But Luther was fearless still. Rome had hurled her anathemas against him, and the world looked on, nothing doubting that he would perish or be forced to yield. But with terrible power he flung back upon herself the sentence of condemnation and publicly declared his determination to abandon her forever. In the presence of a crowd of students, doctors, and citizens of all ranks Luther burned the pope's bull, with the canon laws, the decretals, and certain writings sustaining the papal power. “My enemies have been able, by burning my books,” he said, “to injure the cause of truth in the minds of the common people, and destroy their souls; for this reason I consumed their books in return. A serious struggle has just begun. Hitherto I have been only playing with the pope. I began this work in God's name; it will be ended without me, and by His might.”— Ibid., b. 6, ch. 10. GC 142.2 To the reproaches of his enemies who taunted him with the weakness of his cause, Luther answered: “Who knows i…
"Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men."
Both passages highlight the principle of obeying God rather than human authority. Luther's defiance of the Pope and his burning of the papal bull echo the apostles' declaration in Acts 5:29.
"The pope had threatened Luther with excommunication if he did not recant, and the threat was now fulfilled. A new bull appeared, declaring the Reformer's final separation from the Roman Church, denouncing him as accursed of Heaven, and including in the same condemnation all who should receive his doctrines. The great contest had been fully entered upon. GC 143.2"
"These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue."
Both passages describe a situation where individuals face excommunication or ostracization for their beliefs. Luther's excommunication mirrors the threat faced by those who confessed Jesus as Christ in John 9:22.
"various circumstances and to enjoin upon them duties peculiar to the times in which they live and the conditions under which they are placed. If they would prize the light given them, broader views of truth would be opened before them. But truth is no more desired by the majority today than it was by the papists who opposed Luther. There is the same disposition to accept the theories and traditions of men instead of the word of God as in former ages. Those who present the truth for this time should not expect to be received with greater favor than were earlier reformers. The great controversy between truth and error, between Christ and Satan, is to increase in intensity to the close of this world's history. GC 143.3"
"But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."
Both passages address the issue of replacing God's word with human traditions. The EGW passage speaks of accepting theories and traditions instead of God's word, while the verse in Matthew condemns teaching the commandments of men as doctrines. This is a valid thematic parallel.