“In the first place, Noah filled the office of bishop; and because he had been plagued by various temptations, it was his foremost concern to oppose the devil and comfort the tempted, to restore the erring, to give confidence to the wavering, to encourage the despairing, to shut out the impenitent from his church, and to receive back the penitent with fatherly joy. These are almost the same duties that must be performed by a bishop through the ministry of the Word.”

– Martin Luther on the duties of Noah after the flood. Luther’s Works, vol. 2, pg 165

Question:

By reading into the story of Noah, Luther speaks to the primary role of pastors in the church. Are there other duties pastors should concern themselves with? What are they? What happens when we grow distracted by other seemingly necessary demands?

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