Balthasar Hübmaier

Die Warheit ist untödtlich. (Truth is unkillable)

It is probably true that most of Christendom today does not know the name Balthasar Hübmaier as they do the great Reformers—Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Ulrich Zwingli. Perhaps he was not of such significance to the mainstream Reformation as these three, but he was at least the most radical of them all. Hübmaier was, at one time, the most prominent leader for the Anabaptist Reformation movement. He was a German/Moravian theologian who actually gave a group of radicals during the Reformation a reputable voice as he became one of the most well known theologians of the Reformation era. As an Anabaptist, he was of course, the butt of all persecution—whether from Catholics, Lutherans, Reformed, or civil government. Anabaptists were the most despised group by all other parties, but perhaps the most biblical of them all. It is possible that Protestants today owe the greatest debt to the Anabaptists of all the Reformation movements since they were the boldest, sacrificed the greatest, and brought some of the most cherished baptistic distinctives closest to home for modern day Free Church traditions. In his living, in his teaching, in his writing, and in his death Balthasar Hübmaier lived by the principle, “Truth is immortal.”

Born sometime between 1480 - 1481, Hübmaier was a successful priest who in the process of his ministry fell in love with Scripture. In 1521 He began to study the New Testament more deeply, especially Paul's letters, and realized he did not properly understand the gospel. He fell in love with Jesus over an idea and religion and began to preach the gospel for the first time. Mostly he was not well received. His most significant ministry lasted only about three years (1525 - 1528) then he was martyred. He was not a perfect man, but certainly one worthy of honor since he stood and left a legacy for the church. He wrote several books a tracts for the Anabaptists. Some of his best were on believer's baptism, the lords supper, Christian's role in society and government. My favorite short tract (maybe just because of the title) is "On Heretics and Those Who Burn Them." 

He was captured and arrested and tortured for his faith twice by Zwingli, and both times he recanted...(not my favorite part of the story). He was human, though and it offered him the opportunity in 1527 to baptize over 6000 men in Moravia as he escaped there from Zurich. God used him mightily, then he was arrested by Catholic leaders and burned as a heretic. They rubbed gunpowder in his long beard, beat him and set him on fire. The whole time he spoke forgiveness to his accusers and stood faithful as his wife was the main one encouraging him to face his death boldly. Three days later she was martyred also by the typical "third baptism" given to Anabaptists; they tied a stone to her and tossed her into the Danube River. 

Hübmaier gave some good insights about interpreting Scripture:

“If we put beside these obscure or brief passages other passages on the same subject, and bind them together like wax candles, and light them all at once, then the clear and pure splendour of the Scriptures must shine forth.”

And, he was a bold yet humble man who said many times in his writing:

"I can err, for I am man, but I cannot be a heretic, for I am willing to be taught better by anybody. And if any one will teach me better, I acknowledge that I shall owe him great thanks; I will confess the error, and in accordance with the decision of the divine word I will gladly and willingly, with greatest obedience, submit myself to you and follow you most carefully, as followers of Christ."

Let us today stand on Truth. "Truth is Immortal."

-mw

(I just wrote a paper on this man and have made it available here if you want to read more).