Abstrakt

The article presents the soteriological theory formulated by M. Luther and named “Happy exchange and conflict”. Luther’s proposal is an original view of the idea of a saving exchange known as the admirabile commercium already present in the Church Fathers. The aim of the article was to present Luther’s theory in relation to the traditional study of “the marvelous exchange” so that the new content contained in his views would become more visible. Hence, in the first point of the article, the essential elements of the traditional concept of saving exchange are outlined, and the next part of this article is Luther’s views on the admirabile commercium theory. The Reformer enriched the biblical themes that had been his inspiration repeated for centuries to introduce the original content into the traditional theory. These include the representation of the relationship between Christ and man in the form of marriage. In this representation, Luther is inspired by the prophecy of Hosea and Paul’s parenesis of marriage. In addition, Christ’s relation with the soul of a Christian is perceived as a spousal relationship, referring directly to the Book of Song of Songs. At the base of the description of the victorious struggles of the Savior with sin, death and Satan lie Paul’s statements from The First Letter to the Corinthians (15,56f). The essence of the “Happy exchange and conflict” theory is Christ’s taking on himself human sins and bestowing his own sinlessness and divine righteousness upon man, which became possible by the victory over sin, death, and Satan on the cross. In the spousal union, Christ, the Bridegroom, takes on himself the sins of the human soul, the bride, and adorns it with his justice.