Student Book Review: Martin Luther’s The Bondage of the Will
Posted On May 21, 2025
Written by Jordan Rodriguez, a current student at RBC pursuing his B.A. in Theology with a major in Biblical Studies.
In his book The Bondage of the Will, Martin Luther writes in opposition to Desiderius Erasmus’ book, On the Freedom of the Will. Throughout his own book, Luther refers to Erasmus’ book as Diatribe, the first word of its title in Latin. Erasmus had argued that man’s free will plays a crucial role in salvation, and Luther’s thesis is that Erasmus’ Diatribe argues from poor exegesis and inconsistent logic. As he breaks down the proofs of Erasmus, Luther demonstrates that what Erasmus presents as proof of free will not only fails to prove it but instead proves the bondage of the will.
Luther introduces his book by addressing why he is writing and why he took longer than usual to write a response to a critic like Erasmus. He opens with a warm greeting to Erasmus and acknowledges his writing abilities in contrast to his own. Before unleashing his critique of what Erasmus has written, Luther ensures that his opponent understands his high regard for him. He is quick to add, however, that part of why he initially did not respond was that he at first did not think that Diatribe merited his attention, since in his analysis, Erasmus had said nothing which Luther and his associates had not previously refuted. Since he did not want anyone to think he had conceded on this issue, Luther felt compelled to take on Diatribe in defense of predestination by grace and the bondage of the will.
Luther addresses each part of Diatribe in turn, beginning with its preface and introduction, and moving on to Erasmus’ argument in general, followed by a focused discourse on his arguments based on Scripture. At each step, he shows where Erasmus has contradicted himself or misinterpreted the text he argues from. After this systematic address of what Erasmus has written, Luther writes his argument for the bondage of the will, based primarily on the writings of the Apostle Paul and John the Evangelist. He then ends with an appeal to Erasmus to concede the argument and commends him for how he has conducted himself on his part in approaching the matter with grace and dignity.
After addressing the logical and scriptural arguments of Erasmus, Luther turns to building his own argument from Scripture for the bondage of the will. As one would expect, Luther begins this argument from Romans 1 and works through the epistle as he proves point by point that human will is incapable of independently attaining salvation. He then turns to the writings of John to prove the same from a different angle. He thus employs the two most copious writers in the New Testament to demonstrate the bondage of the will to necessity under the decree of God, and that salvation is entirely by grace.
For his strength in writing, Luther has one main drawback. While he opens and closes with gracious words to Erasmus, he frequently insults him throughout his book. While this is in line with the polemical style of his time, it can at times be distracting to a modern reader. As such, this book is best suited for mature believers who can approach with discernment to recognize Luther’s skillful defense of gracious predestination, but also that his tone toward his opponent should not be completely adopted.
Nevertheless, The Bondage of the Will remains a vital work for understanding the heart of Reformation theology. Its enduring value lies in Luther’s unwavering commitment to the authority of Scripture and the sovereign grace of God in salvation.
Are you interested in reading the book for yourself? Order the new 500th-anniversary edition of Martin Luther’s classic treatise, The Bondage of the Will. This special edition from Ligonier Ministries includes an introductory essay from R.C. Sproul and discussion questions to guide your reading.