Luther's Large Catechism (Modern)

A Christian Preface

Being a Faithful, Earnest Exhortation Addressed by Luther to all Christians, but Especially to all Pastors and Preachers, to Diligently Exercise Themselves Daily in the Knowledge of the Catechism, Which is a Short Summary and Extract of the Whole Bible, and to Continually Put it into Practice.

We have serious reasons for urging the consistent use of the Catechism and for calling on others to do the same. It is deeply troubling to see how many pastors and preachers are negligent in this duty, bringing shame on both their office and the teachings of that small but vital book. Some neglect…

Foreword

This small book, originally conceived as a sermon, was designed to instruct children and those with little formal education. For this reason, it has been called a "Catechism" since ancient times, a Greek word meaning a method of teaching suited to children. Its contents represent the bare minimum…

The First Commandment

"You shall have no other gods before me" (Exod 20:3; Deut 5:7).

The simple meaning of this commandment is: worship me alone as your God. But what does that actually mean? What is a god, and what does it mean to have one? Answer: A god is whatever you look to for all good things and turn to for help in every time of need. To have a god simply means to trust and…

Appendix to the First Commandment

Although these words apply to all the commandments, as we will see later, they are attached here to this chief commandment because nothing matters more than getting the foundation right. When the foundation is right, everything built on it will be right as well. Notice also what these words reveal:…

The Second Commandment

"You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who takes His name in vain." (Exod 20:7; Deut 5:11)

Just as the first commandment shaped the heart and taught faith, this commandment moves us into the outer world and trains our lips and tongue to speak rightly toward God. Words are, after all, the first outward expression of what lives in the heart. As I explained above that you must understand…

The Third Commandment

"Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy" (Thou shalt sanctify the holy day). (Exod 20:8; Deut 5:12)

The word "holyday" (Feiertag) comes from the Hebrew word Sabbath, which literally means to rest (feiern), to stop working. This is why we say in German, "Feierabend machen," meaning to cease working, to observe an "evening rest," or to keep the evening holy. In the Old Testament, God set apart the…

The Fourth Commandment

"Honor your father and your mother." (Ex. 20:12; Deut. 5:16)

So far we have worked through the first three commandments, which deal with our obligations to God. First, that we are to trust, fear, and love Him with our whole heart for all the days of our lives. Second, that we must never misuse His holy name to prop up lies or wicked deeds, but instead use it…

The Fifth Commandment

"You shall not murder." (Exod 20:13; Deut 5:17)

Up to this point, we have addressed both spiritual and civil government, covering the exercise of divine and parental authority as well as the obedience owed to each. In this commandment, however, we step outside our own households and into the wider community, in order to learn how each person…

The Sixth Commandment

"You shall not commit adultery." (Exod 20:14; Deut 5:18)

The commandments that follow are clarified by the explanations of the earlier ones, since they all instruct us to avoid harming our neighbor and are arranged with remarkable logic. They begin with the security of a person's own life. Next comes what is closest and most precious to him: his wife,…

The Seventh Commandment

"You shall not steal." (Exod 20:15; Deut 5:19)

After our own persons and our spouses, our earthly possessions are what we hold most dear. God intends to protect these as well. He has commanded that no one damage or diminish what belongs to their neighbor. "Stealing" means nothing other than acquiring someone else's property through dishonest…

The Eighth Commandment

"Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor." Exod 20:16; Deut 5:20.

Beyond the sacredness of a person's body, marriage, and property, there is yet another treasure that no one can do without: his honor and reputation. Public shame and contempt are simply unbearable. God intends to guard our neighbor's honor and character just as He guards his other possessions, so…

The Ninth and Tenth Commandments

"You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything else that belongs to your neighbor." (Ex. 20:17; Deut. 5:21)

These two commandments were addressed specifically to the Jews, but they concern us as well, at least in part. The Jews did not read them as prohibitions against sexual immorality or theft, since those sins were already covered by earlier commandments. In their view, they were keeping these…

Conclusion to the Ten Commandments

In the Ten Commandments, we have a complete summary of God's instruction for human life. They tell us what we must do to live in a way that pleases Him. They point us to the true source from which all good works spring and the true channel through which they must flow. No action, no pattern of…

The First Article of the Creed

"I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth."

These words give us a concise description of God the Father: His nature, His will, and His work. Since the Ten Commandments have already established that we are to have no other gods, it's natural to ask: What kind of being is God? What does He do? How can we describe and represent Him in a way…

The Second Article of the Creed

"And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; He descended into hell; on the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there He will come to judge the living and the dead."

Here we come to know the second person of the Godhead and discover what God has given us beyond the earthly goods already discussed: He has poured Himself out on our behalf, giving everything and holding nothing back. This article is broad and contains a great deal, but to treat it briefly and…

The Third Article of the Creed

"I believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy Christian Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen."

I can't explain this article any better than to say directly what it covers: the work of sanctification, and specifically the role of the Holy Spirit as the one who makes us holy. We should hold firmly to the title "Holy Spirit," because it captures his identity so clearly and completely that no…

Introduction to the Lord's Prayer

We've now covered what we are to do and what we are to believe, along with where the best and most blessed life is found. Now comes the third part: how we are to pray. Since no human being can keep the Ten Commandments perfectly, even one who has made a genuine beginning in faith, and since we must…

The First Petition

"Hallowed be your name."

These words are a little obscure and don't translate naturally into plain speech. In our own language, we might put it this way: Heavenly Father, help us so that your name alone may be held holy. But what do we actually mean when we pray that God's name would be hallowed? Isn't it already holy? The…

The Second Petition

"Your kingdom come."

In the first petition, we prayed about God's honor and name, asking that He would keep the world from using them to dress up its lies and wickedness, and that He would help us revere His name and hold it holy in both our teaching and our lives, to the praise and glory of that name. Here, in the…

The Third Petition

"Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

So far, we have prayed that God's name would be honored among us and that His kingdom would grow and flourish. These two requests cover everything that relates to God's glory and our reception of God Himself, along with all the treasures He brings, which is to say our salvation. But at this very…

The Fourth Petition

"Give us this day our daily bread."

The subject raised here might seem trivial at first glance. It concerns the bread basket, the basic necessities of our bodies and our earthly lives. The words of the prayer are brief, but their reach is vast. When you mention and pray for "daily bread," you are praying for everything required to…

The Fifth Petition

"And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors."

This petition speaks to the poverty and wretchedness woven into our daily lives. Even when we have God's Word, believe it, do His will, submit to it, and receive His gifts and blessings with gratitude, our lives are still not free from sin. We stumble and fall every day, because we live among…

The Sixth Petition

"And lead us not into temptation."

We've now covered at length the effort required to receive and hold on to everything we pray for, along with the weaknesses and struggles that come with that effort. And even after we've received forgiveness, gained a clear conscience, and been fully absolved, life remains such that a person can…

The Seventh Petition

"But deliver us from evil. Amen."

In the Greek text, this petition reads: "Deliver, or preserve, us from the evil one, or the malicious one." This clearly refers to the devil as the embodiment of all evil, as though the entire substance of our prayer should be aimed at our greatest enemy. He is the one who opposes everything we…

Baptism

We have now completed our explanation of the three main parts of common Christian teaching. What remains is to discuss the two sacraments instituted by Christ, about which every Christian should have at least a basic understanding, because no one can truly be a Christian without the sacraments.…

The Lord's Supper

Having addressed holy baptism from three angles, it makes sense to treat the second Sacrament the same way: what it is, what benefits it offers, and who should receive it. Our guide throughout will be the words Christ used when He instituted this Sacrament, words that every person who wants to be a…