Questions and answers to the six parts of the small catechism of Dr. Martin Luther

Front matter

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

TO THE SIX PARTS OF THE

SMALL CATECHISM

I. The Ten Commandments

In the plain form in which the head of the fajnily should teach them to his household.

I AM THE LORD THY GOD.

The First Commandment.

Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth ; thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them : for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me ; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

Ans. We should fear, love and trust in God above all things.

The Second Commandment.

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain ; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain. 1

A. We should fear and love God, and not curse,' 2

1 That is, to use it otherwise, than God meant it to be used.

2 To wish some evil to be done by the Lord.

16 luthkr's small catechism.

swear, 3 use witchcraft,* lie 5 or deceive 6 by His name, but call upon His name in every time of need, and worship Him with prayer, 7 praise 8 and thanksgiving. 9

The Third Commandment.

Remember the sabbath day 10 to keep it holy. 11 Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God : in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates : for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day ; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Q. What is meant by this ?

A. We should fear and love God, and not despise preaching and His Word, but keep it holy 13 and gladly hear and learn it.

The Fourth Commandment.

Honor 13 thy father and thy mother, that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

Q. What is meant by this ?

A. We should fear and love God, and not despise

3 To call God as a witness.

4 To employ God's Name (Word or creature) by aid of the devil, to find out what God has hidden, or to get what He has withheld

5 To falsify God's Word and truth.

8 If the lie is believed by another to his injury. 7 To ask of God.

8 To tell God's wonderful qualities and works.

9 To acknowledge and confess God's good gifts.

10 Bay of rest. In Hebrew, Sabbath ; in German, Feiertag.

11 To separate it from common, everyday use, and give it to the service of God.

2 Keep it as God's word, i. e., as unlike every other word, and exalted above every word.

13 To respect the dignity which God has given to each, and to esteem him accordingly.

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 1 7

our parents and masters, nor provoke them to anger, but honor, 1 * serve, 15 obey, 16 love and esteem them.

The Fifth Commandment.

Thou shalt not kill.

Q. W 'hat is meant by this ?

A. We should fear and love God, and not hurt nor harm our neighbor 17 in his body, but help 18 and befriend 19 him in every bodily need.

The Sixth Commandment.

Thou shalt not commit adultery. 20

Q. What is meant by this ?

A. We should fear and love God, and live chaste 21 and pure 22 in words and deeds, each one loving and honoring his spouse.

The Seventh Commandment.

Thou shalt not steal.

Q What is meant by this ?

A. We should fear and love God and not take 23 our neighbor's money or property, nor get it by false wares or dealing, but help him to improve and protect his property and living.

The Eighth Commandment.

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

14 Show in all our behaviour, that we honour them in our hearts.

15 In every way even without bidding, to do as pleases them.

16 To heed their bidding and do it.

17 Our fellowman, whom it is in our power to help.

18 Relieve him from need.

19 Further him.

fl0 To break the love and fidelity promised to wife or husband. 21 To try to keep one's own body and soul free from evil lust. 32 By neither word nor deed giving another an occasion of evil lust, but rather moving all to a pure and holy life by our example. 23 That is, wrongfully.

A. We should fear and love God, and not falsely 24 belie, 25 betray, 26 slander 27 nor defame 28 our neighbor, but excuse 29 him, speak well 30 of him, and make the best 31 of all he does.

The Ninth Commandment.

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house.

A. We should fear and love God, and not craftily seek to gain our neighbor's inheritance or home, nor get it by a show of right, but help and serve him in keeping it.

The Tenth Commandment.

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his cattle, nor anything that is his.

Q. What is meant by this ?

A. We should fear and love God, and not estrange, force 32 or entice 1 ' 3 away from our neighbor his wife, servants or cattle, but urge them to stay and do their duty.

Q. What does God say of all these commandments f A. He says: I the Lord thy God am a jealous 3 * God, visiting 35 the iniquity of the fathers upon the

24 Out of a false heart.

25 To lie against our neighbor.

i6 To tell our neighbour's secret to his harm.

27 To lie against him behind his back.

28 To raise bad reports.

30 If others speak of him only evil, forgetting the good that may be said.

31 Put the best explanation on what he does or does not.

32 Leave him no peace, until he gives.

33 To take away their heart and confidence from husband or master.

34 Who strictly requires the love we owe Him. 3 ' In order to punish.

children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate nie ; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.

Q. What is meant by this ?

God threatens to punish all who transgress these commandments ; therefore we should fear His wrath, and do nothing against such commandments. But He promises grace and every blessing to all who keep these commandments ; therefore we should love and trust in Him, and gladly do according to His commandments.

II

In the plain form in which the head of the family should teach it to his household.

The First Article. 2 Of Creation.

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

A. I believe that God has made 3 me, together w 7 ith all creatures ; 4 that He has given and still preserves to me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses ; also clothing and shoes, meat and drink, house and home, wife and child, land, cattle and all my goods ; that He richfy and daily provides me with all that I need for this body and life, protects 5 me against all danger, and keeps me and guards me from all evil ; and all this purely out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any

1 Statement and confession of what we believe and ought to believe.

2 Member. Part. 3 Out of nothing.

4 All things made. 6 Covers me, so that I am safe.

merit or worthiness in me ; for all which I am in dutybound to thank and praise, to serve and obey Him. This is most certainly true.

The Second Article.

Of Redemption.

And in Jesus 6 Christ 7 His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary ; suffered under Pontius Pilate, 8 was crucified, dead and buried ; He descended into hell ; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty ; from thence He shall come to judge 9 the quick and the dead.

Q. What is meant by this ?

A. I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord ; who has redeemed 10 me, a lost and condemned creature, purchased 11 and won 12 me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil, not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood, and with His innocent sufferings and death : in order that I might be His own, live under Him in His kingdom, and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence and blessedness, even as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns 13 to all eternity. This is most certainly true.

The Third Article.

Of Sanciificatiofi.

I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy Christian

6 Saviour.

7 Messiah, the Anointed One.

8 The Governor of Judea, appointed by the Roman Emperor.

9 To distinguish and separate the bad from the good.

10 Ransomed.

II Earned me bv His labour. Bought me with a price.

12 In battle.

13 Asa king.

Church, 14 the Communion of Saints; the Forgiveness of sins ; the Resurrection of the body ; and the Life everlasting. Amen. 15

Q. What is meant by this ?

A. I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord, or come to Him ; but the Holy Ghost has called 16 me by the Gospel, 17 enlightened 18 me with His gifts, and sanctified and preserved me in the true faith ; even as He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and preserves it in union with Jesus Christ in the one true faith ; in which Christian Church He daily and richly forgives me and all believers all our sins, and at the last day 19 will raise up me and all the dead, and will grant me and all believers in Christ everlasting life. This is most certainly true.

III. The Lord's Prayer

n form it to his household.

Our Father who art in heaven.

Q. What is meant by this ?

A. God would hereby tenderly invite us to believe that He is truly our Father, and we are truly His children, so that we may ask of Him with all cheerfulness and confidence, as dear children of their dear father.

14 A spiritual Temple of the Lord, built of living stones, in which He dwelleth.

1 5 This is most certainly true.

16 To summon from one place to another.

17 The good tidings of the forgiveness of sins for the sake ot the sufferings and death Christ bore in our stead.

18 To give light or knowledge.

19 The last day of the world.

The First Petition.

Hallowed be Thy name.

Q. What is meant by this ?

A. The name of God is indeed holy in itself; but we pray in this petition that it may be hallowed also among us.

Q. How is this done ?

A. When the Word of God is taught in its truth and purity, and we as the children of God, lead holy lives, in accordance with it ; this grant us, dear Father in heaven ! But he that teaches and lives otherwise than the Word of God teaches, profanes the name of God among us : from this preserve us, Heavenly Father !

The Second Petition.

Thy kingdom come.

A. The kingdom of God comes indeed of itself, without our prayer ; but we pray in this petition that it may come also to us.

Q. How is this done ?

A. When our heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word, and live godly here in time, and in heaven forever.

The Third Petition.

Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Q. What is meant by this f

A. The good and gracious will of God is done indeed without our prayer ; but we pray in this petition that it may be done also among us.

Q. How is this done ?

A. When God breaks and hinders every evil counsel and purpose, which would not let us hallow God's name nor let His kingdom come, such as the will ot the devil, the world, and our own flesh ; but strengthens and keeps us steadfast in His Word and in faith unto our end. This is His gracious and good will.

The Fourth Petition.

Give us this day our daily bread.

Q. What is meant by this ?

A. God gives daily bread indeed without our prayer even to all the wicked ; but we pray in this petitiou that He would lead us to acknowledge and receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.

Q. What is meant by "daily bread"?

A. All that belongs to the wants and support of the body, such as meat, drink, clothing, shoes, house, home, laud, cattle, money, goods, a pious spouse, pious children, pious servants, pious and faithful rulers, good government, good weather, peace, health, order, honor, good friends, trusty neighbors and the like.

The Fifth Petition.

And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.

Q. What is meant by this ?

A. We pray in this petition that our Father in heaven would not look upon our sins, nor, on account of them, deny our prayer ; for we are not worthy of anything we ask, neither have we deserved it ; but that He would grant us all through grace ; for we sin much every day, and deserve nothing but punishment. And we on our part will heartily forgive and readily do good to those who sin against us.

The Sixth Petition.

And lead us not into temptation.

A. God indeeds tempts 1 no one, but we pray in this petition that God would guard and keep us, that the devil, the world and our flesh 2 may not deceive us, nor lead us into misbelief, 3 despair 4 and other shameful sin and vice ; and, though we be thus tempted, 5 that we may still in the end overcome, and have the victory.

The Seventh Petition.

But deliver us from evil.

Q, What is meant by this ?

A. We pray in this petition, as the sum of all, that our Father in heaven would deliver us from all manner of evil — in body and soul, property and honor — and at last, when the hour of death shall come, grant us a blessed end, and graciously take us from this vale of sorrow to himself in heaven.

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Q. What is meant by this ?

A. That I am to be sure that these petitions are acceptable to our Father in heaven, and are heard ; for He Himself has commanded us so to pray, and has promised to hear us. Amen, Amen, that is, Yea, Yea ; it shall be so.

1 Puts no one to the test, in order to bring him to sin.

3 Our inborn sinful nature.

3 A false belief.

* Ceasing to doubt, but yielding to unbelief.

6 Brought into such inward battle.

IV. The Sacrament 1 Of Holy Baptism

In the plain form in which the head of the family should teach it to his household.

I.

Q. What is Baptism f

A. Baptism is not simply water, but it is the water comprehended in God's command, and connected with God's word.

Q. What is that word of God ?

A. That which Christ our Lord says in the last chapter of Matthew: "Go ye and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost"

II.

Q. What benefits does Baptism confer, f

A. It works forgiveness of sins, delivers from death and the devil, and gives everlasting salvation to all who believe what the words and promises of God declare.

Q. Which are those words and promises of God ?

A. Those which Christ our Lord says in the last chapter of Mark : "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved ; but he that believeth not, shall be damned."

III.

Q. How can water do such great things ?

A. It is not water indeed that does it, but the word of God, which is in and with the water, and faith which trusts this w^ord of God in the water. For without the word of God, the water is simply water, and no baptism ; but with the word of God, it is a baptism, that is, a gracious water of life and a washing

1 A holy mystery.

of regeneration in the Holy Ghost ; as St. 2 Paul says, Titus iii. 5-8: ''According to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost ; which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour ; that being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying."

IV.

Q. What does such baptizing with water signify ?

A. It signifies that the old Adam 3 in us should, by daily sorrow and repentance, be drowned and die, with all sins and evil lusts ; and, again, a new man daily come forth and arise, who shall live before God in righteousness and purity for ever. Q. Where is this written ?

A. St. Paul says, Rom. vi. 4 : "We are buried with Christ by baptism into death; that like as He was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."

OF THE OFFICE OF THE KEYS AND CONFESSION.

A.

{From the Kinderpredigten of the Brandenburg-NUrnberg Order

Q. What word of God belongs to the Office of the Keys ?

A. Jesus breathed on His disciples, and said unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost : whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them ; and whosoesevei sins ye retain, they are retained. John xx. 22, 23.

I believe that what the called ministers of Christ do to us by His divine commandment, especially when they shut open and impenitent sinners out of the Fellowship of the Christian Church, and absolve those who repent of their sin and intend to amend, is as valid and certain even in Heaven, as if our L,ord Jesus Christ did it Himself.

* I.e., the holy Paul.

3 The sinful nature born in us.

CONFESSION. 27

HOW PEOPLE SHOULD BE TAUGHT TO

CONFESS.

Q. What is Confession ?

A. Confession embraces two parts: one, that we confess our sins ; the other, that we receive absolution or forgiveness from the pastor as from God Himself and in no wise doubt, but firmly believe that through it our sins are forgiven before God in heaven.

Q. What sins should we confess ?

A. Before God we should acknowledge ourselves guilty of all sins, even of those which we do not discern ; as we do in the Lord's Prayer. But before the pastor we should confess those sins only which we know and feel in our hearts.

Q. Which are these ?

A. Here consider your station in the light of the Ten Commandments: whether you be a father, mother, son, daughter, master, mistress, servant; whether you have been disobedient, unfaithful, slothful ; whether you have wronged any one by word or deed ; whether you have stolen, neglected, wasted aught, done any harm.

Q. Please show me a short way to confess f

A. You should say, Reverend and dear sir, I beseech you to hear my confession, and to announce to me forgiveness for God's sake.

Say,

I, a poor sinner, confess before God that I am guilty of all sins ; especially before thee I confess that I am a man-servant, a maidservant, etc.; but I have been unfaithful to my master ; in this case or in that I have not done what he bade me ; I have provoked him and caused him to curse ; I have neglected many things and let them go to waste ; in words and deeds I have been immodest ; I have been angry with my fellows ; I have grumbled and sworn at my wife, etc. For all this I am sorry and ask forgiveness. I mean to do better.

A Master or Mistress should say thus :

In particular I confess before thee that I have not been faithful in training my children, domestics, family, to God's glory. I have cursed. I have set a bad example by unchaste words and deeds. I have injured my neighbour. I have slandered, have overcharged, or given false goods, or false measure. And whatever more he may have done in violation of God's commandment.

If any one do not feel oppressed by such or greater sins, let him not be anxious, or hunt up andjjivent sins, and thereby make his confession a torture, but let him name the one or two sins he knows. Thus : In particular, I confess that once I cursed. Once I used immodest words. I have neglected this or that, etc. This is enough.

But if you know of none at all (which is hardly possible), mention none in particular, but receive the forgiveness after the General Confession which you make before God to the minister.

Then the Confessor should say : God be merciful unto thee and strengthen thy faith. Amen.

And Dost thou believe that my forgiveness is the forgiveness of God? A. Yes, dear sir.

Then let him say.

As thou believest, so be it done unto thee. And in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ I forgive thee tlvy sins, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. Depart in peace.

A pastor will know how to console with passages of Scripture those who have great burdens on their conscience, or are distressed and tempted, and can encourage them to believe. The form just given is intended only as a pattern for the simple.