Martin Luther's Ninety-Five Theses Rap Analysis

Bedeutend oder Tragisch?
An Analysis of the “Ninety-Five Theses Rap”
In Light of the Textual Evidence of Martin Luther

An iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther was not solely a theologian; he was a monk, a priest, and a fervent Doctor in Biblia, or professor of the Bible. Moreover, Luther is more widely known, especially by the German Protestant population, as the übermensch who is celebrated for calling into question the authority of a corrupt Church, for fearlessness of passion for seeking God’s truth, and for bringing about liberty in a time of spiritual anarchy. However, those of Jewish descent may see him as slanderous and sinful, perhaps led by a spirit not as holy as he claimed. His portrayal varies, for
“Luther” complains of everyone getting on [his] case because [he’s] anti-Semitic, most likely due to his very ardent language used in his similarly fervent-titled piece, “On the Jews and Their Lies”. In it Luther infamously accuses Jews of “duping” Catholics into “taking on their exile and wretchedness” (Lull, 2012), and other slanderous language which Dominitz is referencing in his lyric. However, Luther acknowledges Christ as a Jew, and that we all reign from him; upon further analysis, it seems Luther’s only qualm is the pride of the Jews and their over-optimism for converting other faiths. Therefore, it seems that Luther’s aversion is not rooted irrationally in the ethnicity of the Jewish race, but rather the Jewish faith. He has no argumentation about the culture of the Jews or any of their traditions, for hatred of this has no basis. His devotion to the Bible equipped him with his belief system that our faith alone saves us, and acts of righteousness are indeed unholy. Blaming the Jews for “boasting in the synagogues […] thanking God for sanctifying them and setting them apart as a peculiar people” (Lull, 1992) seems haughty and conceited to Luther. He believes one should repent, always see himself as a sinner; one should not be content or prideful about one’s faith. This conviction, though unnecessarily verbal and accusatory, lies consistent with
Was he heroic, selfless, demonic, prideful, great? In fact, Luther is not one, but all of these: Luther was a hero is his passion and determination to stand up for what he believed to be right, selfless in that he did it not just for himself, but for the betterment and strengthening of the Christian faith and its people. He had powerful, cruel words for Judaism, towards the Church, and towards the papacy, but it was not without rationale. His mistakes are what made him human, and he did not go without learning from his experiences and growing as a Christian. He dedicated his life to the study of the Bible and took pride in it, and all in all his strong will and somewhat overpowering nature is indeed what made Martin Luther such a great man. No one can be great without fearlessness and audacity; nor can one improve without making mistakes. Though Luther is seen solely as a powerful Reformer and an outspoken theologian, he is also a family man; caring for his wife and family and respecting them above all, regardless of his utter passion for the Bible. Perhaps not all Luther did is welcomed in accord, but his strength and conviction are undeniable traits of a true hero; inspirational in his faith, relatable in his human flaw of sin, and motivating in his endless pursuit of