FINALLY!

I have finally finished Bondage of the Will! I have not allowed myself to start reading anything else before finishing the final page. At times, only my pride kept me going...I wanted to add this to my list of accomplishments (what kind of person considers reading a whole book an accomplishment? That would be ME...pitiful, I know!)

I had to slug through the middle where I felt like Luther was exceedingly redundant with his arguments. I almost put the book aside 'cause I kept thinking "O-K, got that...can we move on now?" In the end, I was glad I had kept going.

Luther's primary criticism of Erasmus (and thus the harsh tone) is that he "wrests and parries" the Word of God from its intended meaning and context, being concerned solely with literary figures, logical subtleties and rhetorical arguments. Luther believes Erasmus is more intent on winning the argument than he is on building up the people of God in truth...he is seeking the favor of intellectuals rather than God's favor.

"But our friend, the Diatribe, grows more stupid still...once more it would teach us, by its novel grammar, that owing and having, command and performance, requirement and rendering, are identical."

"Did not the Holy Ghost know a little rhetoric, there would be some risk that He would break down before such a skillfully acted display of contempt and despair of His cause, and yield the palm to 'free-will' before the battle begins!"

"So when Moses' words, 'I will harden the heart of Pharoah', are interpreted [by the Diatribe] as meaning: 'My longsuffering, by which I bear with the sinner, and which leads others to repentance, shall make Pharoah more obstinate in wickedness' - it is prettily said, but there is no proof that it is right. And I am not content with a mere statement; I want proof."

"It [the Diatribe] thinks we are as thickheaded and dimwitted, or as little interested in this subject, as it is itself! As little children in fear, or at play cover their eyes with their hands and think that because they see nobody, nobody sees them, so the Diatribe, which cannot bear the bright beams, nay, the lightning-flashes, of the clearest words, uses every means to pretend that it does not see what the facts are, in the hope of persuading us that our eyes are covered also and that we cannot see them either. All these manoeveres, however, are signs of a mind under conviction, recklessly resisting invincible truth."

"But he [Erasmus] avails himself of a rhetorical device for changing the subject, and tries to drag with him us, who know nothing of rhetoric - as though we were here dealing with something of no significance, and it was all a matter of mere logical subtleties! - and thus he races strongly away from the battlefield, wearing the crowns of warrior and bard together!"

"It is hard at this point to acquit you of deceit and double-dealing. One who handles the Scriptures with such hypocritical artfulness as you do, may safely say of himself that he is not yet instructed in the Scriptures, and wants to be instructed, when in fact he wants nothing less, and is merely rattling on like this in order to cast a slur on the clear light that there is in the Scriptures, and to whitewash his own stubbornness!"

In his closing remarks, Luther "apologizes" for the tone of his essay this way:

"As to my having argued somewhat vigorously, I acknowledge my fault, if it is a fault - but no; I have wondrous joy that this witness is borne in the world of my conduct in the cause of God. Who would be happier than Luther - commended by the testimony of all his age as having maintained the cause of truth, not lazily, or deceitfully, but with vigour enough and to spare!

....If I seem too bitter against your Diatribe, you must pardon me. I do not act so out of ill-will; but I was concerned that by the weight of your name you were greatly jeopardising the cause of Christ (though you can really effect nothing against it by your learning). And who can always so govern his pen....? Even you...not infrequently hurl fiery, gall-dipped darts against me, so that were your reader not very fair-minded and sympathetic, he would think you venomous. But these things have no bearing on our debate, and we must freely pardon each other in them; for we are but men, and there is nothing in us that is not characteristic of mankind."

Luther concludes with some kind remarks, praising Erasmus' gifts of wit, learning and unsurpassed eloquence, but urging him to confine the use of his gifts to languages and literature!

"May the Lord, whose cause this is, enlighten you and make you a vessel to honour and glory. Amen."

Though Bondage of the Will was definitely a worthy read, I am happy to be moving on now.

Next on the docket - We Were One: The Battle for Fallujah.