Here's a meme that highlights the 1519 Leipzig debate between Martin Luther and the Roman Catholic theologian John Eck. The Luther character asks where prayers for the dead are in the Bible, the Eck character responds with 2 Maccabees 12:43-46.
The Argument: The issue of "prayers for the dead" is symbiotically related to purgatory. Proving the first becomes a prooftext for the other. Rome's defenders often argue that Eck trapped Luther into denying the seven books of the Old Testament Apocrypha at this moment of the debate. That is, in order to deny prayers for the dead and the reality of purgatory, Luther was forced to deny the infallible authority of the Apocrypha. It is at this juncture in which Luther decided to remove the seven books of the Apocrypha from the Biblical canon.
How to Respond:
1.Luther went into the Leipzig debate still affirming the reality of Purgatory (though with reservations) and still adhered to it for a while after the Leipzig debate, probably rejecting it sometime in 1520.
2. There is no meaningful proof that the Leipzig debate was the point in which Luther rejected the Apocrypha. If one searches Luther's writings, he consistently quoted from the Apocrypha in the same way both before and after the Leipzig debate.
3. Luther did not accept the Apocrypha and then reject it. He never accepted it as primary infallible Scripture. Luther was schooled in a tradition that gave the Apocrypha secondary non-canonical status.
4. Rome's defenders typically only provide evidence Luther rejected 2 Maccabees and then make the illogical leap that he rejected the entire Apocrypha because of Eck's trap at the Leipzig debate. Evidence is not offered as to why the other books were rejected by Luther, it is assumed.
For further reading, see my old AOMIN entries in which I critiqued Roman Catholic Apologist Gary Michuta's book, Why Catholic Bibles Are Bigger:
- Why Gary Michuta Says Protestant Bibles Are Smaller (1)
- Why Gary Michuta Says Protestant Bibles Are Smaller (#2)
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In his 1537 Smalcald Articles (Part II, Article II, 25-27; https://thebookofconcord.org/smalcald-articles/part-ii/article-ii/#sa-ii-ii-0025) Martin Luther discussed the invocation of the saints in heaven (distinguishing that from a person asking a fellow Christian on Earth to pray for him):
25] The invocation of saints is also one of the abuses of Antichrist conflicting with the chief article, and destroys the knowledge of Christ. Neither is it commanded nor counseled, nor has it any example [or testimony] in Scripture, and even though it were a precious thing, as it is not [while, on the contrary, it is a most harmful thing], in Christ we have everything a thousandfold better [and surer, so that we are not in need of calling upon the saints].
26] And although the angels in heaven pray for us (as Christ Himself also does), as also do the saints on earth, and perhaps also in heaven, yet it does not follow thence that we should invoke and adore the angels and saints, and fast, hold festivals, celebrate Mass in their honor, make offerings, and establish churches, altars, divine worship, and in still other ways serve them, and regard them as helpers in need [as patrons and intercessors], and divide among them all kinds of help, and ascribe to each one a particular form of assistance, as the Papists teach and do. For this is idolatry, and such honor belongs alone to God.
27] For as a Christian and saint upon earth you can pray for me, not only in one, but in many necessities. But for this reason I am not obliged to adore and invoke you, and celebrate festivals, fast, make oblations, hold masses for your honor [and worship], and put my faith in you for my salvation. I can in other ways indeed honor, love, and thank you in Christ.
Furthermore, in his 1530 Apology to the Augsburg Confession, which Martin Luther strongly supported (St.L. 16, 913; Enders, 8, 79.), Philipp Melanchthon wrote (Ap., XXI:8-13):
8] Besides, we also grant that the angels pray for us. For there is a testimony in Zech. 1:12, where an angel prays: O Lord of hosts, how long wilt Thou not have mercy on
9] Jerusalem? Although concerning the saints we concede that, just as, when alive, they pray for the Church universal in general, so in heaven they pray for the Church in general, albeit no testimony concerning the praying of the dead is extant in the Scriptures, except the dream taken from the Second Book of Maccabees, 15:14. Moreover, even supposing that the saints pray for the Church ever so much,
10] yet it does not follow that they are to be invoked; although our Confession affirms only this, that Scripture does not teach the invocation of the saints, or that we are to ask the saints for aid. But since neither a command, nor a promise, nor an example can be produced from the Scriptures concerning the invocation of saints, it follows that conscience can have nothing concerning this invocation that is certain. And since prayer ought to be made from faith, how do we know that God approves this invocation? Whence do we know without the testimony of Scripture that the saints perceive the prayers of each one?
11] Some plainly ascribe divinity to the saints, namely, that they discern the silent thoughts of the minds in us. They dispute concerning morning and evening knowledge, perhaps because they doubt whether they hear us in the morning or the evening. They invent these things, not in order to treat the saints with honor, but to defend lucrative services.
12] Nothing can be produced by the adversaries against this reasoning, that, since invocation does not have a testimony from God’s Word, it cannot be affirmed that the saints understand our invocation, or, even if they understand it, that God approves it. Therefore
13] the adversaries ought not to force us to an uncertain matter, because a prayer without faith is not prayer.
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