Luther´s Lecture of Scripture – Ebeling Revisited

The author surprisingly argues that insufficient attention has been given to Luther‘s reading of the Scriptures. One of the few exceptions is Ebeling‘s pre-war dissertation. The thesis of the exposition is that Luther‘s reading of Scripture must be viewed within the mystical tradition in which Luther stands. Luther is not interested so much in special hermeneutics as in an expository technique. He instead takes an interest in opening up to the influence of God‘s Word and allowing it to work, with its tendency to incarnate in the world and in life. Here Luther stands in the tradition of the German mystical "Gelassenheit". The author believes that Gerhard Ebeling must have been aware of this. Dialectical theology rejecting mysticism prevented him, however, from admitting this connection. The current ecumenical situation, along with the contribution of Finnish research in Lutheran mysticism, allows us to reinterpret Ebeling‘s otherwise still incomparable work.

Keywords: Martin Luther; Gerhard Ebeling; New Finnish Research on Luther (Mannermaa school); Historical, Sacramental, Exemplary and Spiritual Interpretation of Scripture; German Mysticism; Hermeneutics of Scripture; Dialectical Theology