
Luther and Zwingli
On the 20th of August in 1524 (which just happened to have been a Saturday), Huldrych Zwingli published his scathing Adversus Hieronymum Emserum antibolon. His assessment of the man was, in his own words, that he was
… ein Schreihals (clamosus homo), mehr nicht.
Luther, in his several dealings with Emser, called him a goat. Indeed, if you want to read something fun, read Luther’s utterly ‘dripping with pure contempt and loathing’ for Emser book titled Answer to the Hyperchristian, Hyperspiritual, and Hyperlearned Book by Goat Eraser in Leipzig—Including Some Thoughts Regarding His Companion, the Fool Murner.
Neither of the Reformers thought anything of the bombastic imbecile.
Emser had attended University (at Basel) but was kicked out for being abusive to one of his Professors. That led the dullard to despise the Swiss. So when Zwingli commenced publishing on the Mass, Emser saw it as an opportunity to attack those whom he hated. The whole gist of his silly essay was that the Saints would side with the Catholic Church in its argument with the Reformers (!).
Zwingli informed the twit that the Bible was the final authority for Christians, not tradition or the Saints. When it came to the central matter of the Eucharist, Zwingli simply repeated his standard belief-
Eucharistia cibus spiritualis est.
And so it is- as all right thinking biblically literate Christians know.