martin luther on bible interpretation

He declared:

"The Christian reader should make it his first task to seek out the literal sense, as they call it. For it alone is the whole substance of faith and Christian theology; it alone holds its ground in trouble and trial."

Elsewhere Luther stated:

"The literal sense does it -- in it there is life, comfort, power, instruction and skill. The other is tomfoolery."

Quoted from Thiselton, New Horizons in Hermeneutics, 184.