God’s two words.
God’s two words.
Todd Brewer on the merits of the law-gospel hermeneutic.
One of the most profound shifts in my theology over the last several years is the incorporation of Martin Luther’s law-gospel hermeneutic when studying Scripture. This method of biblical interpretation emerged out of Luther’s deep consideration of God’s inspired words, allowing for the clarity of God’s message to be easily grasped notwithstanding the text from which the preacher was preaching. (Read this excellent primer on distinguishing God’s law and God’s gospel by Hans Wiersma.) As the Reformation movement grew, so, too, did Luther’s insistence on declaring God’s “two words” as the means by which sinners are delivered. In “For the Bible Tells Me So,” Mockingbird editor and writer Todd Brewer traces the enduring relevance of this hermeneutical style. Here’s a snippet:
The vitality and ingenious utility of the law-gospel hermeneutic remains unparalleled, uniquely addressing the depths of human failure, loss, and brokenness and the good news of God’s salvific word. It does not see scripture either as a source of timeless guide for daily living or as a cudgel for our political debates, but as a word that confronts the reader with counterintuitive grace. It prevents us from subjugating the Bible and making it into our own image. Taking a cue from Luther, if the Word of God both confronts and comforts (killing and making alive), then the double-edged sword of Scripture forces us always to deconstruct our presuppositions and remake us into a people whose confidence lies solely in the saving death of Jesus. In other words, Scripture isn’t the kind of book one can cite on the side of a fancy building to justify what you already think, but one whose strangeness remains wild and untamed, always opposing us and our self-assuredness to make us live by faith in God.
What at first appears too reductive actually galvanizes serious reflection. The law-gospel paradigm imbues clergy and laity alike with the straightforward message of divine reconciliation in Christ alone. Rather than treating the Bible as a compendium of bite-sized morality lessons, declaring God’s words of the law and the gospel situates preachers to dispense with the only announcement that raises sinners from death to life. Todd’s piece is worth reading in its entirety, even if weekly sermon preparation and delivery aren’t in your job description.
Grace and peace.