Martin Luther’s Large Catechism remains for most Lutherans an unheralded and unknown document. We are familiar with the Small Catechism, as it is generally a required textbook for most confirmation classes, but the Large Catechism has not enjoyed the recognition of its shorter counterparty.

This is a shame, because it is my opinion that the Large Catechism is the most important Lutheran document ever written. While it lacks the historical significance of the Augsburg Confession, it is simply unparalleled as far as content is concerned.

The Small Catechism does a remarkably efficient and succinct job at laying out the basic foundations of our faith. It does this in an orderly fashion, moving from Law (Ten Commandments), to Gospel (Apostles’ Creed), to prayer (Lord’s Prayer), to Sacraments. The Large Catechism builds on this pattern and adds meat to the basic skeleton that is laid out by the Small Catechism.

Luther is perhaps at his best in the Large Catechism. As he expounds on the Ten Commandments, he explains how the Law not only prohibits sinful activity, but it also promotes the opposite—virtue. For instance, when we are told in the First Commandment, “You shall have no other gods before Me,” this does more for us than just forbid idolatry. It also prescribes for us the one true God as the object of our faith. This theme carries throughout all ten of the commandments.

As he moves to the Apostles’ Creed, Luther explains who God is for us. Each Person of the Trinity provides for us in unique ways. God the Father uses all of His good creation to provide for us on a day-to-day basis. God the Son redeems us as our Lord. According to the Creed, each part of Jesus’ incarnation, birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension is the good news of the Gospel for us. God the Holy Spirit is our sanctifier, and according to Luther in the Large Catechism, sanctification entails living the Christian life under the good news of the Gospel.

In the Lord’s Prayer, Luther explains that we pray not to change God’s mind or to remind Him what we need. We pray in order to remind ourselves what God is already doing. The Large Catechism closes with some excellent and more thorough thoughts about the Sacraments and their benefits for us as Christians.

If you haven’t ever taken the time to read through the Large Catechism, I highly recommend that you do. It’s relatively short, and makes for excellent devotional reading.

Pr. Jason Gudim
Faith Free Lutheran Church
Minneapolis, MN

Resources that include the Large Catechism:

Order Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions here.  

 Order The Large Catechism of Martin Luther here.

 Order The Book of Concord– Edited Tappert here.

 Order Luther’s Large Catechism with Study Questions – edited by Janzow here.

 Order The Book of Concord– Edited by Kolb and Wengert here.

 Order Luther’s Large Catechism with Study Questions – edited by McCain here.