Martin Luther & the Jewish People

By Neelak S. Tjernagel

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0810002132
• ISBN13: 9780810002135
• Release Date: May 2016
• Publisher: Northwestern Publishing House
• Length: 116 Pages
• Weight: 0.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 0.5" x 5.5"

Customer Reviews

Understanding Luther

In this short, 100 pg book, Tjernagel investigates the well-known charges of anti-Semitism against the 16th century reformer, Martin Luther. Tjernagel asserts that the point of the book is not to free Luther from blame, but neither is it to malign him as a fanatic and racist. Rather, it is to seek to understand Luther's mindset and circumstances. He begins by recounting Luther's attitude towards the Jews early in his life, showing clear evidence that Luther passionately desired to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the Jewish people; showing them the Messiah that they awaited from Old Testament times. Martin Luther even scorned many Christians for their poor treatment of the Jews, and encouraged patience and kindness toward them. However, Luther's charity seemed significantly less in his later years. Tjernagel shows that Luther's infamous polemics against the Jews later in his life were neither racially motivated nor exclusive to them. Under the heavy strain of many painful physical illnesses, threats on his life, constant debate with the Roman church, as well as poor results in evangelism to both the Jews and the German people, Luther became a much more bitter person in his latter years. It was in this context that he began to speak against the Jews and the Roman church with such vitriol. While we do not seek to excuse Luther for his statements, we can at least understand his mindset. Also we know that his anger was not based on a belief of their racial inferiority (indeed he esteemed the Jews above all races because they were the chosen people of God, from whom came the Savior), but rather their rejection of Jesus Christ as the Messiah. This is a well-written book that helps us to evaluate Luther in the context of his times, rather than our own, which would be doing an injustice to him.