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| Johann Gerhard, 17th-century German theologian |
[Prayer] is
a ladder by which we ascend to heaven, for prayer is nothing else than a
drawing near of the mind to God. It is a
shield of defence, because the soul that liveth daily in a spirit of prayer is
secure from the insults of devils.
Prayer is a faithful messenger we send to the throne of God, to call Him
to our aid in the time of need.[1]
That just
constitutes a sampling of the engaging poetic imagery Johann Gerhard pens in
his devotional books. Born in 1582 and
living until 1637, the German theologian studied in the age of Lutheran
Scholasticism following the publication of the Book of Concord, which he helped
support by way of his outstanding doctrinal literature, the Loci. However, alongside of this, he assisted in
building up the collection of short sacred contemplations accessible for
personal use. In this genre, he
idiomized a metaphorical style influential to later authors of the cultural
Pietist flavor. Overall, these
metaphorical devices of Gerhard’s devotional writings as a rule directly quote
Scripture or paraphrase it using accurate hermeneutics.
First
of all, extended metaphors typically influenced by Biblical parables encompass
substantial paragraphs, even in alternation.
Popularly, Gerhard likens the salvation story to a marriage relationship
between the soul and Christ, and weaves in many other familiar types as
well.
Jacob served
fourteen years to win Rachel for his wife, but Christ for nearly thirty years
endured hunger, thirst, cold, poverty…Samson went down and sought a wife from
among the Philistines, a people devoted to destruction, but the Son of God came
down from heaven to choose His
bride from among men condemned…Foul and defiled was His bride, but He anointed
her with the oil of His mercy and grace.[2]
Amongst other notable figures the author
features are the vine and branches, the robe of righteousness, the flood of
baptism, evening and morning, the oil of faith, and the Shepherd and sheep.
Next, Gerhard
often utilizes the technique of repeatedly comparing and contrasting two people
or objects, such as the sinner and the Savior, in order to make a point. Furthermore, this can be used for either a
Law comfort or Gospel promise. For
example, “If this be done in a green tree, what shall be done in a dry (Luke
23:31)? If this be done to the Just and Holy One, what shall be done to
sinners?”[3] On the other hand, in discussing the
blessings brought to the Christian by the Passion, Gerhard lists many points of
deference between their state and their Redeemer’s. Here is a mere sampling:
He willingly
submitted to be stripped of His garments, that He might restore to us the robe
of innocence, lost through our transgressions.
He was pierced with thorns,
that He
might heal our sin-pierced hearts. He
bore the burden of the cross, so that He might remove from us the awful burden
of eternal punishment.[4]
Third,
Gerhard uses analogies either drawn from plain understanding or explained by perspicuous
biblical passages in order to express a correct exegetical inference. In “Loving God Alone” from Sacred
Meditations, he supports from the conclusion that if God is perfect and
most loving as the Creator, one should reciprocate that love rather than to
other creatures.
Does not
that man do himself injury who loves anything beneath the dignity of his
nature? Our souls are far more noble
than any created thing because redeemed by the passion and death of God. Why then should we stoop to love the
creature?...Whatever we love, we love because of its power, its wisdom, or its
beauty. Now what is more powerful, what
is wiser, what is more beautiful, than God?[5]
In the “Prayer for Victory Over Temptations
and for Safe-Keeping from the Devil’s Plots,” Gerhard applies the scale of
Christ’s temptations to the weak believers’.
If he dared
to attempt to make himself commander of the heavenly army, will he keep himself
from me, a common soldier? If he did not
think twice to oppose the
very Head
(Matthew 4:3), is there any wonder that he attempts to destroy a weak member of
the mystical body?[6]
Fourth
of all, sometimes Gerhard brings out the simplicity of a truth by means of very
short sentences, frequently to compare and contrast, even directly citing
Scripture. “I despair of myself. In You, hope is repaired. Of myself, I fail. In You, I am restored. In me, there is anguish. In You, I find joy once again.”[7] In regard to the “Denial of Self”: It is better for me to be nothing in You and
receive Your everything than to be something in and of myself and have
nothing. Where I am not, there I am happier. My weakness longs to be strengthened by Your
might. My nothingness reaches for Your
strength.”[8]
In a “Thanksgiving
for Preservation” prayer, to bring out the truth that everything needed to
sustain life belongs to God, Gerhard assembles a chain of short sentences to
bring home the reality:
In You, I
bend and move my limbs. Without You, I
cannot participate in life and movement…The day belongs to You. The night belongs to You…Silver is
Yours. Gold is Yours.[9]
Lastly,
Gerhard views the Bible in light of the theology of the cross, and also
Christocentrically. Any conclusions he
draws are based on keeping the message of Christ’s atoning act central,
accentuating the Messianic typology already found in Scripture. To
ignore such clear signs would be an
exegetical crime, and would even render the interpretation more obscure.
In
the end, all of the abovementioned literary tools are utilized by Gerhard for a
poetic effect, organizational quality, interest, and finally as Scriptural
basis for his seemingly subjective ideas.
Though some may attribute his heavy usage of metaphors to the foreshadowing
of Pietism, they still fall in line with Lutheran orthodoxy in that most are
drawn from the Bible. In including types
and descriptive language, Gerhard does not introduce foreign doctrine or
misleading analogies that would suggest improper hermeneutics. Rather, they act as his paintbrush to color
biblical concepts, only serving to direct the appreciator towards the perfectly
designed model of Holy Scripture.
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