KNOW YOUR HERITAGE: MARTIN LUTHER AND THE JEWS

Know Your Heritage:   Martin Luther and the Jews

 

For the Christian world, Martin Luther’s rebellion against the Catholic Church was a spark that ignited a prairie fire of religious freedom across Europe. He spearheaded the reformation movement, which rebelled against the state sponsored church’s oppression and Anti-Christ teachings.   As the movement grew, much of Europe embraced the doctrines taught by Luther. Luther taught that man had the ability to speak directly to God. He also taught the absoluteness of the Holy Scriptures. He railed against the corruption of the Catholic Church and their heretical teachings.    Luther is widely credited with being the father of Protestantism. His moral courage and conviction to stand up against corrupt religious leaders in the 16thcentury has been written about in scores of books and major motion pictures have been made about his life.    In the year 2000, the magazine 'Life' ranked Martin Luther third out of one hundred of the most important men in of the millennium. Thomas Edison (1847-1931) and Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) placed first and second.   The same magazine heralded Luther’s nailing of his 95 theses (complaints against the Catholic Church)  as the third most important event of the millennium with Gutenberg's invention of movable type (that act gave the people the Bible) and Columbus's landing in the Americas coming in as second and first.   He was “The Great Reformer” and his impact on Christendom and the world is certainly without match….but have we been told everything about Martin Luther’s beliefs and teachings?       Martin Luther knew the enemy.       In 1536, Martin Luther traveled to Bohemia and Moravia (a German/Czech region of what is now the Republic of Czechoslovakia). While there, Luther met with three Jewish rabbis. In his meeting he attempted to fine common ground with the Jews. Luther presented the truth of Jesus Christ to the Jewish leaders using the Old Testament. His hope was to convert the Jews.    The Jews in turn presented the Talmud to Luther. In their meeting, the rabbis would not acknowledge or mention Jesus. Martin Luther left the meeting with the Jews and began a journey to study the Talmud. The results left Luther shocked and disgusted. What began as a mission of mercy to save the Jews transitioned into a campaign to drive the Jews from Germany and all of Christendom.(1)   “Not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.” Titus 1:14   Martin Luther studied the Babylonian Talmud and concluded the Jews were working in concert with the Catholic Church to keep Europeans from knowing Jesus Christ and the Holy Scriptures. He saw for the first time the Jewish “Anti-Christ” works and the moral filth they spread.   Luther successfully campaigned against the Jews in Saxony, Brandenburg, and Silesia. In August 1536 Luther's prince, Elector of Saxony John Frederick, issued a mandate that prohibited Jews from inhabiting, engaging in business in, or passing through his realm.(2)

 

“The Jews and their lies.”

  

In 1543, Martin Luther authored a short booklet titled, “The Jews and their lies.” This pamphlet is one of the most suppressed books to ever be printed. Possession of this book in Germany is a crime today.    Many mainstream historians have pointed to Luther’s pamphlet as shaping the German’s view in the four hundred years between the Church’s “reformation” and the rise of the Nazi Party. We know Martin Luther’s tract was passed out during Nazi Party rallies and was widely read by the average German citizen in Weimar Germany prior to Hitler’s election as Chancellor.   In “The Jews and their lies,” Martin Luther asks the question, “What shall we Christians do with this rejected and condemned people, the Jews?” His answer was this:   ·      "First, to set fire to their synagogues or schools ... This is to be done in honor of our Lord and of Christendom, so that God might see that we are Christians ..."   ·      "Second, I advise that their houses also be razed and destroyed."   ·      "Third, I advise that all their prayer books and Talmudic writings, in which such idolatry, lies, cursing, and blasphemy are taught, be taken from them."   ·      "Fourth, I advise that their rabbis be forbidden to teach henceforth on pain of loss of life and limb ..."   ·      "Fifth, I advise that safe-conduct on the highways be abolished completely for the Jews. For they have no business in the countryside ..."   ·      "Sixth, I advise that usury be prohibited to them, and that all cash and treasure of silver and gold be taken from them ..."   ·      "Seventh, I recommend putting a flail, an ax, a hoe, a spade, a distaff, or a spindle into the hands of young, strong Jews and Jewesses and letting them earn their bread in the sweat of their brow ... But if we are afraid that they might harm us or our wives, children, servants, cattle, etc., ... then let us emulate the common sense of other nations such as France, Spain, Bohemia, etc., ... then eject them forever from the country ..."(3)   I’d say that was pretty plain talk from the father of the protestant church!       “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I say the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? 47The one who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.”John 8:44-47       Conclusion       The modern media and the Judeo-Christian church would have us believe that speaking out against the Jews is something new. We know that is not the case. As followers of Christ, we know that our savior did not mince words when addressing the Jews of His time.      Likewise, when Martin Luther broke away from the Catholic Church’s teachings and saw the Jew for what they are, he had no choice but to follow the example of our King. Martin Luther was unafraid for he knew Christ was on his side.   What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?Romans 8:31       What then are we to do? First and foremost, we need to know our history and our heritage. Don’t let the mainstream control your mind and your thoughts.   “We are destroying arguments and all arrogance raised against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ”   2Corinthians 10:5   Our King, Jesus told us the Jews are liars, and they serve their father, the devil who is chief of all liars. Therefore, we have to dig in our heels and search for our real history….our roots as Christians. Much like Martin Luther, you may be surprised at what you find.        (1) Swan, James. "Martin Luther's Attitude Toward The Jews".   (2) Heiko Oberman, Luther: Man Between God and the Devil (New York: Image Books, 1989), p.293.   (3) JewishEncyclopedia.com; cf. Luther's Works, American Edition, 55 vols., (St. Louis and Philadelphia: Concordia Publishing House and Fortress Press, 1955–86) 47:267.

   

From the Scriptures for America Dragon Slayer newsletter, 2025, Vol 9.