Martin Luther Quiz

The Lutheran Reformation was a religious movement about 500 years ago ignited by God’s work in the life story of a priest, professor and prolific speaker and writer named Martin Luther. 

Have you ever heard of him? If you have, how much do you know? Here are 10 questions. The answers are below.

1. Where was Luther born?
2. What was his experience like in the early years of school?
3. Where did he earn his master’s degree?
4. What book did he finally read, even though it was kept quite hidden?
5. When he was caught in a lightning storm, what was his prayer?
6. Why couldn’t he find peace?
7. Martin Luther discovered that he didn’t need indulgences or good works to find peace and be right with God, he just needed _________.
8. On what date did Luther nail the 95 theses on the church door?
9. What was he asked to do at the Diet of Worms?
10. What was his response?

Answers:

1. Martin was born on November 10, 1483 in Eisleben, Germany to Hans and Margaret Luther. He was baptized the next day.
2. A few years later Martin Luther went to school, where religion held a prominent place. He learned doctrine and hymns and prayers, and spoke Latin. The teachers were harsh, and he was once whipped 15 times for feeling to a lesson that wasn’t even assigned. That experience helped him develop his love for God’s forgiving grace being proclaimed by the church.
3. Luther became an exceptional student, and earned his masters degree from the University of Erfurt.
4. While a student there, Luther discovered something kept quite hidden in those days. A book. This book was held tightly by priests in the church, and Luther only heard it read in church, but never actually touched one, until now. It was chained in place in the university library. It was the Bible.
5. His father wanted him to become a lawyer, but Luther’s heart was heavy. He didn’t want to study law. He wanted to study about God, yet because of his upbringing he was afraid of God. Then, he was caught in a violent storm; lightning struck nearby and fell to the ground. He prayed, “Save me, and I’ll become a monk.” And he did.
6. The more he studied the Bible, the more he was not at peace. He couldn’t do enough to be saved. He wasn’t good enough to earn God’s goodness. Dr. John Staupitz, a leader of the monastery, told Luther, “Throw yourself into Jesus’ arms. Believe in him.” And he did.
7. Luther rose to leadership in the monastery himself. He became a doctor of theology, and then began lecturing at the university. And the more he studied the Bible, the more he realized he didn’t need good deeds to be forgiven, didn’t need the church to interpret the Bible, didn’t need indulgences to provide eternal peace after death. He just needed Jesus.
8. On October 31, 1517 Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the wooden church door in Wittenberg, Germany, disagreeing with the church’s teachings, and publicly asking church leaders to correctly teach the Bible and Jesus. Eventually Luther was excommunicated and condemned as a heretic.
9. Luther’s friend, Elector Frederick the Wise, defended him and made arrangements for him to be heard before powerful leaders of church and the Roman Empire itself, including Emperor Charles V. At the Diet of Worms Luther was asked to retract his writings. He refused.
10. .“Unless I am convinced by the testimonies of the Holy Scriptures or evident reason … I am neither able nor willing to recant … Here I stand … God help me. Amen.”

PRAYER: God, thank you for Christians and churches who defend the Bible as the absolute truth of God, who proclaim that sinners are forgiven and saved by the grace of Jesus Christ, and teach that anyone can receive these free gifts by faith, without accumulating any kind of credit or righteousness by good deeds. Amen.

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