This study analyzed how Martin Luther interpreted the reforming kings in 1-2 Kings and 2 Chronicles and determined that his understanding of biblical reform aligned with the theological objective of the First council of Nicaea. This corresponded with the efforts of the reforming kings to eradicate idolatry, restore temple worship, and re-establish the law. Luther did not interpret the narratives of the reforming kings merely as historical records but as a process of reaffirming the identity of the faith community and restoring theological purity.
Meanwhile, the First Council of Nicaea formulated a creed to safeguard biblical doctrines and define the theological identity of the church amid the doctrinal turbulence faced by the 4th-century Christian community. This was not merely a doctrinal formulation but a deliberate effort to preserve the church’s theological identity. Both the reforming kings and the First Council of Nicaea sought to preserve faith by restoring biblical authority and rejecting false teachings.
This study employed a comparative research methodology to systematically analyze Luther’s interpretation of the reforming kings and the theological objective of the First Council of Nicaea. This study examined the historical and theological background of Luther’s reform and the doctrinal development of the Council of Nicaea. In addition, through hermeneutic analysis, it thoroughly examined how Luther theologically interpreted the reform of the reforming kings, and in parallel, studied how the theological discourse of the Council of Nicaea contributed to shaping the faith identity of the church. Finally, the common purpose shared by the two reform movements in that they tried to establish the identity of the faith community was evaluated, and the theological similarities and differences between the two events were compared.
As a result of the study, Luther perceived that the reform of the reforming kings as a process of restoring the theological purity of the faith community, and this process was not only a historical event of the past but also intrinsically linked to the reform of the church. This closely paralleled the objectives of the First Council of Nicaea, which was to establish doctrinal boundaries and uphold biblical authority by establishing a creed. The two reform movements had a common goal of protecting the identity of the faith community and upholding biblical teachings.