Zwingli at the Grossmünster (1519)

On January 1, 1519, Huldrych Zwingli began his ministry as people’s priest at the Grossmünster in Zurich, the great church set along the Limmat River. Instead of following the usual cycle of selected readings and inherited customs, he opened the Gospel of Matthew and preached straight through it, line by line. This was not a novelty for its own sake; it was a deliberate return to the conviction that God rules His church by His Word.

Zwingli’s verse-by-verse preaching re-centered ordinary worshipers on the person and work of Christ—His authority, His call to repentance, and His saving mercy. Many who had grown used to religion as routine began to hear Scripture as the living voice of God. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). In Zurich, that truth was not merely stated; it was practiced week by week from the pulpit.

Plague and Pastoral Courage

Soon after Zwingli’s arrival, plague swept through Zurich. While many fled, he stayed to minister to the sick and dying. His presence was a quiet kind of heroism: not the glory of battlefield bravery, but the costly faithfulness of a shepherd who refuses to abandon the flock. In the midst of this crisis, Zwingli himself contracted the disease and nearly died. His survival deepened his dependence on God and sharpened his sense of calling—life spared for a purpose greater than personal safety.

The plague also clarified what mattered most. Earthly strength failed quickly, but Christ’s words endured: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Suffering became a severe mercy, pressing hearts toward eternal realities.

Seeds of the Swiss Reformation

From the Grossmünster, Zwingli’s steady, Bible-shaped ministry helped spark the Swiss Reformation. His courage under pressure, his insistence that Scripture must govern teaching, and his emphasis on Christ’s finished saving work encouraged many to seek a purer worship and a truer gospel. Zurich’s awakening began with something simple: the Bible opened, Christ proclaimed, and a pastor willing to remain when it cost him dearly.