CONCORDIA THEOLOGICAL QUARTERLY Volume 51, Number 4 OCTOBER 1987 Professor Gerhard Aho, Ph.D.. .................................. -241 The Historical Context of the Smalcald Articles .................... Kenneth Hagen 245 A Review Article: The Roots of the Synoptic Gospels ..................... David P. Scaer 255 The Pastor and the Septuagint ............... Steven C. Brie1 261 Theological Observer.. .............................................. -275 Book Reviews ......................................................... .281 Gerhard Aho 1923-1987 242 CONCORDIA THEOLOGICAL QUARTERLY Lord, Thee I love with all my heart; I pray The, ne'er from me depart, With tender mercy cheer me Earth has no pleasure I would share, Yea, heav'n itsex were void and bare If l%ou, Lord, were not near me. And should my heart for mow break, My trust in The no one wuld shake. Thou art the Podon I have sought; Thy precleclous blood my soul has bought. Lord Jesus Cluist, My God and Lord, my God and Lord, Forsake me not! I trust Thy Word. Yea, Lord, 'mas Z71y rich bounty gave My body, soul, and all I have In this poor life of labor. Lord, grant that I in ev'ry place May glorify Thy lavish grace And serve aud help my newbor. Let no false doctrine me we, Let Satan not my soul deme. Give strength and patience unto me To bear my cross and follow The. Lord Jesus Cluist, My God and Lord, my God and Lord, In death Thy comfort still afford. Lord, let at last Thine atgels wme, To Abram 's bosom bear me home, That I may die d-; And in its narrow chamber keep My body safe in peaceful sleep Until Thy reapparing And then from death awaken me That these mine eyes with joy may see, 0 Son of God, Thy glorious face, My Savior and my Fount of grace. Lord Jesus Christ, My prayer attend, my prayer attend, And I wilI praise Thee without end. Professor Gerhard Aho, Ph.D. Professor Gerhard Aho was born on April 22, 1923, in Jersey City, New Jersey, the son of the Reverend Gustaf A. Aho and his wife, Helia. After attending high school in Ashtabula, Ohio, where his father was pastor, he enrolled at Concordia Theological Seminary in 1 941 for his junior college education and in 1943 for his theological education. Graduating in 1945, he was ordained into the Lutheran ministry and served Grace Church, Waukegon, lllinois (1945-1946); Betania Church, New York (1946-1953); Lutheran congregations in North Queensland, Australia (1953-1958); and Sion Church, Marquette, Michigan (1958-1960). He was called to the Seminary in 1960 as assistant professor in connection with the National Evangelical Lutheran Church, a Finnish synod, and was promoted to &ate professor in 1% and professor in 1973. Dr. Aho served as chainnan of the Department of Pastoral Theology and as Homiletics Editor for the Concordia 7BeoIogical Quarterly and the Director of Graduate Studies. His academic preparation included the University of Chicago (1 945-1 946), Illinois College (Jacksonville) and MacMurray College (1962-1964), Boston University (MA. in Theology, 1964), and the University of Illinois (Ph. D., 1972). His dissertation, 27ze Preaching of F.G. Hedberg, was recognized as one of the most outstanding discourses in the field of rhetoric by the professional speech society. Dr. Aho had set aside the 1987-1988 academic year for the preparation and writing of a homiletical textbook for seminary students. Coming to the Seminary in 1960 and being one of the three senior facuIty members stiU on active service, he had the distinction of being the oldest Seminary alumnus on the faculty, having enrolled in the pre-seminary program in 1941 at the age of eighteen. Professor Aho came to the Seminary in 1958 to help prepare Finnish-speaking students for the National Evangelid Lutheran Church. Before its incorporation into the Lutheran Church-lklhouri Synod, he began teaching homiletics. To qualify himself for this task he obtained his baccalaureate, master's, and doctorate degrees while at the Seminary. Recognized as a careful scholar and the Seminary's f111est preacher, he attracted students to the Seminary to hear his lectures and learn his methods. Just recently he held concurrently the positions of professor of homiletics, chainnan of the Department of Pastoral Theology, homiletics editor of the CTQ, and Director of Graduate Studies. Often in demand as a district and pastoral conference essayist, especially on the topic of the Law and the Caspel, he authored 27ze Lively Skeleton (1977), Don't Be Afdd (1981), and Glory in the Cross (1985) and was a frequent contributor to the Conaordja Mpit and Pods of Prayer, among other periodicals of the National Evangelid Lutheran Church and the h4issow-i 244 CONCORDIA THEOLOGICAL QUARTERLY Synod. Though he became seriously ill in August 1985, he continued with all his Seminary assignments and was honored by the 1987 Seminary graduating class as the baccalaureate preacher, the first time the privilege was extended to a Seminary professor. Dr. Aho was admired as a teacher, emulated as a preacher, and loved as a . . Chnstmn gentleman, committed to the faith of his church. He and his wife Irma are parents to Philip, Bruce, Monica, Amy, Jeffrey, and Pamela. Professor Aho passed away after an illness of over two years on Friday, November 20, in the early morning hours at home. He was buried in Conmdia Gardens in Fort Wayne on Tuesday, November 24, after a service at Peace Lutheran Church with his pastor, the Reverend Luther Strasen, officiating and a former student and col- laborator in several writing projects, the Reverend Richard Kapfer, preaching. Speaking for the Seminary was Professor Norbert MueUer and representing the Saint Louis Seminary was Professor Francis Rossow, who was also associated with Dr. Aho in sermon projects for Comrdia Publishing House. A true Christian gentleman, a dear friend to his colleagues, an example to his students, a prince of a human being, he has earned his rest. David P. Scaer