A Laymen’s Commentary on the Smalcald Articles: Human Traditions
Part III, Article XV. Of Human Traditions. 1] The declaration of the Papists that human traditions serve for the remission of sins, or…
Series: A Laymen's Commentary on the Smalcald Articles
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Smalcald Articles: Monastic Vows
Part III, Article XIV. Of Monastic Vows. 1] As monastic vows directly conflict with the first chief article, they must be absolutely abolished….
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Smalcald Articles: How One is Justified before God and Does Good Works
Part III, Article XIII. How One is Justified before God, and of Good Works. 1] What I have hitherto and constantly taught concerning…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Smalcald Articles: The Church
Part III, Article XII. Of the Church. 1] We do not concede to them that they are the Church, and [in truth] they…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Smalcald Articles: The Marriage of Priests
Part III, Article XI. Of the Marriage of Priests. 1] To prohibit marriage, and to burden the divine order of priests with perpetual…
A Laymen’s Commentary of the Smalcald Articles: Ordination and Call
Part III, Article X. Of Ordination and the Call. 1] If the bishops would be true bishops [would rightly discharge their office], and…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Smalcald Articles: Excommunication
Part III, Article IX. Of Excommunication. The greater excommunication, as the Pope calls it, we regard only as a civil penalty, and it…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Smalcald Articles: Confession
Part III, Article VIII. Of Confession. 1] Since Absolution or the Power of the Keys is also an aid and consolation against sin…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Smalcald Articles: The Keys
Part III, Article VII. Of the Keys. 1] The keys are an office and power given by Christ to the Church for binding…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Smalcald Articles: The Sacrament of the Altar
Part III, Article VI. Of the Sacrament of the Altar. 1] Of the Sacrament of the Altar we hold that bread and wine…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Smalcald Articles: Baptism
Part III, Article V. Of Baptism. 1] Baptism is nothing else than the Word of God in the water, commanded by His institution,…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Smalcald Articles: The Gospel
Part III, Article IV. Of the Gospel. We will now return to the Gospel, which not merely in one way gives us counsel…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Smalcald Articles: Repentance
Part III, Article III. Of Repentance. 1] This office [of the Law] the New Testament retains and urges, as St. Paul, Rom. 1:18…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Smalcald Articles: The Law
Part III, Article II. Of the Law 1] Here we hold that the Law was given by God, first, to restrain sin by…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Smalcald Articles: Sin
THE THIRD PART OF THE ARTICLES. Concerning the following articles we may [will be able to] treat with learned and reasonable men, or…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Smalcald Articles: The Papacy
Part II, Article IV: Of the Papacy. 1] That the Pope is not, according to divine law or according to the Word of…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Smalcald Articles: Chapters and Cloisters
Part II, Article III: Of Chapters and Cloisters. 1] That chapters and cloisters [colleges of canons and communistic dwellings], which were formerly founded…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Smalcald Articles: The Mass
Part II, Article II: Of the Mass. 1] That the Mass in the Papacy must be the greatest and most horrible abomination, as…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Smalcald Articles: The Chief Article
THE SECOND PART Treats of the Articles which Refer to the Office and Work of Jesus Christ, or Our Redemption. Part II, Article I:…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Smalcald Articles: The Awe-Inspiring Articles on Divine Majesty
THE FIRST PART Treats of the Sublime Articles Concerning the Divine Majesty, as: I. That Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, three distinct persons…
A Laymen’s Commentary on the Smalcald Articles: Preface
Note: This is the third series of posts providing commentary on the Book of Concord adapted from my Lutheran Essentials Class Notes. I…