For example, Latomus sought to have his writings and interpretations of Scripture be normative in the church. It was his practice to exalt the words of men and conceal the Word of God (Luther's Works 32:148) since he believed the Word of God to be ambiguous and unclear until clarified by the interpretation of men.

On the other hand, Luther sought to exalt the Word of God and to conceal the words of men. Luther believed that the Word of God is clear and certain in all matters pertaining to our salvation (LW 32:217). For Luther, the ambiguity and uncertainty of Scripture is derived, not from the Word of God, but from the confusing and often contradictory interpretations of men (LW 32:198 & 215).

THE INTERPRETER OF SCRIPTURE MUST BE SUBJECT TO THE WORDS AND AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE ALONE.

If the Word of God is to achieve its proper effect, man must not conceal the Word of God. Instead, "the integrity of Scripture must be guarded, and a man ought not to presume that he speaks more safely and clearly with his mouth than God spoke with His mouth...[for] no one speaks better than he who best understands; but who understands the things of God better than God Himself?" (LW 32:244).

The task of the theologian is to examine what the Scriptures say just as the Berean Christians did in Acts 17. The interpreter is to see whether or not what is taught in the church is true according to the Word of God. "I prefer to drink from the source rather than from the rivulets...I want to have Scripture in the purity of its powers, undefiled by any man, even if he is a saint, and not spiced with anything earthly" (LW 32:223). In all things, Christians are to "refer the divine words without whose authority nothing must be asserted" (LW 32:215).

THE INTERPRETER IS NOT TO ALTER OR CHANGE THE MEANING OF THE WORDS OF SCRIPTURE. THE INTERPRETER IS TO ABIDE BY ESTABLISHED RULES OF GRAMMAR AND WORD USAGE THEREBY ALLOWING THE WORDS OF SCRIPTURE TO INTERPRET SCRIPTURE.

It was the habit of Latomus to make everything changeable and uncertain (LW 32:180). He was guilty of using synecdoche to change the meaning of words (LW 32:160-161), of playing arbitrarily with figures of speech (LW 32:165), of separating the meaning of Scripture from its context, consequences, and circumstances (LW 32:167), of devising meanings for words and the nature of things in accordance with conjecture (LW 32:168-169) and of begging the question (LW 32:188). By doing so, Luther accused Latomus of a new theology which actively changed the meaning of God's Word from the simple, clear sense to the arbitrary opinions of men (LW 32:219).

For example the effect of changing the meaning of one word, such as sin, was that the remedy was changed as well (LW 32:232). Latomus, when he changed the Pauline meaning of sin to "weakness," also changed the Pauline meaning of God's remedy for sin which is God's grace. Therefore, it became impossible for Latomus to understand the Scriptures correctly since THE INTERPRETER MUST UNDERSTAND THE PAULINE USAGE OF SIN AND GRACE IF HE IS TO INTERPRET THE WORD OF GOD PROPERLY.

In Scripture and theology, sin [Law] and grace [Gospel] must be properly understood and distinguished. "For unless the Gospel be plained discerned from the Law, the true Christian doctrine cannot be kept sound and uncorrupt" (Galatians Commentary 193).

SUMMARY CONCLUSIONS AND OBSERVATIONS

According to Luther, if the Scriptures were to be understood correctly, the interpreter must be subject to the Word of God and its authority in every respect. A person does not have the freedom to lord over the Scriptures, to build upon the uncertain and unreliable interpretations of men or to change the meaning of God's Word in order to force it to agree with personal opinions, philosophies and presuppositions. The interpreter must allow God to be God and let Him speak in the clear, simple words recorded in Scripture.

Finally Luther's ministry was not against the reputation of men but against those assertions, inventions, and doctrines which were against the Word of God. Consequently, Luther would not, like Latomus, seek to understand everything "in one way or another," but instead to understand everything according to God's Word using established rules of grammar and word usage.

Luther's attitude toward God and His Word can be evidenced in the manner in which he approached the interpretation of Scripture. The following rules were expressed by Luther in his treatise AGAINST LATOMUS:

1. SCRIPTURE MUST INTERPRET SCRIPTURE. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE AUTHOR OF SCRIPTURE AND HE BEST UNDERSTANDS THE MEANING AND USAGE OF THE WORDS OF SCRIPTURE. THE TASK OF THE INTERPRETER IS TO LET SCRIPTURE INTERPRET SCRIPTURE.

2. THE PROPER DISTINCTION OF LAW AND GOSPEL IS NECESSARY FOR THE CORRECT INTERPRETATION OF ALL SCRIPTURE. THIS DISTINCTION OPENS UP THE ENTIRE SCRIPTURES TO PROPER UNDERSTANDING AND APPLICATION.

3. THE INTERPRETER OF SCRIPTURE IS TO PRESENT THAT INTERPRETATION WHICH FAVORS GODLINESS, AGREES WITH THE WORDS OF SCRIPTURE, IS SIMPLE AND SOUND, AND AGREES WITH THE ANALOGY OF FAITH.

4. THE INTERPRETER MUST ABIDE BY THE USUAL RULES OF GRAMMAR AND WORD USAGE WHEN READING AND INTERPRETING THE SCRIPTURES.

5. IT IS THE INTERPRETER'S TASK TO EXALT THE WORD OF GOD AND TO CONCEAL THE WORDS OF MEN. WE ARE TO DRINK FROM THE SOURCE AND NOT THE RIVULETS.

6. ALL DOCTRINE IS TO BE TESTED BY DIVINE SCRIPTURES AND THE ONE TEACHER WHO IS CHRIST. THE SOLE PURPOSE OF THE SCRIPTURES IS TO REVEAL THE INCARNATE CHRIST.

7. THE PURE, SIMPLE AND ORIGINAL SENSE IS TO BE SOUGHT UNLESS THE CONTEXT OR AN EVIDENT ABSURDITY FORCES ONE TO RECOGNIZE A FIGURATIVE EXPRESSION.

8. THE CHURCH IS TO USE NO NEW, UNSCRIPTURAL WORD IN THE CHURCH'S DOGMATIC FORMULATIONS SO THAT THE INTEGRITY OF SCRIPTURE MIGHT BE PRESERVED.

9. SCRIPTURE POSSESSES A UNITY SIMILAR TO THE TWO NATURES IN CHRIST; THAT IS, AS CHRIST CAME TO EARTH TO BECOME FLESH FOR US, SO HE COMES TO US IN THE LANGUAGE OF MEN REVEALING HIMSELF IN HIS WRITTEN WORD.