We often hear people say that Martin Luther’s death bed words were, “We are beggars; that is true.” Indeed, Luther said this on his death bed. But shortly before uttering these words he said to his wife, Katie:
“I’m like a ripe stool, and the world’s like a gigantic anus, and we’re about to let go of each other” (Eric W. Gritsch, The Wit of Martin Luther, Fortress Press, 2006, p. 5).
[Allows a pause for the inevitable laughter before making a theological point]
Now that you’re through laughing, consider that there is wisdom in such a statement. Luther is not just being crass for the sake of being crass. He’s doing more than simply using a dirty simile to insult the world and himself. The more profound point that he intends to make is that he recognizes that he is the filthy product of a filthy world.* This fits quite well with his affirmation that we are beggars. Luther recognizes that what is good about us only comes from outside of us. We have nothing good that we have not received by grace.
*I owe the discovery of this point (or something close to it) to a friend, Kevin Regal.
For more “There’s Humor in Theology”, click on the tag.
Did anyone else puke after reading that quote?
This is the best. I think that these quotes and points of humor on Luther has made me appreciate him even more. JD, I’m in a preaching class right now and due to your distinct focus on Luther I used his distinction between faith and hope in my final sermon and got a 96%. I was pretty happy.
http://drummerweed.blogspot.com
Classic Luther, but I don’t think I’ll be using that illustration in the pulpit (or anywhere else), well except when I tell all my buddies at church about it:) Love your blog, by the way. Here’s to a man who was a man of his times.
Soli Deo Gloria.
That was stinkin funny…