The Proper Distinction between Law and Gospel by C.F.W. Walther

Walther, C.F.W. (tr. W.H.T. Dau). The Proper Distinction between Law and Gospel. St. Louis: Concordia, 1929.

This classic book of lectures on the distinction between Law and Gospel came across my deak as I was participating in a class through the American Lutheran Theological Seminary.  I previously had it on my "to read sometime" list but had never made it so far.  I'm glad I read the book, as Walther helped me distinguish more clearly between the Law (what God requires of us) and Gospel (what God has done on our behalf).  Walther takes the idea of Law and Gospel and gives us twenty-one ways the Law and Gospel are not appropriately divided, with illustrations and correctives.  The writing style is difficult, primarily because of the format.  Walther presented this teaching in thirty-nine evening lectures in 1884-1885.  The lectures, apparently presented in Walther's office to his student body of seminarians, were transcribed as he gave them in German.  At a later date, Dau, who had been present for most of the lectures, translated them into English.  At times it seems unclear whether Dau's intention was to preserve Walther's original expressions or to bring the lectures into good English idioms.  This leaves the reader slightly dissatisfied.  Yet Walther's material and his interpretation of ways we can fail in our distinction of Law and Gospel is wonderful.  This book is worth repeated reading by anyone who handles the Scripture publicly.

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Dave Spotts
blogging at http://capnsaltyslongvoyage.blogger.com