LESSON 1.
The Catechism and the Bible.
1. The little book we have before us is called the Small Catechism.The word "catechism" means instruction. This little book gives usinstruction in a brief and simple form, such as even a child canunderstand. It teaches us what every Christian, as a child of God,should believe, and how every Christian, as a child of God, shouldlive.—This book is called the Small Catechism not only because itis a small book, but mainly because we have also a Large Catechism forolder people.
2. The Small Catechism was written by Dr. Martin Luther, the greatReformer of the Church. Luther was born at Eisleben, a small town inGermany, November 10, 1483, and died at the same place, February 18,1546. He published his Small Catechism in the year 1529, for thebenefit of the common people and the children, who are most in need ofsuch instruction.
3. Our Catechism is a small book, indeed, but it is a most preciouslittle book. It does not contain Luther's thoughts and doctrines orthose of any other wise and learned man; it contains God's own wordsrevealed to us for our salvation. It does not teach us all thedoctrines of God's Word, but those that every Christian must know inorder to believe rightly, to lead a godly life, and when his last houris come to depart in peace. Our Catechism teaches these doctrines in ashort form, in plain and simple words.
4. Our Catechism teaches God's Word. How do we prove this? Luther hastaken the contents of his Catechism from the Bible, and the Bible is theWord of God.—The Word "Bible" means book. We call our Bible "thebook" because it really is the Book of books, the book in comparisonwith which no other book is worthy to be called by that name, the mostimportant and valuable book.—The Bible is also called theScriptures, or Scripture, which means something written, a writtenword. The Bible was written by holy men of God. These holy men did notwrite the Bible of their own will. "Holy men of God spake" (and wrote)"as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." 2 Pet. 1,21. God Himself movedHis holy men to write the Bible.
5. The Bible contains many different books, written at differenttimes. We divide the books of our Bible into two chief parts. Thefirst we call the Old Testament. To it belong all the books written bythe prophets of God, by Moses, Samuel, David, Isaiah, and others, beforeour Savior was born.—The second part we call the New Testament,which contains all the books written by the evangelists and apostles,such as Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, Peter, and others, after ourSavior came into this world. Both Testaments teach us the same thingsand doctrines. In what respect do they differ?
6. The Bible is the written Word of God. It is true, holy men havewritten the Bible, but they wrote being moved by the Holy Ghost, andmoreover, they wrote what God told them to write, they wrote byinspiration of God. "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God."2 Tim. 3,16. God inspired His prophets and apostles, that is, He taughtand told them what to write, He taught and gave them the very wordswhich they were to use. When a teacher dictates to his pupils, thechildren, indeed, write the words; yet they do not write their ownwords, but the words of thei