Luther's Chronology, Part 8 (Concluding comments)

This post concludes the series on Biblical Chronology – Table of Contents in Part 1.

Practically no one today mentions, let alone follows, Luther on Biblical Chronology.  How it struck me that the modernist James Barr could see through today's Lutherans... those who claim the Lutheran name, who supposedly follow Luther's faith,  and yet who have so completely ignored Luther on this subject – a subject that causes many to doubt their faith,  yet a subject that Luther wrote on and did it in a way that builds the Christian faith and sets Scripture on a pedestal.

Could it be that all the comments of modern theologians and scholars have caused today's Lutherans to abandon Luther's Chronikon?  Could it be that from the editor of the Weimar Ausgabe, F. Cohrs, to the most recent Prof. James Barr, these "theologians" have made Lutheran scholar/theologians too embarrassed at Luther for his "unscholarly" work of biblical chronology?  Is that why Luther is virtually unknown on his biblical chronology today?

Not so the old (German) Missouri Synod.  Franz Pieper praised Luther's work on his Chronikon and repeatedly quoted from Luther's preface to it, not only in the pages of Lehre und Wehre, but also in his Christian Dogmatics textbooks (volume 1, page  (here, St. L. XIV: 491).

Why should we throw off those who

• refute Luther or 
• ignore Luther or
• rely on modern "scholars" who follow "textual criticism" and "historical criticism", or
• rely on "scientific" chronology?

Because Luther believed the Bible, God's Word.  It is because the Bible is a book of faith, not a textbook of science.  And therefore only those who believe that the Bible is God's Word to man for his salvation can understand any "data" from the Bible, e.g. Creation, chronology, ancient history, etc.

Dear Lord! We have no other assurance of our salvation except by thy precious Holy Word, the Scriptures!  Thou has said, Search the Scriptures!  Lord, grant that thy Word may again be held up to believe as Martin Luther did, for the salvation of blood-bought souls.  I pray this in the name that is above all names, Jesus.  Amen! Amen!

Back To Luther!... even on Biblical Chronology, let the modern world and "science" say what it will.  May we say with the apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 6:20-21, O Timothy!:

O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: [21] Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.

I may revisit this subject again, especially because I believe Luther's work can be presented in a more modern graphic way, just as AnswersInGenesis.org has presented Ussher's work in graphic form.  What a great work it would be if someone would do this... a work to the glory of God!