Tabletalk
Devotional Book Reviews
If you were a student of Martin
Luther, and you sat around his dinner table, what do you think the
conversations would be about? Tabletalk helps us to ponder some of the
practical truths of the Christian walk stated by the magisterial
Reformer.
Tabletalk
by Martin Luther
Edited by Thomas L. Kepler, Translated by William Hazlitt
Baker Books, Grand Rapid, MI: 1995.
345 Pages, Paperback.
What would
it be like to sit down at the dinner table and sip beer with Martin
Luther? Through a series of
sittings with his students comes his famous “table” talk: a series
of various statements, quips and quotes concerning biblical topics like
the resurrection, free will, justification, preachers and preaching,
baptism, and much more. Centered
around everyday conversations, this spiritual classic touches on a
selection of helpful topics for the Christian.
You will not
find everything that Luther says to your liking, for he was outspoken
and crass at times. But
there is much to be gleaned from this handy volume and is well worth
your time to ponder some of the rich statements he made concerning these
spiritual topics.
The book is
divided up into 18 sections, or chapters, which touch diverse
subjects. Some quotes are a
page in length, others a line. It
could be used as a devotional, or even a help for preaching
illustrations.
Though some
of the Reformer’s ideas are colored by 16th century Europe,
much of what Luther says here is easily applicable to the contemporary
Christian. The Bible never
changes, and Luther’s comments concerning Holy Scripture stand true
because of that very fact. All
those who desire to deepen their understanding of the Christian faith
will find that Luther’s insights speak especially to the needs of the
modern world.
Some Quotes:
“God very
wonderfully entrusts His highest office to preachers that are themselves
poor sinners who, while teaching it, very weakly follow it.
Thus goes it ever with God’s power in our weakness; for when He
is weakest in us, then He is strongest.”
“The
Lord’s prayer binds the people together, and knits them one to
another, so that one prays for another; and it is so strong and
powerful, that it even drives away the fear of death.”
“It is
impossible for a human heart, without crosses and tribulations, to think
upon God.”
“Experience
has proved the toad to be endowed with valuable qualities.
If you run a stick through three toads, and, after having dried
them in the sun, apply them to any pestilent tumor, they draw out all
the poison, and the malady will disappear.”
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