Martin Luther: Sola Scriptura, Solus Christus, and the canon

Resumen

This article provides an in-depth analysis of Martin Luther’s understanding of sola Scriptura and its profound connection to solus Christus, examining how these principles shaped his perspective on the biblical canon. Luther saw the expression “Word of God” as referring to Christ, the proclaimed Gospel, and the written Bible, which must unambiguously point to Christ to be considered authoritative. This view, in turn, led Luther to reject the canonicity of several books, particularly the Epistle of James, which he deemed nonapostolic and lacking a clear Christocentric message due to its emphasis on works. Finally, the article critiques Luther’s Christocentric test for canonicity as inconsistent and subjective, arguing for more objective, biblically grounded criteria.