CPH (Concordia Publishing House) has done another great service for the church in the publishing of “Reading Romans with Luther”. The author RJ Grunewald explains the themes in Romans and organizes his book around these themes.
There is a certain amount of intimidation that I find in reading both Luther and Paul. They leave you with the impression that they have received the height and debt, the length and breath, and all the fullness of the love of God whole and entire in one moment of revelation. Paul had the Damascus Road and Luther had the Tower experience. They get what Paul called the “mystery” and the multifaceted variegated “economy” of God to save us. At the same time you realize that both of these men were steeped in the Scriptures every day of their adult lives and there was no nook or granny of the Bible that they had not investigated. What unlocked everything for these brilliant men was God’s forgiveness of the sinner for the sake of Christ apart from works of the Law. In their love for the Word their explanations tumble over one another and gush forth like a torrent. To have a book like this is interesting and fun. It is a commentary on a commentary on a commentary. Grunewald comments on Luther’s commentary on Paul’s exposition of the justification of the sinner. This is a great little book and written like a devotional. It simplifies and clarifies things that might be daunting and brings more clarity to a theologian who was pretty clear to begin with. Do yourself a favor and get it.
