Unlike some people on this forum, I believe what the Bible says. I do not give any credence to what anyone says that contradicts, adds to, or omits from what the Bible says. I believe entirely in the principle of sola scriptura, i.e., what the Bible says is true. If people add to or subtract from Scripture, I consider their opinions to be false.
This is one of the great failings of the Catholic denomination. Thank God that He enlightened Martin Luther and others to put the body of Christ back on His course and away from the inventions of men!
Lucas 1:26-38 Biblia Sacra Vulgata
26 In mense autem sexto, missus est angelus Gabriel a Deo in civitatem Galilaeae, cui nomen Nazareth, 27 ad virginem desponsatam viro, cui nomen erat Joseph, de domo David: et nomen virginis Maria. 28 Et ingressus angelus ad eam dixit: Ave gratia plena: Dominus tecum: benedicta tu in mulieribus.
Luther NT 1530
"Und im sechsten Monat ward der Engel Gabriel gesandt von Gott in eine Stadt in Galiläa, die heißt Nazareth, zu einer Jungfrau, die vertraut war einem Mann mit Namen Joseph, vom Hause David. Und die Jungfrau hieß Maria. Und der Engel kam zu ihr hinein und sprach: 'Gegrüßet seist du,
Holdselige, der Herr ist mit dir, du
Gebenedeite unter den Weibern.'"
Luther’s Translation and the Greek Word "Kecharitōmenē"
In his 1534 New Testament translation, Martin Luther used the word "Holdselige" to describe Mary during the angel Gabriel’s greeting (Luke 1:28). The original Greek word used is "
κεχαριτωμένη" (
kecharitōmenē), which means "full of grace".
Luther chose "Holdselige," which in Old German means "gracious," "charming," or "full of favor," highlighting Mary’s loveliness and grace. While this word captures part of the divine grace Mary received, it doesn’t fully convey the complete meaning of "
kecharitōmenē," which emphasizes the fullness of divine grace.
At the time, there were other German words that could have been used to better represent the idea of "full of grace":
- "Voll der Gnade" (literally "full of grace") would have been a more direct and faithful translation, aligning closely with the Latin *gratia plena* found in the Vulgate.
- Another option could have been "gnadenreich," meaning "rich in grace" or "abundant in grace." However, this word suggests more of an abundance of grace rather than the complete and perfect state conveyed by the Greek.
The Greek word "κεχαριτωμένη" (*kecharitōmenē*) is a perfect passive participle, which indicates that Mary had received grace in a complete and continuous sense, a divine favor that was conferred in the past and continues into the present. Therefore, the notion of "full of grace" or "completely favored" would be more faithful to the theological meaning of the original text.
Why "Holdselige" Might Not Be Sufficient
Luther’s choice of "Holdselige" reflects his style of translating Scripture into language that was accessible to the common people, capturing the essence of the text in a poetic way. However, "Holdselige" might fall short of conveying the full sense of "κεχαριτωμένη," which implies not only grace but the fullness and ongoing nature of that divine favor.
Thus, while Luther’s choice is understandable for his context, words like "voll der Gnade" (full of grace) would more accurately reflect the original Greek meaning, preserving the idea of Mary being completely filled with divine grace.