Chapter 8 “Our Swedish Moses and Saviour”: The Use of Biblical Leaders as Power Legitimization in Reformation Sweden

Abstract

The Vasa-regime that seized royal power in the kingdom of Sweden during the early sixteenth century was in urgent need of a power legitimization that could both correspond to well-known traditional symbols and narratives but also at the same time legitimize the new regime and its adherence to the Lutheran Reformation. The use of Old Testament kings and leaders such as David, Jehoshaphat, Joseph, and Moses could thereby function as typologies relating to the Jerusalem Code. However, through relating these Old Testament kings with their responsibility for the peoples’ spiritual needs and with their distinctive biblical foundation, the Jerusalem Code was transformed and adjusted to early modern Lutheran political culture, emphasizing the king’s responsibility for the Church and for the people’s spiritual well-being and the lack of biblical foundation for the Catholic sacramental culture (for example, mass in Latin, pilgrimage, and the use of sacramentals). It could also be argued that the frequent use of figures such as Moses and Joseph was a significant part of the Jerusalem Code in Sweden, signifying both the importance of humility and God’s providence in the secular government.