Luther on Reading Books Wednesday, 5 March 2008
Posted by Chris in Bible, Books, History, Photos, Quotable, Theology.trackback
Here are some wise words from Martin Luther (1483-1546) – helpful for people like me who like reading Christian books.
(Photo by Neal Dench, Creative Commons License)
The number of theological books must also be lessened, and a selection made of the best of them. For it is not many books or much reading that makes men learned; but it is good things, however little of them, often read, that make men learned in the Scriptures, and make them godly, too. Indeed the writings of all the holy fathers should be read only for a time, in order that through them we may be led to the Holy Scriptures. As it is, however, we read them only to be absorbed in them and never come to the Scriptures. We are like men who study the sign-posts and never travel the road. The dear fathers wished, by their writings, to lead us to the Scriptures, but we so use them as to be led away from the Scriptures, though the Scriptures alone are our vineyard in which we ought to work and toil.
Martin Luther, An Open Letter to The Christian Nobility, of the German Nation Concerning the Reform of the Christian Estate, (1520), translated by C. M. Jacobs, emphasis added.
HT: John Piper, The Legacy of Sovereign Joy, (Crossway, 2000), pp. 37-38
I love this quote!
Hi Dave,
thanks for commenting – it’s a good one from Martin Luther isn’t it!
Chris