Table Talk (German: Tischreden) is a collection of Martin Luther's sayings around the dinner table at Lutherhaus, Luther's home, but also at other times and locations, such as walks in the garden or notes taken while on journeys. It is based on notes taken by various students of Luther between 1531 and 1546. It was compiled by Johannes Mathesius, J. Aurifaber, V. Dietrich, Ernst Kroker, and several others, and published at Eisleben in 1566.[1]
Mathesius spoke enthusiastically of the privilege of eating with Luther and hearing him converse.[2] Earlier notetakers had written down only the serious remarks of Luther, but Mathesius also wrote down the facetious or even damaging remarks, a sign of the increasing reverence in which Luther was held.
Contents in the Weimarer Ausgabe
WA TR 1. Tischreden aus der ersten Hälfte der dreißiger Jahre (i.e. from the first half of the 1530s)
Nr. 5676–5749: Tischreden aus der Handschrift "Clm. 943".
Nr. 5750–5790: Tischreden aus der Handschrift "Clm. 939".
Nr. 5791–5824: Tischreden der Handschrift "Bav." und "Oben."
Nr. 5825–5889: Tischreden aus der Handschrift "Luth.-Mel."
Nr. 5890–5941: Tischreden aus der Handschrift "Wolf. 3232"[6]
Nr. 5942–5989: Tischreden aus Georg Rörers Handschriftenbänden.
Nr. 5990–6507: Tischreden aus Anton Lauterbachs Sammlung "B."
WA TR 6. Tischreden aus verschiedenen Jahren, aus Johannes Aurifabers Sammlung (i.e. from various years from the collection made by Johannes Aurifaber)
Nr. 6508–7075: Tischreden aus Johannes Aurifabers Sammlung (Abkürzung: FB) (i.e. Table talks from the collection made by Johannes Aurifaber (abbreviation: FB))
^This collection was previously only published in its entirety in Georg Rörer's edition.
^A manuscript with table talk from Konrad Cordatus which was found in a library in Berlin.
^A manuscript with table talk which was found in a school library in Zwickau.
^ abA manuscript with table talk which was found in a library in Wolfenbüttel.
^"Math." means Johannes Mathesius and "L." means Leipzig, because the manuscript was found in a library in Leipzig. These table talks are possibly from the 1530s.
^Manuscripts 'Clm.' are in the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Munich.
External links
D. Martin Luthers Werke, Kritische Gesamtausgabe. Tischreden. 6 vols. Weimar: Verlag Hermann Böhlaus Nachfolger, 1912–21.
Table Talk. Grand Rapids, MI: Christian Classics Ethereal Library