Pastor's Corner

Pastor John R. Reed

On February 18, 1546, Martin Luther—the most well-known man of the sixteenth century—passed away in Eisleben, the town where he had been born. He had traveled there despite poor health to help reconcile the quarreling counts of Mansfeld, Gebhard and Albrecht, whose dispute over finances affected Luther’s own family.

While in Eisleben, Luther preached several times at St. Andreas Church (on January 31 and February 2, 7, and 14) and participated twice in the Lord’s Supper. His final sermon was short due to illness, but he urged his listeners “to remain faithful to Christ’s words and to come to Him.” Aware that death was near, he often spoke of his readiness to die, even remarking that upon his return to Wittenberg he would “lie down in the grave” as God willed.

Luther’s last written words, found on a scrap of paper after his death, proclaimed: “We are beggars. That is the truth.” On the night of February 17, as his health declined, Luther prayed Psalm 31:6: “I hate those who pay regard to worthless idols, but I trust in the Lord.”

Later, suffering another heart attack, Luther recognized that death was close, saying, “It is the cold sweat of death.” He prayed again using Luke 2:29: “I will go in peace and joy. Amen.”

Moments before his death, he repeated Psalm 31:6 three times. When asked if he died trusting in Christ and holding to the same doctrine he had preached, he whispered his affirmation. Around 2:45 a.m., Martin Luther died peacefully—just a short distance from the place of his birth.