Trans. J. N. Lenker et al. (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2001)
prepared by Shane Lems, M.Div (WSC '07)
© 2007 Shane Lems. All Rights Reserved.
Usage: You may link to this index but it may not be copied wholesale without the permission of the author of the index. The usual restrictions applying to materials apprearing on the WSC website also apply.
Note: The first four volumes have two parts. Thus, I & II below are parts I and II of volume one, III and IV are parts I
& II of volume two, V and VI are parts I & II of volume three, parts VII & VIII are parts I & II of volume four.
Gospel is my "catch-all" category, one where you'll see Luther at his gospel-best. "Works" is negative, but "good
works" is positive, or truly good works. "Papism" or "Pope" are general terms for all of Rome and her teaching, while
"Monasticism" is general for monks, nuns, orders, etc. "Word" means Bible or preached word, a theme Luther trumpets
often. Luther also used personal/autobiographical illustrations in his sermons, which are quite telling concerning his
early days as a monk. Be sure to note the following pages (ff) of some citations.
Also note that this index is a bit subjective. Of course I have not listed every reference of every topic and some
emphases may even be stilted, I admit. I advise the reader not to make any theological conclusions on Luther's
emphasis in preaching from this list alone. Yet for all the shortcomings of the index, I hope it is helpful. Please inform
me (at lems at att.net) of any errors or significant additions.
Two Kingdoms......IV.212, 217, 220ff; VII.200, 209, 234ff, 274ff, 280ff; IX.100ff, 246, 279, 283; VIII.132, 350; XI.132ff, 162ff, 225, 281ff
3rd use of the law.....IX.65
Absolution.....I.391; II.174, 198, 235ff, 349; XI.251
Accommodation........I.231
Anabaptists.....III.435; IV.254, 283; VIII.201; XI.147
Aquinas.....IV.183
Aristotle.....I.331, 344; 2.43; III.397
Arius......VIII.79, 93
Assurance......VIII.295
Autobiographical ......I. 377; II.201, 254, 263, 271, 376, 406ff; III.147ff; VII.293, 349;
VIII.20, 73, 92, 203, 242, 296, 298, 322ff, 342, 349; IX.77, 149, 162;
XI.75, 135ff
Baptism.....II.80ff; III.188ff, 203ff; III.228, 234,426; VII.242ff; VIII.143ff;
IX.153,179, 221ff, 307
Bondage of the will.......XI.109
Christ alone.......III.252ff; VII.197ff; X.82
Christ as judge (not)......I.30, 33, 78, 99, 110; II.325ff; III.344; IX.51, 106
Christ in the OT.....I.150ff, 174, 283ff, 373, 450; II.29, 125, 180ff, 292ff,
Christ the King.....I.24; III.333, 117, 125
Christ, ubiquity of.....I.383ff
Christ's merits......III.115, 126;
Church......III.64ff, 67ff, 319ff; IV.327, 367; VII.324ff; VIII.193, 290, 300ff;
IX.300; X.62; XI.234
Civil government.......III.35ff, 381; IV.149, 175ff, 193;
Confession .....II.195ff
Covenant........VII.215ff
Death.....II.125ff, 178, 228;
Devil......I.263, 286, 320, 344ff, II.94, 103, 160, 263, 280, 313, 320ff, 343;
III.56, 58, 120, 149, 242, 247, 263, 301ff, 327ff, IV.30ff, 33ff, 128ff,
251, 257, 329; 368ff; VII.304ff; VIII.76ff, 85ff, 89ff, 98, 123ff, 198,
219, 327, 363; IX.107, 111ff, 134, 143, 169, 265, 323, 342, 395, 482,
488; X.14ff, 34, 106ff; XI.59, 200ff, 219, 232, 239ff, 242, 296ff,
345,378ff;
Election.....VII.167
Faith alone.....III.360ff; VII.122ff, 125; IX.88, 265; X.71, 80, 95, 99,
Faith.......I.143, 233, 408; II.270, 354; III.69, 202, 245ff, 454; IV.207, 303ff,
373, 378; VII.239, VIII.52, 167, 281; IX.244, 257, 235, 308, 331;
XI.22, 81, 127, 140, 185ff, 218, 298
Faith/works.....I.109, 280; II.72ff, 92ff, 108; III.187, 225ff, 388; IV.102, 340ff;
VII.125, 157, VIII.57; IX.193
Free will.....I.25; II.159ff, 236; III.76, 80ff
Good works.......VIII.168; XI.37, 56, 77
Gospel.....I.443ff; IV.184, 236; VII.179, 197, 207, 249; VIII.43ff, 48, 293, 377;
IX.68, 162, 361, 370, 388, 430, 439; X.11, 39, 68; XI.31, 109
Grace.....I.27-30, 409-410; III.357
Gratitude........I.318, 413; III.232; IV.287, 289; VII.347; VIII.158, 332
Holy Spirit, the.....II.292ff; III.134ff, 156ff, 278ff, 299ff, 322, 328ff, 433; VII.122, 332;
VIII.173, 177, 209; IX.330; X.31, 97
Imputation.....VII.346, 352; VIII.346, 352; IX.89
Indulgences.....I.390
Introspection......II.189, 242
Justification.......IX.450ff; X.71, 101
Kingdom, the.....II.332, 360, 408; III.28ff, 134ff , 222, 306,
Law .......II.366ff; III.115, 139, 232, 283, 377, 390ff, 425, 428, 432; IV.37, 73,
157ff, 170, 183, 346; VII.331; VIII.235ff, 245, 251ff; IX.61, 183;
X.79; XI.66ff, 250, 276ff
Law & preaching.......I.385; II.236, 365, 370;
Law and gospel.....I.96ff, 100, II.67, 177, 350; III.18ff, 147, 277, 361; IV.158ff;
VIII.174ff, 236ff; IX.184ff, 350
Lord's Supper.....II.202ff, 224ff, 269ff;
Marriage........I.427ff
Mass, the........I.440; II.197, 229, 254; IV.39ff
Medieval darkness.....I.63, 2.46, 254, 260, 286, 312ff, 348; III.53ff
Merit......II.344, 372; III.447
Monasticism......I.423; III. 114ff, 127ff, 150ff, 186, 250; IV.60, 105, 241, 328;
VII.229, 312; VIII.63, 82, 267ff, 285; IX.149ff; XI.61, 75
Muntzer.....VIII.60, 79, 92
Original sin.....I.410
Papism......I.68; III.47, 122, 325, 331, 384, IV.122, 173ff, 285ff, 332; VII.155,
246ff, 254, VIII.60, 65, 80, 204, 208, 295, 297, 368; IX.145ff, 376;
X.69, 87, 103; XI.205, 215, 248, 280, 349ff;
Perfectionism.....VIII.280
Pilgrim......VII.275, VIII.192
Pope.......III.241, 347; IV.236ff, 241, 275, 281, 284, 390;
Prayer.....III.168ff, 176ff; VII.314; VIII.339ff
Preaching/Preacher........I.44ff, 62, 94, 130ff, 146, 235, 260, 270, 371ff; II.97, 342, 355, 363,
376; III.161, 184ff, 400; IV.87, 160, 238; VII.241; VIII.241; IX.340,
463, 338ff, 463; X.35, 37, 81, 114, 238, 240; XI.371;
Preaching; lack of gospel......I.78-79, 105, 153ff;
Priesthood of all believers.....II.376;
Providence.....I.410;
Purgatory.......I.347;
Reason......I.22-23, 183, 192ff 210-215, 219, 225, 263, 279, 309, 360ff; II.33, 49,
244, 293; III.116, 119, 191, 249, 411ff, 437; IV.24, 205, 225; VII.311,
VIII.15, 27, 79, 81ff, 89, 162ff, 229, 270, 296, 309, 371; IX.198, 201,
304; X.29; XI.189, 210, 285, 288
Repentance.....II.314, 340ff
Resurrection......II.216ff
Righteousness.....III.144, 149; IV.74; IX.90, 124, 182, 184, 369; XI.135, 231, 282, 322
Roman superstitions......I.37-39, 243, 358, 397ff, 414, 408; II.333ff;
Sanctification.....II.315; VII.84
Scripture........I.305ff, 337, 347;
Simul iustus et peccator. Saint/sinner........III.281; VII.83, 187ff, 334ff; VIII.148ff, 171; X.39
Sola Gratia.....VIII.13, 51
Sola Scriptura.....VII.325ff
Suffering........II.39, 44; III.79ff; VIII.90ff, 101
Theology of glory ¹........III.111, 316, 342, 438; VIII.178; IX.124
Theology of the cross.....I.14ff, 264, 375, 309; II.33, 150, 190, 308ff; III.26ff, 213, 316, 453;
VII.106, VIII.381ff
Theosis (anti).....III.316
Trinity.....I.175ff
Vocation........I.249, 281ff; VII.276ff; IX.319; XI.10ff, 48, 174ff,
Word, the.......II.149ff; III.268; IV.92; VII.89, 207ff, VIII.31, 83ff, 320; IX.146ff,
198ff, 304, 332ff, 363; XI.39ff, 120ff, 241ff, 360
Works.....I.35, 145, 277, 408, 296; III.80ff, 225ff, 252ff, 348, 384ff, 416, 421;
IV.257; VIII.239; IX.428; X.70; XI.111, 129
Worship.....I.412;
¹ The actual terms "theology of glory" and "theology of the cross" are not used by Luther in his sermons though the
concepts clearly come through.
Although each sermon could be properly summarized in two words, namely, Jesus Christ, I find it helpful to use the following index as way to see what Luther had to say about different topics (especially these topics preached).