Commentary on St. Paul’s Epistle

By Martin Luther

Published in 1741

Reference #0211

First published in 1535 in Latin, the work is based on lectures Luther gave in 1519 at the University of Wittenberg, where he was a Professor of Biblical Exegesis for over thirty years. Luther himself was not responsible for its publication, although he did contribute the Preface to it, where he acknowledged that it truly represented his thoughts. The first English edition was published in 1575.

“The Epistle to the Galatians was a favourite of Luther’s…He found in it a source of strength for his own faith and life, and an armoury of weapons for his reforming work … Luther’s main theme in this text is an attack on the human propensity for self-justification and self-righteousness, of which he finds symptoms in unexpected places. It is hardly too much to say that the whole aim of his exposition of the Epistle is to make us aware of it and point us towards its antidote. This he finds in Paul’s doctrine of justification by faith – faith in Christ and in God through Christ.”

Works By Martin Luther