While it’s true that there is humor in theology, it is not an unlimited supply, so I’ve been forced to ration it these days. Here’s a little that I can spare.
Martin Luther corrects a potential misunderstanding in a book title:
“A certain Italian friar of Cremona has written a ‘Recantation of Martin Luther before the Holy See,’ which is not that I revoke anything, as the words declare, but that he revokes me. This is the kind of Latin the Italians are beginning to write nowadays” (Martin Luther, “The Babylonian Captivity of the Church,” in Martin Luther’s Basic Theological Writings, ed. Timothy F. Lull [Minneapolis: Augsburg/Fortress Press, 1989], 268-9).
Students of Koine Greek will observe a similar problem when it comes to the genitive case. It can be difficult to tell whether a particular genitive is subjective or objective (see Gal 1: 12 for such an example). Other times it can be hard to tell in conversation, such as when presbyterians speak of the worship of the Puritans.
I occasionally stir up people when I correct their double-meaning statements even if the intended sense is obvious. I was pleased to see that Luther did the same. Only, my wife is usually the object of my syntactical correction. I doubt that Luther was so foolish as to correct Katie’s speech.
John. I don’t think Martin would dare that either. Her beer was too good to risk!
I love these posts.
interesting how language can work for or against us.
peter
Chris,
You’re right! He raves about her beer in several places in his writing.