetn ein :itfjeoYoge bon @ottes @naben, ein :itfjeoToge, tvie ifjn unf ete ,8eit notig ljat, ivie infonbetfjeit auclj bie rutfjetifclj f«'f) nennenbe ~itclje il)n btaucljt. j)et ~ntf cljTafene tuat etftHdjcin tteltct Ecfjtet unb mefenncr bet unl1ede~Hcljen gottricljcn Wlajeftiit bet ~emgen @ld)tift. j)ic mobetne :itfjeoXogie, weTclje bie ~emge @lcljtift nicljt meljt fut @ottcs unfefjThClre~ ~ott fjiirt, ift Teiber auclj in bie Xutljerifclj ficlj nennenbe mtclje einge~ btungcn. @egen hiefen .z5ntum, bet bas iSunbament be§ cgdfHicljen @fauben§ umftoflt, l)at ficlj bet ~ntf cljlafene bmclj @oite§ @nabe tuie cine niel)±tuanfenbe .llYCauet geitellt. @t ljat bef±iinbig unb unetf cljuttet~ Hclj geYeljtt unb oeaeugt, bafl bie ~emge @lcljdft in aU en ifjten ~eilen unb ~orten @ottes unl1ctotucljricljes ~ott ift, tuie unfet ~eifanb uns aUe gdeqd fjat: ,,)Die @lcljtift fann boclj nicljt gebtocljen tuetben." j)et~ntfcljrafene iMt 3um anbetn ein ireuet 2eljtet unb mdennet bet cI)dftricljen @nabenteljte. j)ie mobetnc ~fjeorogie, tue!d)e unfetn [ljtiften£l!auben unb unfete [l)tiftenljoffnung nicljt mefjt aUein aUf @ottes @nabe in [fjtifto, lonbetn Clltclj aUf bas rccljte merfjarten bee IDlenf eljen gtilnben tum, ift leibet auclj in bie tuffjctif d) ficlj nennenbe .~itclje eingebtungcn. ~uclj gegen biefen ~tt±ltm, bet fOlgcticljtig une armen @lunbetn bie @nabe @ottee ltnb Die @leIigteit ungeiuiE macljt, qat ficlj bet @ntfcljIafene burclj ~idung be§ ~emgen @eiite§ au einct feiten IDlauet £lemael)t. ~t fjat beftiinbig geIetjd unb feftgefjaHen: ,,~1tS t D.l}dcbdd) )Bente. l' 85 @naben f eib iljr f eHg roorben DUrer) bcn @Lau6cn, unb ba~f eX6ige nidjt au~ eudj, @otte~ @abe ift e~; nidjt au~ ben lllicden, aUf baB ridj nid)t jemanb riiI)me. /I @egen aUe menf,()IicI)e .mughterei unb g;ofgerei ljat er ge!eljd unb befcmnt: 1/ :J~raer, baB bu berbirbeft, bie ®djufb ift bein; baB bir aoer geljolfen roirb, ba~ ift rauter metne @nabe. /I ~er @intfdjfafene roar auclj in ber lllieiBljeit biefet llliert, in bet jjSljHofopljie, in bet jjSljHofopljic aUer ScUcn, 11l0lj! belllanbed. @ir roat reljr rooljl oefiif)igt, ben j8etitC±ern JueUHc1jet llliiffenfcljaft auf iljt eigene~ @eoiet au folgen unb fie, roo e~ not tat, aUf if)tcm eigenen @ebiei, ba~ ift, audj mit @runben bet menfdjHcI)cn j8crnunft unb @itfaljrltng, au roibedegen. lllia~ ber @intldjlafene in 3aljIteieljcn ®djtiften f)intedaffen f)at, ift ein ®d)at, ein ®djat fur unfete ®i)nobc unb bic (lanse Iutljcrifdje ~itdje. ~anfen luit @ott fur bief en ®d)alJ unb gebrauu)en roit iljn 1 ~ht~ j8eranfaffung be~ ~bfd)eibcnB unfct~ teuten mwbet~, .2eljrer~ unf ct~ tljeofogif d)en ®eminar~ unb .2eljtet~ bet @5i)l1obe bitten roit @oft, er roorfe feine @nabcnljanb nidjt bon lin? lucnben. @it rooUe au~ fauter biiterfid)et, gLittridjet @lute lInb mm:mljeriligfclt, oljne aUe unf er j8er~ bieni± lInb llliutbigteit, un? aud) ferner tlO±±6cgnabetc tteue .2eljtet lInb jjStebiget ge6en unb etljaften, bamit [cin ~lame gcljcirigct metbe unb [ein 9teid) au un~ tomme unb 6ei un? 61ei6e. 2Ctncn. D. jjSfo±enljaucr tDibmcte bem @intf,L)fafencn ben forgenben mad)wf: :In ber j80ttebe aUln .I'l'onfotbien6ltdj, bat' fiimHidje mdenntng~ fdjriften unfem: ~itd)e cntf)iirt unb ba? im :Jal)rc 1580 Bum ctftcnmal gebtucr± rourbe, oeacugen bie heuen mefenner offenHidj bot ®ott nnb iebetmann, baB [ic Die ~rd)en unb ®rljufen aUf bie .\)cifige ®djrift un]) Die metenntniffe geroiefen lja6en tlJorfen, lInb betmaljnen augfeid) ctnft~ Hd), baB oefonber~ bie :Jugenb, fo im S\'itcl)cnbicn[t unb fjeHigen WCinifterio allfetaogen, in [oldjer .2eljre mit 5rteuc unb g;reif3 unterrid)tet roerbe, bamit aud) oct iljten inad)lommen bie reine .2eljtc unb mefenntni~ be~ @fauben? bi~ aUf bie ljettHCge Sufunft bct' einigen @ido[ et~ unb ®engmad)er~ :J@ifu Q:ljrilti burd) .\jUfe unb mciftanb bct' <\)ciHgen ®eifte~ erljaIten unb fortge~lffanat roerben moge. (Triglattn, 0.20.) lllia~ ljiet Die j8erfaffct be~ ~ontotbienuUeL)~ bon fid) befennen, roar audj bie @leftnnllng ltnb ba§ mef±re6en D. mcnte~, bct nun feinen .2auf boIfenbet ljat unb ben roir ljeute aUt felJten ffiulje uetten rooUen. ~ie .\jeHige ®d)rif± roat ifjm bie einaige untrugfid)e uueIfe arfet gotHtdjen lllioljrljeit, ltnb bie mefenntni~f d)tif±en ber futljetif d)cn Sl'itclje roatCn iljm eine heue, unberfiiffdj±e ~adegung betfcfflen. ISo 6dannte et fid) aud) oU benf e{6en mit unerf djroaenem ~Rute unb berteibi~J±e ISdjrif± unb mefenn±ni? mit ben ljetdidjen @abcn, bie (\)oit iljm betrieljen fjatie. @i6en roei! fein @croifien in @oitet' llliod \lerangen Ivat, lvat et aIfett ~ompromiff en feinb unb 6ctDiiljrie fiel) in bet l)oljen ®teUung, in bie unfere ®~nobe ifjn bcwfen ljattc, ar? cincn fid)crcn ltl1b i\llbediiffigen g;uljtet. 86 1" D. B'tiebticQ fBentc. t ~eben ber fdjrififieUerifdjen ~iHigfeit tuar fein eigenHidjer )Beruf bie @r3iefjung unferer tfjeologifdjen ~ugenb unb beren IDoroereitung . auf~ ~rebil1tamt in unfetm @3eminar fjiet a11 @5t. Eoug. 11nb ba tuac fein meftreoen, llnfete tfjeoXogifdje ~ugenb getabe in ben mefenntni~~ fdjtiften llnfeter Sfitdje mit ~te1te unb ~rei13 au untertidj±en, bamit bmdJ feine @5djiHet bie teine Eeljte unb mefenntni~ be~ @Iauoen~ in unfeter ~Ritte erfjaIten hJetbe. Btt biefer feiner ~tbeit, bie fiu) iibec ein ~Renfdjenar±et erftred'te, fjat @ott fein ®ebeiljen gegeoen, fo baB feine @3djiHer in berfct)iebenen 5reiYen bet ~eH aUf biden ~tebig±ftuljIen unb bei fonftigem Untettict)t 5rtiigec unb metbteitet bet fjeHfamen .2efjre finb. ~a, obgYeidj bai3 Eeljtamt D. mente~ an unferm @3eminar fdjon bOt einigen ~aljren ilum ~ofcfjhtf3 tam 1mb er nun geftotoen iit, fo Xefjd et bodj noel} fod unb fod. @3ein .\?au~tlued, bie IDutoeteiHgung an bet $;>etau§gabe unfetet mefenntngfdjtiften in brei @5~tadjen mit bet ljert~ Hdjen @iltleitung, bie bon iljm I.lcrfaf3t ift, ift ein gtof3eiii mermiid)tlti~ unb ein ljetdict)e~ Eegat an unfere S1'itdje unb aumar audj alt unfere tfJeoIogifdje ~ugenb, betmittel~ beffen fie - ®o±t gebe eiiil - femer \.lOn iljten ~rofefforen mit 5rteuc unb ~reifl untenidjtet hJerbetl, bamit bei unfetn ~adjfommen bie reine Eeljre unb mefenntni~ bei3 ®rauueni3 bi§ aUf bie ljettfidje Bufunft unf er§ einigen @dilf eri3 ~@fll Q':ljriiti butdj S)Hfe unb meiftanb bei3 .\?eiHgen @eiftei3 ctljarten 11nb fodge\)fIanat hJetben milge. @~ hJar eht fdjhJetet @3d)Iag unb ein ljerver methtjt fur 1tnfete ganae @3l}l1obe, aIg burdj Sftanftjeit bie Eefjriiitigfeit D. mente~ ifjten ~lifcfjru13 fanb lInb llM nun fein Haret IDetftanb, feine gtone merebfam~ feft, feine gehJanbte iSebet, feine fjerbOtLagellbe 2eX)rgabe, feine gtUnb. Tidje @5djtift~ unb @3t)mboUenntnig fOhJie fein feftei3 lI11b ficI)erei3 ltdeiC nidjt mefjr bienen tonnien. llnb fUt ben @niidjlafenen hJat e§ cine ljade @3d)ufe, in bie f ein @ott ifjn nal)m, inbem et mitten aui3 mitrof el: 5riitigfeit in UntiHigl'eit l.letfei2t tuutbe, hJeU bie @Heber be~ Eetbei3 bern tlOdj tegen @eifte '!iienft unb @efjorfam bcrfagten. @i3 acigte fidj alldj an bem @ntfdjlafenen, baf3 @ott bei feinen ,~inbet:l1 feine ~Ui3nafjme madjt, ba13 mil: aUe, ein jebet aUf feine imeife, butdj bid 5rrUbfaI in ba~ meid) @oitc§ eingeljen mUifen. ~fJer ber '!iafjingefdjiebene ttoite±e lidj mit ben ~orten bei3 ~~ofter§ ~aulug: lI~it tuilfen abet, fo uniet: itbifdj .\?Olt§ bieier .\?UHe aetbroc1jen hJirb, ban luir einen malt ljalien, bon @oit erbaue±, ein .\?aUi3, nid)t mit .\?iinben gemadjt, bai3 ehJig ift, im $;>immer. Unb iiber bemfeThigen fef)nen hJir uni3 audj nadj unfcret mefjaufllng, bie bom .\?immeI ift, llnb lln§ bet!anget, bal) hJir bamit iilJedleibe± tuerben." '!iiefe feine @3eljnfucljt ift etfUIft. ~m Ie~ten IDloniag, mitten in bet ~bbent§aeit, ift et auE, bem aerbrodjenen .\?allfc feine§ Eeibe§ au~~ geaogen unb fjat @inaug gel)arten in ein .\?au'3, nidjt mit .\?iinben ge" macljt, ba§ ehJig ift, im .\?immeL ~t ift nun bei feinem S)eHanb llnb fcf)aut il)n, an ben et geglaubt, ben ex: geHebt unb befannt unb beffen Atheistic Propaganda in Our Country. 87 llBod ex fo meiftetIidj gefefjd unb fo fiegreidj betieil:ligt ljat. Unb fein f±etoHdjet Eew witb xuljen, ban er auferf±elje am @:nbe bet ~age mit allen feligen st!inbetn ®otte£i in Sh:aft unb s)errIidjteit. llBir aOet oetragen in feinem s)ingang ben metIuft eine£i gronen Ecljtct£i, eine~ ljettIidjen jffiedseuge~ ®otte~, eine~ oewiHjt±en mufer~ im @Streit unb cine~ suoediiffigen Un±erweifer?, unfeter ±ljeologifdjen ~ugenb unb oitten an feinem @Sarge unfern Heoen ®ott, ban et Tort< faljten wolle, un?, !l3rofefforen oU neoen, Die mit 5treue unb ~IeiB unfere ±ljeoLogifdje ZSugenb un±erridj±en, bamit audj oei unfern iIlacl)fommen Die teine Eeljre unb \Betenntni~ be£l ®Iauoen£l oi£l auf bie ljerrfidje 8utunft unfer~ einigen @:rG.ifer?, unb @Sengmadjer~ ZS@:fu ~ljtifti burdj s)Hfe unb !Beiftanb be£i s)ciIigen ®dftc?' etljaHen unb fortge~fLanst werben moge. ~men. ~ie ±ljeorogifdje ~tlieit be~ (!;ntfdjlafenen iff bon foldjer \Bebeutung fUt unfere @S~nobe, fUr Die ganse [utljerifdje st!irdje, ja fiir Die ganse djriftHdje st!irdje, baB e~ am !l3Ia:l;}e ift, barauf nodj weiterljin surilcfau< lommen. ~. !l3 i e j.J e r. Atheistic Propaganda in Our Country. Dreary though it may be, the subject of atheistic propaganda in our country nevertheless demands conscientious study, especially by our pastors and all who are directly interested in the young people of our Church in order that ways and means may be round to safe- guard their spiritual welfare, in particular while they are attending colleges and universities. Only a short time ago we were horrified by the blasphemies or agnostic Modernists. To-day, however, we are facing a foe that is even more treacherous and pel'llicioU8. Modernism, with all its vagaries, at least endeavored to preserve some kind of religion and respect for God. But to-day an extreme type of atheism is attempting to destroy altogcther even the semblance of religion which Modernism has left. Its slogan is: No God and no religion whatever. This type of atheism is aggressively militant and employs the most effective weapons that can be found. To prove this statement, we shall publish in toto an article from the Sunday-school Times (October 18, 1930), which, under the heading "Atheism, Indecency, and the Magazines," offers the following startling news: - "The American colleges and universities were founded and cn- dowed chiefly by 011l'istian men as a basis for a Ohristian civilization. They have become nurseries of unbelief. The great publishing houses were of similar origin. Macmillan's was established by the Scotch Baptists, Harper's by Irish Methodists, Scribner's by Presbyterians,