Preface.

Scripture (which alone is God's
Word) [is placed] under a disguised
allegorical letter /
which no one shall understand and
know / except for him to whom He interprets
this / and teaches in the School of Christ Franck refers to the "Schul Christi" as an internal spiritual experience where the Holy Spirit, rather than human academic institutions, instructs the believer..
Therefore Scripture remains
an eternal allegory / a wonderful
speech original: "Wunder-Red." This refers to a discourse that is enigmatic or miraculous—a riddle that requires divine insight to solve. / a closed book / a kill-
ing letter / and an unintelli-
gible gibberish original: "Rotwälsh." Historically, this was a secret "thieves' cant" or slang used by vagabonds. Franck uses it here as a polemic to say that to the ungodly, the Bible sounds like a confusing, low-status jargon. to all the godless /
and a special language for the chil-
dren of God. Therefore the let-
ter, without the light of the Holy
Spirit, is a dark lantern /
which Paul calls death and a veil /
2 Corinthians 3. which
hinders the Pharisees / so that they
could not look Moses
in the eye A reference to the biblical account where Moses’ face shone so brightly after meeting God that he had to wear a veil; Paul interprets this veil as a metaphor for the literal reading of the Law that prevents the recognition of spiritual truth. / but it is pulled away /
as we turn ourselves to the Lord :
For if we wish to do His will /
and are in earnest / then