MARTIN LUTHER & THE 95 THESES THAT TRANSFORMED CHRISTIANITY (PART III)

“When Asking Questions Becomes an Act of Rebellion”

By Akin Ojumu

In Parts I and II of this commentary, we examined the first sixty-two of Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses, issued on October 31, 1517.

We saw how Luther challenged the theological claims of indulgence preachers, questioned the limits of papal authority, condemned the financial exploitation of ordinary Christians, and insisted that the true treasure of the Church is the Gospel of God's grace.

In Thesis 62, Luther made a declaration that cut through the entire controversy:

“The true treasure of the Church is the most holy Gospel of the glory and grace of God.”

Not the wealth of the papacy. Not the magnificence of St. Peter’s Basilica. Not indulgence certificates. Not the supposed power of religious officials to dispense spiritual benefits.

The Gospel.

But Luther was not finished.

In the remaining thirty-three theses, he confronted the scandal of indulgence preaching even more forcefully.

And then he posed a series of devastating questions that exposed the theological inconsistencies and moral contradictions underlying the indulgence trade.

Questions ordinary Christians were entitled to ask. Questions that could not be dismissed simply by appealing to ecclesiastical authority.

Consider them carefully.

THESES 63–95

I. WHEN THE GOSPEL IS REPLACED BY RELIGIOUS PROFITEERING (63–80)

63. Yet this treasure is frequently despised because the Gospel overturns human ideas of greatness, making the first last and the last first (Matthew 20:16).

64. By contrast, the treasure of indulgences is welcomed because it appeals to human desires for privilege, advancement, and advantage.

65. The treasures of the Gospel were once compared to nets used to gather people, including the wealthy, into the kingdom of God.

66. But the treasures of indulgences have become nets used to capture the wealth of men.

67. Indulgence preachers proclaim indulgences to be the greatest of divine blessings, but in practice their supposed greatness lies chiefly in the money they generate.

68. In reality, whatever limited benefits indulgences may claim to provide are insignificant compared with the grace of God and the spiritual life of bearing the cross.

69. Bishops and parish priests are expected to receive authorized Papal indulgence commissioners with proper respect.

70. Nevertheless, they have an even greater obligation to examine these preachers carefully and ensure that they are not proclaiming their own inventions.

71. Anyone who speaks against the legitimate truth concerning Papal indulgences should be condemned.

72. But those who expose the greed, dishonesty, and abuses of indulgence preachers deserve commendation.

73. Just as the Pope may rightly condemn those who deliberately undermine the legitimate administration of indulgences,

74. So much more should he condemn those who use indulgences as an excuse to undermine Christian love and divine truth.

75. It is sheer madness to imagine that Papal indulgences could absolve a person even of the hypothetical crime of violating the mother of God.

76. On the contrary, Papal indulgences cannot remove the guilt of even the smallest sin.

77. To claim that even St. Peter, were he Pope today, could not bestow greater spiritual blessings than indulgences is an insult to both St. Peter and the Papacy.

78. Every Pope has far greater treasures to offer than indulgences: the Gospel, spiritual gifts, and the blessings of God’s grace (1 Corinthians 12:28).

79. To suggest that a cross decorated with the pope’s coat of arms possesses the same worth as the Cross of Jesus Christ is blasphemy.

80. Bishops, priests, and theologians who allow such claims to spread among ordinary believers will have to answer for their negligence.

II. THE QUESTIONS THE RELIGIOUS ESTABLISHMENT DID NOT WANT TO ANSWER (81–91)

81. The reckless preaching of indulgences has become so scandalous that even educated theologians struggle to defend the dignity of the Papacy against reasonable questions from ordinary Christians.

82. For example: 

If the Pope has the power to release souls from purgatory, why does he not empty purgatory entirely out of compassion?

Why should he release souls in exchange for money to construct a Church building when compassion would provide a far more righteous reason?

83. Again:

Why do funeral masses and anniversary masses continue to be offered for the dead? Why are financial endowments not returned if the souls for whom they were intended have already been delivered?

84. Again:

What kind of mercy supposedly allows an ungodly person to purchase the release of a righteous soul from purgatory, yet does not release that soul freely out of love?

85. Again:

Why are ecclesiastical penalties that have long fallen into disuse still treated as binding merely to justify their supposed removal through indulgences?

86. Again:

Why does the Pope, whose wealth exceeds that of the richest men, not build St. Peter’s Basilica with his own money rather than with the money of poor Christians?

87. Again:

What exactly does the Pope grant to those who, through genuine repentance, already possess the forgiveness and blessings that indulgences supposedly provide?

88. Again:

Would it not be an even greater blessing if the Pope granted such remissions and blessings to every believer a hundred times a day rather than occasionally?

89. Again:

If the Pope’s primary concern is the salvation of souls rather than collecting money, why does he suspend earlier indulgences if they supposedly possess the same spiritual effectiveness?

90. To suppress these penetrating questions through intimidation or force, rather than answering them with sound arguments, exposes the Church and the Pope to ridicule.

91. If indulgences were truly preached according to the proper intention of the Pope, these objections could be answered. Indeed, many would never have arisen.

III. FOLLOW CHRIST, NOT THE PROMISES OF RELIGIOUS MERCHANTS (92–95)

92. Away with false prophets who continually proclaim to Christ’s people, “Peace, peace,” when there is no peace! (Jeremiah 6:14).

93. Blessed are those who call Christians to the Cross and to suffering, rather than offering counterfeit Christianity and false assurance.

94. Christians must be encouraged to follow Christ, their Head, faithfully through suffering, persecution, death, and every trial accompanying genuine discipleship.

95. Rather than trusting empty promises of peace and security, believers should be prepared to enter the kingdom of heaven through many tribulations (Acts 14:22).

WHEN ASKING QUESTIONS BECOMES AN ACT OF REBELLION

Now, examine those questions again.

What exactly was Martin Luther asking?

If the Pope has the power to release souls from purgatory, why does he not release them all?

If compassion for suffering souls motivates indulgences, why must money be involved?

If the Pope possesses enormous wealth, why must poor Christians finance his magnificent basilica?

If Christians already possess forgiveness through genuine repentance, what exactly are indulgences supposed to accomplish?

And if the Church possesses satisfactory theological answers, why should anyone object to the questions being asked?

These were not frivolous questions.

They exposed serious contradictions between the religious establishment’s theological claims and its actual practices.

Luther was calling for theological accountability. He wanted the Church’s teachings to withstand scrutiny. He wanted religious authorities to support their claims with sound reasoning and divine revelation.

And he objected to the notion that uncomfortable questions should be silenced rather than answered.

In Thesis 90, he made an observation that remains profoundly relevant:

“Suppressing difficult questions through intimidation rather than answering them with sound arguments only exposes the Church to ridicule.”

Think about that.

Luther was still operating within the medieval Catholic theological system. He had not yet arrived at every conviction that would subsequently define the Protestant Reformation.

But he understood that theological claims must be capable of examination.

That conviction would eventually bring him into direct confrontation with the most powerful religious institution in Western Christianity.

The controversy generated theological debates, formal proceedings, and demands that Luther retract his teachings.

As his criticisms deepened and his convictions concerning biblical authority developed, the conflict escalated.

In January 1521, Pope Leo X formally excommunicated Luther.

Later that year, at the Diet of Worms, Luther was called upon to answer for his writings before imperial authorities.

What began as a dispute over indulgences had become a much greater confrontation over ecclesiastical authority and the relationship between Church tradition and Scripture.

And the religious world would never be the same again.

Continued in Part IV.