Martin Luther (his original name was Martin Luder, who later changed to Martin Luther), was a German Catholic theologian and friar who lived between 1483 and 1546.

This Augustinian friar promoted religious reform in Germany. His ideas and reflections inspired the Protestant Reformation and initiated a current of great importance within the Church: Lutheranism.

  • You may be interested in: “The 40 best religious phrases”

Phrases and reflections of Martin Luther

Martin Luther asked to return the Church to the sacred teachings of the Bible. His ideas were listened to with great attention and a restructuring took place in the various church bodies and institutions in Europe.

The life and work of Martin Luther surpasses his contributions in the religious field . Studied in the faculties of philosophy of half the world, his contribution to the language and universal thought are remarkable.

In today’s article we will learn the 71 best phrases of Martin Luther .

1. He who does not like wine, women or singing, will be a fool all his life.

Curious famous quote coming from a catholic friar.

2. Whoever considers his doctrine, faith, and confession as right and true cannot remain in the same stable with the error or adhere to the false doctrine… A teacher who remains mute when error is taught, and yet pretends to be a teacher of the truth, is worse than a shameless fanatic, and with his hypocrisy does more harm than a heretic… these do not want to offend anyone, or say a word in favor of Christ, or fight the devil and the world.

About faith and how each person contributes to fostering it.

3. Thought is tax-free.

Of the few things that are free.

4. And while I slept or drank the Wittenberg beer with my friends Philip and Amsdorf, the Word weakened the papacy so greatly that no prince or emperor managed to cause them so many defeats. I did nothing: the Word did everything.

A way of giving credit to the divine will.

5. But since the devil’s bride, Reason, that beautiful prostitute, intervenes and believes that she is wise, and that what she says, what she thinks, comes from the Holy Spirit, who can help us, then? Not the judges, not the doctors, not any king or emperor, because [Reason] is the devil’s greatest whore.

A philosophical phrase that caused controversy for centuries.

6. The faculty of the ear is a sensitive thing: very soon it is satiated and soon it gets tired and bored.

A sense that must be pampered and fed with gusto.

7. The humility of the hypocrites is the greatest and most haughty of the proud.

A great paradox about the proud and self-centered personality.

8. First, we must set fire to their synagogues or schools and bury and cover with dirt everything that is not burned, so that no man will ever see stone or ashes from them again. This is to be done in honor of Our Lord and Christianity, so that God may see that we are Christians and that we do not knowingly approve or tolerate such lies, curses and blasphemies to His Son and to His Christians.

A violent reaction to the Jews.

9. Since their most serene majesty and their highnesses demand from Me a simple, clear, and precise answer, I will give it, and it is this: I cannot submit my faith either to the pope or to the councils, for it is as clear as the light of day that they have fallen many times into error as well as into many contradictions with themselves. Wherefore, if I am not convinced by biblical testimony, or by evident reasons, and if I am not persuaded by the very texts which I have quoted, and if they do not subject my conscience to the Word of God, I cannot and will not recant anything, because it is not worthy of a Christian to speak against his conscience. Here I am; I am not allowed to do otherwise. God help me! Amen!

Advocating for a more horizontal Church with a more direct relationship with God Ideas that would flourish for years to come.

10. I made a covenant with God: that He would not send me visions, or dreams, or even angels. I am satisfied with the gift of the Holy Scriptures, which give me abundant instruction and all that I need to know both for this life and for what is to come.

A life that follows the path marked out by the holy scriptures.

11. The heart of a man is a millstone that works ceaselessly; if you do not grind anything, you run the risk of having it grind itself.

Adventure is what enables a man to progress and feel alive.

12. War is the greatest plague that strikes humanity; it destroys religion, it destroys nations, it destroys families. It is the worst of evils.

A pacifist phrase from Luther.

13. I beg you to leave my name alone. Do not call yourselves Lutherans, but Christians. Who is Luther? My doctrine is not my own. I have not been crucified by anyone… How then does it benefit me, a miserable bag of dust and ashes, to give my name to the children of Christ? Cease, my dear friends, to cling to these names of parties and distinctions; let them all go, and let us call ourselves Christians only, according to Him from whom our doctrine comes.

A famous quote full of humility about his figure and his influence within the Catholicism of the time.

14. Lord Jesus. You are my righteousness as I am your sin. You have taken upon You all that I am and given me and covered me with all that You are. You have taken upon You what You are not and given me what I am not.

A word of thanks and admiration for the son of God.

15. Medicine makes people sick; mathematics makes people sad; and theology makes people sinful.

Each discipline can generate aberrations among those who study them.

16. What is God to Christians? A great castle, a powerful shield, a good weapon.

A metaphor to interpret the weight of God among the believers.

17. Therefore we receive spiritual blessings by the grace of a third party and not by our own efforts. Two opposing ideas cannot both be true-that Grace is so cheap that anyone anywhere can earn it; and at the same time, Grace is so precious that we can only obtain it through the merits of one man, Jesus Christ.

A sincere praise for the figure of Jesus Christ.

18. Nature is only as long as God created it. That is why it is so perfect.

One of those phrases about nature that automatically connects us to the environment.

19. Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would fall apart, I would still plant my apple tree.

One of Martin Luther’s most memorable phrases.

20. We are saved only by faith, but the faith that saves is never alone.

Discipline, love for others and other ingredients cannot be missing.

21. Then, when the devil throws your sins in your face and declares that you deserve death and hell, tell him this: “I admit that I deserve death and hell, so what? Because I know the One who suffered and made satisfaction in my name. His name is Jesus Christ, Son of God, and where He is there, I will be too!”

A plea from Luther to face his final fate.

22. If you want to change the world, take your pen and write.

Writing is the art of transcending consciousness.

23. My heart, which is so full of overflow, has often been comforted and refreshed by music when it is sick and tired.

A phrase for music lovers, one of the most remembered by Martin Luther.

24. The dog is the most faithful of animals and would be much appreciated if it were not so common. Our Lord God has made his best gifts too common.

A phrase from Luther that shows his love for animals.

25. I have so much to do that I will spend the first three hours in prayer.

Sometimes overwork can lead to only one solution: prayer.

26. Therefore, this life is not justice, but growth in righteousness, not health, but healing, not being but being, not rest, but exercise. We are not yet what we will be, but we are growing towards it, the process is not yet finished, but it is happening, this is not the end, but it is the way. Everyone is not yet shining in glory, but everything is being purified.

Discipline and solemnity above all.

27. True humility does not know that it is humble. If it did, it would be proud of the contemplation of such fine virtue.

A good consideration about this great quality.

28. Everything that is done in this world is done by hope.

The hope and desire for a better future.

29. You have both humor and faith.

A curious phrase tracing an equivalence between these two features.

30. Be a sinner and sin boldly, but believe and rejoice in Christ even more boldly.

From the point of view of those who believe in a religion, no one is free from stain, despite their link to the divine.

31. Beer is made by men, wine by God.

Curious belief about the origins of these famous alcoholic drinks.

32. I fear that schools will try the very gates of hell, unless they diligently work at explaining the Holy Scriptures and engraving them on the hearts of the young.

These statements would be seen today as a defense of the indoctrination of children, but in their historical context they were normal.

33. Feelings come and feelings go. And feelings are deceptive.

Martin Luther invites us not to get carried away by feelings.

34. I will trust in the unchanging Word of God until soul and body are cut off, for though all things will pass away, His word must remain forever.

The concept of the divine is usually associated with that of eternity.

35. There have never been, nor are there now, too many good books.

An insatiable taste for literature.

36. Let the wife make her husband happy to come home and let him make her sad to see him go.

Once again, expressing opinions based on the division of gender roles

37. God writes the gospel not only in the Bible, but in trees, flowers, clouds and stars.

Every piece of land contains a little bit of divine essence, according to Luther.

38. Where the battle rages, the soldier’s loyalty is shown.

It is precisely when the context is dangerous and hard that the true character of each person flourishes.

39. You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say.

One can sin by committing something that is wrong, or by omitting a responsibility.

40. Every time the devil harasses you, seek the company of men or drink more, or joke and talk nonsense, or do something happier Sometimes we have to drink more, have fun, recreate ourselves and even sin a little to annoy the devil, so that we don’t let him into the room to disturb our consciences. When the devil tells you: don’t drink, answer him: I will drink.

A way of looking at sin that departs from Christian orthodoxy.

41. I have kept many things in my hands, and I have lost them all, but all that I have placed in God’s hands, I still have.

Religion seen as a way to connect to metaphysical, ultra-earthly ideals.

42. He who drinks beer, hastens to sleep, sleeps much, does not sin, he who does not sin, enters into heaven, so let us drink beer!

An ironic phrase to highlight this short story.

43. I cannot choose but to adhere to the word of God, which has possession of my conscience. I cannot, I will not even make any retraction, for it is neither safe nor honest. to act against conscience! I can’t do anything else, so help me God, Amen.

Martin Luther saw himself as a servant of the Christian god.

44. There are two days on my calendar: This day and that day.

Emphasizing the present moment and the immediate future.

45. The Christian shoemaker does his duty not by putting little crosses on his shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship

The importance of the symbolism of the cross meant that it was not considered in bad taste to use it in a component of clothing in contact with the ground.

46. Although it is very easy to marry a wife, it is very difficult to keep her together with the children and the household. Consequently, no one notices this faith of Jacob’s. In fact, many hate fertility in a wife for the sole reason that children should be supported and educated. Because this is what they commonly say: ‘Why should I marry a wife when I am a beggar and a beggar? I would rather carry only the burden of poverty and not burden myself with misery and need. “But this guilt is unjustly linked to marriage and fertility. In fact, you are accusing your unbelief of distrusting God’s goodness, and you are causing greater misery by disregarding God’s blessing. Because if you had confidence in God’s grace and promises, you would undoubtedly be supported. But since you do not hope in the Lord, you will never prosper.

Here we can see the mentality of the time, which tends to give a lot of importance to gender roles.

47. A person who… does not regard music as a wonderful creation of God, must be a real nutcase and does not deserve to be called a human being; he should be allowed to hear nothing but the braying of donkeys and the snarling of pigs.

An example of this friar’s incendiary statements.

48. The devil, the creator of sad anguish and restless problems, flees at the sound of music almost as much as he flees at the Word of God … Music is a gift and a grace of God, not an invention of men. Therefore, it drives out the devil and makes people happy. Then one forgets all anger, impurity and other devices.

This theologian attributed a divine essence to music.

49. Your great Majesty and your Honours seek a simple answer; I will give it to them in this way, neither with horns nor without teeth. Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by a clear reason (for I trust neither the Pope nor the councils, since it is well known that they have often erred and contradicted each other), I am bound by the Scriptures which I have quoted and my conscience is held captive by the Word of God. I cannot and will not retract anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience.

A declaration of intent that in turn sums up well the way in which Lutheranism at the time represented a dissent from Catholicism.

50. An unjust law is no law at all

Another of Luther’s aphorisms, this time talking about the nature of laws and their purpose.

51. All those who invoke God with true faith, sincerely from the heart, will certainly be heard, and will receive what they asked for and desired.

A way of thinking that puts the focus on intentions.

52. I do not know the way in which God leads me, but I know my Guide well.

A reference to the nonsense of trying to understand everything God does, very typical in Christianity.

53. All the devil’s cunning is exercised in trying to wrest the word from us

Moving away from rational reasoning and communication brings us closer to the Lutheran notion of sin.

54. There is no relationship, communion or companionship more friendly and charming than a good marriage.

Marriage has always been important to the different branches of Christianity.

55. Peace if possible. Truth at all costs.

A very idealistic view of reality.

56. One book is enough, but a thousand books are not too many!

It never hurts to keep learning.

57. God doesn’t need your good works, but your neighbor does.

A morality based on doing good in the material world.

58. Next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world.

A personal opinion about the importance of music.

59. The heart overflows with joy, and jumps and dances for the joy it has found in God. In this experience, the Holy Spirit is active, and has taught us in the blink of an eye the deep secret of joy. You will have as much joy and laughter in life as you will have faith in God.

Another description of the sensations associated with the religious experience.

60. They’re trying to make me a fixed star. I’m an irregular planet.

No one has ideas as clear and fixed as they seem from the outside.

61. Here I am; I can’t do anything else.

A simple aphorism that speaks to the way Luther lived what he did as a task to which he was predestined.

62. It is better to think of the church in the brewery than to think of the church brewery.

One of Luther’s phrases that demystify the concept of church.

63. In the midst of the affliction which He counsels, He strengthens, He confirms, He nourishes and He favours us … More over, when we have repented, they instantly remit sins as well as punishments. In the same way, parents should handle their children.

A lesson in parenting based on the principle of justice.

64. The best way to expel the devil, if he does not yield to the texts of the Scriptures, is to mock and deride him, for he cannot bear contempt.

Not taking seriously that which is associated with evil can cause it to lose its power.

65. The sin beneath all our sins is to trust the lie of the serpent that we cannot trust the love and grace of Christ and must take things into our own hands.

A reference to original sin.

66. Every man must do two things alone; he must do his own belief and his own death…

A vision of religiosity based on the individual.

67. A Christian is a lord perfectly free from everything, subject to no one. A Christian is a perfectly obedient servant of all, subject to all, subject to all.

An apparent contradiction that reveals the fact that every believer is accountable to God.

68. Many pass for saints on earth whose souls are in hell.

Contrast can make us overestimate people.

69. Faith must trample on all reason, sense and understanding.

A very passionate view about the nature of faith.

70. Every issue, if done right, gets the attention of the whole person.

In practically any activity, you can stand out.

71. The soul can dispense with everything except the word of God, without which none of its desires are provided.

In the case of Martin Luther, it is normal that he gave a very important role to religion.