The cross behind the manager

Sasse writes about the alleged one-sidedness of Luther's Theologia Crucis [Theology of the Cross]:

The cross is just one part, among others, of the Christian message. ... Is not there also a theology of incarnation and a theology of resurrection? Must not the theology of the Second Article be supplemented by a theology of the Third Article, a theology of the Holy Spirit and His activity in the church? ... Thus the question arises as to what that alleged narrowing, that much criticized one-sidedness of Luther’s theologia crucis, means. The theology of the cross obviously does not mean that for the theologian the whole church year shrinks to Good Friday. It rather means that one cannot understand Christmas, Easter, or Pentecost without Good Friday. ... [H]e saw the cross behind the manger.

(Sasse, Hermann, 1951. Theologia Crucis (BLP 18), Concordia Publishing House)

Sola Scriptura and Sola Fide

In dealing with an unbeliever we cannot begin with an attempt to convince him of the divine authority of Scripture. We must first bring him to the knowledge of his sins and to faith in Christ, the Redeemer from sin. We should preach to him on the basis of Scripture—without discussing the authority of Scripture—repentance and remission of sin.

(Pieper, F (1953). Christian Dogmatics, Concordia Publishing, pp 137–138)

To say it very bluntly: Luther believed in the Bible because he believed in the Lord Christ. The theologians of late orthodoxy believed in the Lord Christ because they believed in the Bible. In Luther’s case the sola Scriptura was a consequence of the sola fide, whereas here the sola fide was a consequence of the sola Scriptura.

(Sasse, Herman (1950). On the doctrine De Scriptura Sacra (BLP 14), Concordia Publishing, pg 97)

Become a teaching church again

"Today the need of the hour for the Lutheran Church is to become a teaching church again. The success of Rome, of the sects, and of Communism is based substantially on the fact that what they teach, they teach unflaggingly. And our congregations hunger more than we know for teaching . Why don’t we give them the bread that they want?"
Sasse, Letter 42

Exegesis is like underwear

Exegesis is like underwear: your congregation wants to be able to assume it is there, but they don’t want you to show it to them.

Powell, Mark, 2009. What Do They Hear?: Bridging the Gap Between Pulpit and Pew, Abingdon Press, Kindle Edition, pg 9.