Johann Gerhards ›Postilla‹ consists of four parts, was printed for the first time in 1613 and reprinted several times (1616, 1622, 1663, 1733, 1870–1878). The collection of sermons is considered to be an outstanding and extremely effective document which bears witness to post-Reformation homiletical practice. The first three parts of the ›Postilla‹ contain sermons for all the Sundays and holidays in the church year as well as for the holy days in honor of the Apostles. The only exception is Good Friday, which is given the necessary attention in Gerhard’s collection of sermons on passion (DeP I, 6). The last part of the ›Postilla,‹ called the ›Appendix,‹ contains so-called weekly sermons, which are sermons on texts from the Old and New Testaments held by Gerhard during the week and not on Sundays or holidays. The ›Postilla‹ originated while Gerhard was the leading theologian in the governing body of the church and was a result of his work with the community. Accordingly, Gerhard generally cultivated the ›genus medium‹ with regard to the rhetorical style. Gerhard’s sermons are characterized by highly developed biblicity, a satiation of the theology of piety and a striving for rheorical ›perspicuitas‹ as well as carefully calculated references, used sparingly, to the early church fathers and the medieval tradition (e.g. Bernhard von Clairvaux and Johannes Tauler).