Luther's 95 Theses...Part I
If they're important enough to lead hundreds of millions out of the Church Jesus built, people should actually read them
It is generally claimed that the Protestant Revolt began on October 31, 1517, when Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the church door in Wittenberg, Germany. This event led to hundreds of millions of souls being led out of the Church that Jesus built, and have separated them from God and the Body of Christ. So it’s a horrific spiritual crime that has ruptured mankind and fractured the entire Western world. Many people, especially Protestants, believe that in these Theses were the first declarations of the doctrines of Sola Fide (Faith Alone) and Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone). So let’s take a look at these 95 Theses and see why they are so important.
This will be Part I and cover Theses 1-32. (Link to Part II with 33-64 and Part III with 65-95) The text of the 95 Theses is in italics, and my commentary will be in normal font. Links to three different sources for translations of the text are at the bottom of this post.
Out of love for the truth and from desire to elucidate it, the Reverend Father Martin Luther, Master of Arts and Sacred Theology, and ordinary lecturer therein at Wittenberg, intends to defend the following statements and to dispute on them in that place. Therefore he asks that those who cannot be present and dispute with him orally shall do so in their absence by letter. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
One thing people have been lied to about the 95 Theses is that it is portrayed as an act of rebellion or something like that. It wasn’t. It was similar to a college debate. He posted it to the door of the local parish because that was the town billboard where news and notices were posted for all the public to read. It was a college professor asking for a debate. It wasn’t a revolutionary act.
1. Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, in saying, "Repent ye, etc.," intended that the whole life of his believers on earth should be a constant penance.
Uh oh. The very first one is troublesome for modern day Protestants. Luther here is saying that a Christian’s life should be constant repentance, mortification, fasting, abstinence, almsgiving and prayer. Already a tough spot for those who claim that once you are saved, you do not need to do these things and that our works do not contribute anything to our salvation. Faith alone is getting beaten up already.
2. And the word "penance" neither can, nor may, be understood as referring to the Sacrament of Penance, that is, to confession and atonement as exercised under the priest's ministry.
Ouch! Here Luther explicitly supports the sacraments, Confession, and the priesthood. Protestants might be shocked to learn that he accepted all of these as part of the Christian faith.
3. Nevertheless He does not think of inward penance only: rather is inward penance worthless unless it produces various outward mortifications of the flesh.
Well this one is going to surprise a lot of Protestants who believe in Faith Alone and Once Saved Always Saved. Inward penance is worthless unless it produces outward mortifications of the flesh. The doctrine of Faith Alone cannot be reconciled with this belief of Luther’s. This shows that Luther had no invented the doctrine of Faith Alone yet.
4. Therefore mortification continues as long as hatred of oneself continues, that is to say, true inward penance lasts until entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven.
This belief of Luther’s is yet another dagger in the heart of Faith Alone and definitely destroys the doctrine of Once Saved Always Saved.
5. The Pope will not, and cannot, remit other punishments than those which he has imposed by his own decree or according to the canons.
Some will say this point shows that Luther was ready to attack the papacy. But note here that Luther accepts the papacy and admits the Pope holds authority. Luther though wants to be the one who decides the limits of the authority of the Pope. (But Luther never explains how HE received his authority to determine the beliefs of the Christian faith.) This point also accepts the authority of Church Councils.
6. The Pope can forgive sins only in the sense, that he declares and confirms what may be forgiven of God; or that he doth it in those cases which he hath reserved to himself; be this contemned, the sin remains unremitted.
This one is just terrible writing. It’s not even clear what he’s trying to say. If he is contending that the Pope (and all priests) forgives sin only through the power of God and it is God forgiving the sin, well that’s exactly what the Church teaches. If he’s claiming that the Pope can only list out the sins that God will forgive, well that’s just nonsense since he earlier accepted the sacrament of Confession.
7. God forgives none his sin without at the same time casting him penitent and humbled before the priest His vicar.
Yet again, Luther accepts the sacrament of Confession and the acts of penance given during Confession. Protestants would be horrified at this point. Luther also admits that the priesthood is given by God, instituted by Christ and priests carry the authority given them by Him.
8. The canons concerning penance are imposed only on the living; they ought not by any means, following the same canons, to be imposed on the dying.
Again, Luther wasn’t a great writer. This is unclear as well. Does he mean the dying to refer to those approaching death or in danger of death? If so, he does have an argument to make that those in such a state should not be burdened with the requirements of acts of penance for those who are healthy.
But if he means those who have already passed away and are in Purgatory, then he’s just off his rocker here. As 1 Cor 3 teaches, after death and at our judgment, we will be tested through a type of fire. This fire will burn away all our bad works and purify our good works. This isn’t optional. Nothing unclean will enter Heaven, so if you have any remaining attachment to sin at your death, it needs to be removed from your soul in one way or another.
9. Therefore, the Holy Spirit, acting in the Pope, does well for us, when the latter in his decrees entirely removes the article of death and extreme necessity.
This one will be painful for Protestants. Here Luther admits that the Holy Spirit can act through the Pope. It also implicitly admits the papacy was created by God Himself.
10. Those priests act unreasonably and ill who reserve for Purgatory the penance imposed on the dying.
We start to see some of Luther’s rebellious nature start here. Luther was known to have extremely severe confessions and acts of penance & mortifications. Far beyond even what his spiritual director would recommend. They actually told him to dial it back. But like everything in Luther’s life, he refuse to listen to anyone but himself. Here he wants to argue that there is no punishment in Purgatory, which would violate God’s sense of justice.
Take for example a degenerate and filthy scoundrel who lived a depraved and decadent life for many years. But on his deathbed, he finally finds fear of God and repents of his wickedness and receives the sacrament of Confession just before dying. Are we to declare that this man receives no punishment in life or death? That’s ridiculous. That is why God created Purgatory. He created it to cleanse us of our evils and also to punish those who had not made satisfaction for the temporal effects of our sins. (You don’t get to steal a million dollars, confess the sin, and then keep the money. That’s not God’s justice.)
11. This abuse of changing canonical penalty into the penalty of Purgatory seems to have arisen when the bishops were asleep.
Luther just wants to get out of any accountability for his sins. He also very wrong. Purgatory has been taught since the beginning of the Christian faith.
12. In times of yore, canonical penalties were imposed, not after, but before, absolution, as tests of true repentance and affliction.
This is common among Luther’s thoughts and reasoning. He doesn’t see the huge and glaring logical holes in his reasoning. Here he acknowledges that penalties should exist, but then will argue that they shouldn’t exist. He is self refuting.
13. The dying pay all penalties by their death, are already dead to the canons, and rightly have exemption from them.
How exactly do the dying pay all penalties by their death?!? This is just a baseless claim made by Luther without any substantiation. Many people, even some grotesquely evil people, have very peaceful deaths. What penalty are they paying? And who is he to declare that the dying are exempt from being held accountable for their actions?
14. Imperfect spiritual health or love in the dying person necessarily brings with it great fear; and the less this love is, the greater the fear it brings.
This is wishcasting. For SOME of the faithful, their great faith brings a fearlessness about death. It is how the martyrs were able to have such a spiritual peace about them even when being killed in horrific manner. But that is not universal and it is not a hard and fast rule for all.
15. This fear and horror - to say nothing of other things - are sufficient in themselves to produce the punishment of Purgatory, because they approximate to the horror of despair.
How exactly does he know this? Scripture says none of this.
And what about those who die suddenly and without warning? They have no fear because they didn’t know their death was coming. Luther’s entire argument is based upon the example of someone on their deathbed who has time and the cognitive ability to recognize their impending death. Many people die without this or die suddenly with no time for reflection on their impending death.
His point here is just silly.
16. Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven seem to differ as perfect despair, imperfect despair, and security of salvation differ.
Luther is just objectively wrong here. Those who are in Purgatory do not despair, even imperfectly. They anticipate being in Heaven and are guaranteed to go there. They don’t have despair. They are going through a purification but they do not despair.
If Luther would have controlled his sin of pride, he could have been corrected on this error and most of his heresies would have been stopped in their tracks.
17. It seems as must in Purgatory love in the souls increase, as fear diminishes in them.
It might be argued that love increases in Purgatory as you are more and more purified. But where did he get the idea that those in Purgatory are fearful? Where did that come from? (I’m guess from his own guilty conscience.)
18. It does not seem to be proved either by arguments or by the Holy Writ that they are outside the state of merit and demerit, or increase of love.
It literally states in 1 Cor 3 that the man is judged and then goes through the fire. There’s not a second judgment. They are outside the state of merit or demerit. Their acts are complete in their lifetime. They can no longer perform any further good works or bad works.
19. This, too, seems not to be proved, that they are all sure and confident of their salvation, though we may be quite sure of it.
How exactly could they not be sure and confident of their salvation? They have already been judged. (1 Cor 3). Do you see how poor the argument from Luther are? Do you see how bad his reasoning faculties have become?
20. Therefore the Pope, in speaking of the perfect remission of all punishments, does not mean that all penalties in general be forgiven, but only those imposed by himself.
You are Kepha and upon this Kepha I will build My Church. You will receive the keys to the Kingdom and whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever you loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven. St Peter imposed the death penalty on people for goodness sakes! He had universal authority.
21. Therefore, those preachers of indulgences err who say that, by the Pope's indulgence, a man may be exempt from all punishments, and be saved.
Luther, unsurprisingly, has an erroneous view of Purgatory. Purgatory has no relation to or effect on salvation. Those in Purgatory are already saved. They are guaranteed to enter into Heaven. They have already been judged.
Indulgences are good works and penances performed by the faithful to fill up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions, as St Paul taught. They are acts of charity and love that can heal and purify a soul, even those souls in Purgatory. They are not salvific though. They cannot save you. Only Christ and the New Covenant can do that. Indulgences are acts of charity done in accordance with and through the graces of the New Covenant.
22. Yea, the Pope remits the souls in Purgatory no penalty which they, according to the canons, would have had to pay in this life.
Yes, Christians can perform acts of charity which gain merit through the New Covenant which can be applied to others. As Scripture says, the prayers of Christians and their merits can be applied to others (1 John 5)
23. If to anybody complete remission of all penalties may be granted, it is certain that it is granted only to those most approaching perfection, that is, to very few.
Luther is actually correct here. Indulgences are in two forms, either Plenary (total) or Partial. For a Plenary indulgence, the person has to perform the acts required for the indulgence, but also be in a state of complete detachment from sin. For many this is very hard since most of us are still attached to and have affinity for our sins. For most people, if they still have an attachment to sin, their indulgence is a Partial one.
24. Therefore the multitude is misled by the boastful promise of the paid penalty, whereby no manner of distinction is made.
If there were some priests who were giving false information about indulgences, that should have been corrected. (Of course the priest may not have known he was giving false info.) But the error of a priest doesn’t invalidate the truth of indulgences.
25. The same power that the Pope has over Purgatory, such has also every bishop in his diocese, and every curate in his parish.
This opinion of Luther is based on what exactly? It doesn’t come from Scripture and I am unaware of any Sacred Tradition which says such a thing. Bishops do have authority over their diocese, but to only Peter were the keys to the Kingdom given. You need something of substance to make this claim and Luther has none.
26. The Pope acts most rightly in granting remission to souls, not by the power of the keys - which in Purgatory he does not possess - but by way of intercession.
“Whatsoever you bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever you loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven”.
To say that the Pope has no authority over Purgatory to grant indulgences is contrary to the direct words of Christ. Of course the Pope can also intercede for the souls in Purgatory, but he holds authority over indulgences as well.
27. They preach vanity who say that the soul flies out of Purgatory as soon as the money thrown into the chest rattles.
Again, IF this was actually said by priests about indulgences and Purgatory, then they should have been stopped and corrected. That doesn’t invalidate the teaching on indulgences just because some priests were teaching contrary to the Church about indulgences.
28. What is sure, is, that as soon as the penny rattles in the chest, gain and avarice are on the way of increase; but the intercession of the church depends only on the will of God Himself.
Luther here is claiming that he can know the intentions and souls of everyone who has or will donate money to have a church or cathedral built (or money donated for another cause). This is Luther overstepping his bounds even to the point of attempting to ascend to the throne of Christ.
Christ Himself praised the poor widow who put her donation into the box. Luther claims here that no one is able to donate money out of true charity and love of God and neighbor.
29. And who knows, too, whether all those souls in Purgatory wish to be redeemed, as it is said to have happened with St. Severinus and St. Paschalis.
Everyone in Purgatory wishes to eventually be released from Purgatory so they may enter into and obtain the Beatific Vision. Luther seems to think that some people in Purgatory want to remain there.
30. Nobody is sure of having repented sincerely enough; much less can he be sure of having received perfect remission of sins.
This is Luther’s own depravity and guilty conscience speaking. It is true that we do not know if we have completely accepted all of God’s grace and turned completely away from all sin and attachment to sin. But we can know that if we cooperate with God, we will keep receiving grace from Him in accord with our participating with Him.
31. Seldom even as he who has sincere repentance, is he who really gains indulgence; that is to say, most seldom to be found.
This is incorrect and speaks to his misunderstanding of the difference between plenary/total and partial indulgences. While we cannot know for certain if we have obtained a total indulgence, we CAN know if we have performed and fulfilled the requirement of a partial indulgence.
32. On the way to eternal damnation are they and their teachers, who believe that they are sure of their salvation through indulgences.
Luther again shows his error in understanding indulgences. As stated above, indulgences have no effect on our salvation. If there were also priests who were in error about this, they should have been corrected in addition to Luther.
Theses 33-64 are in Part II and 65-95 are in Part III.
https://holyword.church/miscellaneous-resources/martin-luther-and-his-95-theses/#95
https://www.uncommon-travel-germany.com/martin-luther-95-theses.html
https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/source/luther95.txt
The response from the Church was summarized by Pope Leo X in 1520 in his papal bull called Exurge Domine. Take the time to read it. Here also are the decrees and canons from the Council of Trent
Thank you! Clear and to the point. Looking forward to Part II.
Jesus built the Celtic church in Glastonbury England which the Roman's destroyed. Jesus spent the missing years there. The Catholic church was started by Roman Emperors not Peter. Peter stayed in and around Jerusalem according to the Bible.