Quotes About Authority

Great thieves go Scott-free, as the Pope and his crew.

All we who believe on Christ are kings and priests in Christ.

An earthly kingdom cannot exist without inequality of persons. Some must be free, some serfs, some rulers, some subjects

Thy kingdom come, that Thou rule us, and not: we ourselves," for there is nothing more perilous in us than our reason and will.

Although we are all equally priests, we cannot all publicly minister and teach.

God is wrath and God is mercy. The State is the instrument of his wrath, the Church of his mercy

As when my little son John offendeth: if then I should not whip him, but call him to the table unto me, and give him sugar and plums, thereby, I should make him worse, yea should quite spoil him.

Stop your complaining, stop your doctoring; this tumult has arisen and is direct from above, and it will not cease till it makes all the adversaries of the Word like the mud on the streets. But it is sad to have to remind a theologian like you of these things, as if you were a pupil instead of one who ought to be teaching others.

In all other matters I will yield to any man whatsoever; but I have neither the power nor the will to deny the Word of God.

Since God will have us leave father and mother for his sake, certainly he will have us leave lords (governors) for his sake.

God once spoke through the mouth of an ass. I will tell you straight what I think. I am a Christian theologian and I am bound not only to assert, but to defend the truth with my blood and death. I want to believe freely and be a slave to the authority of no one, of a council, a university, or pope. I will confidently confess what appears to me to be true whether it has been asserted by a Catholic or a heretic, whether it has been approved or reproved by a council.

It seems we must choose between Christ and the Pope. Let the Pope perish.

Examples of this kind teach us that one should not believe any human being, no matter how saintly he may be, but must pay attention to Him who calls and to His Word.

Peter erred in life and in doctrine. Paul might have dismissed Peter's error as a matter of no consequence. But Paul saw that Peter's error would lead to the damage of the whole Church unless it were corrected. Therefore he withstood Peter to his face. The Church, Peter, the apostles, angels from heaven, are not to be heard unless they teach the genuine Word of God.

Here again Diatribe confidently brings in a gloss to suit herself, just as if Scripture were under her complete control. As for considering the prophet's meaning and intention, what need was there for a man of such authority to do that? All we need is: Erasmus says so, therefore it is so.

I ask for the Scripture, and Eck offers me the Fathers. I ask for the sun, and he shows me his lanterns. I ask, "where is your Scripture proof?" and he adduces Ambrose and Cyril. . . . With all due respect to the Fathers, I prefer the authority of Scripture.

People give ear to an upstart astrologer who strove to show that the earth revolves, not the heavens or the firmament, the sun and the moon. Whoever wishes to appear clever must devise some new system, which of all systems is of course the very best. This fool wishes to reverse the entire science of astronomy; but the sacred scripture tells us that Joshua commanded the sun to stand still, not the earth.

Papal decretals are the Devil's excretals.

Each must watch over his own conscience, and therefore each must have the right to judge spirits and prophets; but no one has the right to take the sword for himself.

And the Son is ordered to demand this authority so that He might actually show reverence toward the Father and His inexpressible humility.

A Christian man is the most free lord of all, and subject to none; a Christian man is the most dutiful servant of all, and subject to every one.

No matter how insignificant the little office may be, they take a foot though they do not have an inch,73 and always want to be God themselves when they ought to be God's maid.

Scripture alone is the true lord and master of all writings and doctrine on earth.

And if what they claim were true, why have Holy Scripture at all? Of what use is Scripture?