It is difficult for me to imagine life in that century, physically, mentally or spiritually. Let's discuss the spiritual environment of the day for now. The Catholic Church reigned throughout most of the Christian world. Bibles were few and those rare copies were found in churches, not in homes. Most of the general population couldn't read or write and mass printing was just beginning to make books available for public consumption for those would could.
You were totally reliant upon your priest when it came to learning about God and His Word. This power for those who were charged with explaining the divine did not go unnoticed. For example, people of that day were told that to make it to heaven would require them to pay indulgences to their local church. Indulgences were the commutation for money of part of the penalty for sin, a sacrament of penance purchased through gifts and currency. (Totally eliminating the need for the divine sacrifice that Jesus had already paid to all who wished to be saved).
Now the official policy of the Catholic Church was not to imply divine forgiveness through indulgences but as the Middle Ages continued abuses became common. Soon these abuses of power reached to the very top of the Catholic Church. After Pope Sixtus IV extended indulgences to souls in purgatory, protests being to generate among theologians. The public was still very much in the dark regarding this unholy practice but this was about to change.
The scandal began to grow in Germany in 1517 with the issue of an indulgence that was supposed to be marked for the rebuilding of St. Peter's in Rome. But by secret agreement, half of the proceeds given by the German faithful were actually being used to meet a debt of an archbishop who had incurred the debt in order to repay the Pope for appointing him to his high office.
Frederick III the Wise, preferred that the faithful make their offerings at his own great collection of relics in Wittenberg, Germany. Martin Luther became aware of this practice after church members showed him the pardons for their sins received by various church leaders. Outraged at this practice, Martin Luther wrote the Ninety-five Theses. You can read more about this historical event here.
I digress. What I recently discovered was that Martin Luther's students and followers would visit his home frequently for dinner and when Martin Luther spoke they would write down his words, important and non-important. While skimming through these volumes entitled, "Table Talk" I noticed Martin Luther complaining about local bakers and their dishonest weighing of their wares. He also discussed his views on disciplining his children, marriage, and many other topics.
Here is a small taste of "Table Talk" where Martin Luther is discussing the wisdom of the world versus the wisdom of God. "The highest wisdom of the world is to busy itself with temporal, earthly, and ephemeral things; and when these go ill, it says, Who would have though it? But faith is a certain and sure expectation of that which a man hopes for, making no doubt of that which yet he sees not. A true Christian dos not say when faced with difficulties, where did that originate? He is most certain that the beloved cross is near at hand; and thus is not afraid when it goes ill with him and he is tormented. But the world, and those who put their faith in its security, cannot bear misfortune; they go on continually dancing in pleasure and delight, like the rich man in the gospel. He could not spare table scraps to feed poor Lazarus; but Lazarus now belongs to Christ, and will forever rule with Him."
If you would like to read more of "Table Talk" click here. There are multiple translations and versions and most scholars agree to read with the eye of a skeptic when it comes to the recording of the exact words of Martin Luther. But when taken with a general view of the landscape at the time they are an fascinating glimpse into the mind of the father of the reformation.
