The 16th century was a dark time for the Church. Whether through ignorance or for personal gain, forgiveness and salvation were reduced to the status of a commodity - bought from the church to fund projects and fill pockets. Access to God's Word was restricted to priests and academics, with little likelihood that it could be read by common people.

It was at this moment in history that a depressed Augustinian monk by the name of Martin Luther left behind his ascetic life to venture into academia. He seemed an unlikely candidate to fill the role of hero, leaving behind the monk's cell, studying and obtaining his degrees, eventually overseeing several monasteries in his role as the vicar of Saxony and Thuringia.

From 1510 to 1520 his lectures on Psalms, Hebrews, Romans, and Galatians prompted a study of his source text in God's Word. His conclusions were inescapable: what he read in God's Word was not what he observed in church practice. Justification, as taught in the Scriptures, was by faith alone, and access to it could not be bought or sold. His efforts to turn the church hierarchy back to the truth of Scripture would eventually split the church, prompt rebellions, and divide society.

His preserved writings underscore his message to us even today, whether hymns, Bible translations into the common tongue, or commentaries on the Word of God. Read here his commentaries, the wisdom that the Scriptures revealed to him, translated for us by Graebner, Gillett and Lenker. They provide insight for all believers to have access to the truth of God's Word.