Jesus' Words Only

Reformation Secrets #2: By 1523 did Carlstadt alone use the Law to bring reformation to Wittenberg?

Jul 17, 2022

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Reformation Secrets #2: By 1523 did Carlstadt alone use the Law to bring reformation to Wittenberg?

Luther had the honor alone of making his famous defiant and heroic speech at the Diet of Worms on April 17, 1521. However, Luther then went into hiding for two years at Wartburg (1521-22) in Thuringia. At that juncture, Luther's points were merely debated in academic and clerical forums.

Andreas Bodenstein von Carlstadt -- born 1486. Died 1541 -- encountered Luther after Luther arrived in 1511 at Wittenberg. Carlstadt was Professor of Theology at its university. Carlstadt had been twice Rector of the University of Wittenberg. He was also Canon and Archdeacon of the University's church called Stifskirche. It was he who conferred a doctorate on Luther in 1512. Luther always admitted that Carlstadt was his superior in learning.

Carlstadt was an ordained priest of Roman Catholic Church.

At first, Carlstadt as teacher and Luther as pupil were seen as joint allies. In 1517, they worked together on putting up the 95 Theses on the church door at Wittenberg. They debated Eck together in 1519. They both wrote reformation works on similar themes in 1520.

Carlstadt was clearly against treating Paul on par with Jesus. Carlstadt proposed a three-fold Canon where the gospels with Acts were alone in the primary canon, based upon this reasoning:

“The Spirit of the Apostles is not a guide equal or greater than the Lord, thus Paul within his letters does not have as much authority as has Christ."

(Andreas von Carlstadt, Canonicis Scripturis (1520) Sect. 161) quote in Charles Beard's Martin Luther and the Reformation in Germany (1896) at 401 (in Latin).)

Carlstadt began preaching during Luther's absence the following:

Preached against Statues in Church. [2d Commandment]

Preached Jesus is sole pastor, and hence no pastors. (Jn 10:16)

Preached Sabbath never lawfully abrogated by RCC [4th].

Preached against misleading practice of infant baptism, refusing even to baptize his own son.

Preached against Celibacy for church leaders. Married 1522.

Preached against monastic vows.

Preached against the “Mass.”

Omitted in 1521 Christmas Service any “transmutation” took place, and wore no vestments of a priest.

Thereafter he never wore again priestly robes, preferring to be called “Brother Andrew,” than “Father.”

Carlstadt in particular wanted Sabbath to be restored as a day of rest. According to Dr. Barnas Spears, Life of Luther (Philadelphia: 1850) at 401

“Carlstadt differed essentially from Luther in regard to the use to be made of the Old Testament. With him, the law of Moses was still binding. Luther, on the contrary, had a strong aversion to what he calls a legal and Judaizing religion. Carlstadt held to the divine authority of the Sabbath from the Old Testament; Luther believed Christians were free to observe any day as a Sabbath, provided they be uniform in observing it.” Id.

Why did Carlstadt do so?

The promise in Isaiah 56 explained what God expected from Gentiles – two things:

[1] "keep the Sabbath from profaning it and keep his hand from doing evil" (Isaiah 56:2) and "who keep My Sabbaths, and choose things that please Me, and take hold of my covenant" (Isaiah 56:4,6).

[2] God promises such a Gentile will be given an eternal name. Id.

Martin Luther in a sermon entitled How Christians Should Regard Moses given August 27, 1525 says of the Sabbath:

“Again one can prove it from the third commandment that Moses does not pertain to Gentiles and Christians. For Paul [Col. 2:16]...abolish[ed] the sabbath, to show us that the sabbath was given to the Jews alone, for whom it is a stern commandment.”

See Martin Luther, "How Christians Should Regard Moses," Luther's Works: Word and Sacrament I (Philadelphia: Muhlenberg Press, 1960) Vol. 35 at 161-174.

Paul wrote about the Sabbath in Col. 2:16-17, abolishing it:

16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Paul does so again in Galatians, but actually puts a curse on Christians who rest on Sabbath.

Bart Ehrman, a professor on the New Testament, explains:

“Paul is absolutely clear [in Galatians] that he thinks non-Jews are not to do these things [i.e., keep Sabbath, holidays, etc.] once they believe in Christ. In fact,... he lays a curse on anyone who thinks that Gentiles who come to believe in Jesus should engage in such practices.” (Bart D. Ehrman, Peter, Paul & Mary Magalene (2006) at 117.)

Luther rebutted Carlstadt's book with his own claims that the law of Moses was given by angels, and not God.

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