The images of Luther in this cartoon are increasingly unflattering, and for that reason, it is safe to assume that the artist wants to convey an anti-Lutheran message. However, most radical reformers at this time were more concerned with defining their own doctrine and distributing it to the public, and Holy Roman Emperor Charles V did in fact use force against his rebellious duchies. Therefore, it makes sense that the image would be Catholic propaganda, especially given the Church's desire to portray Luther as a rogue, hypocritical monk.

The full title of the 95 Theses was "The Ninety-five Theses or Disputation on the power of indulgences". Luther sought to reform the corrupt practice of "selling salvation". He believed that religion should be accessible to the common man, and that man should have a direct relationship with God, not be forced to have his faith brokered through a corrupt clergyman. 

As Calvinists began to openly criticize and otherwise verbally (and sometimes physically) assail Catholics towards the end of the sixteenth century, the Catholic Church knew that something had to be done. Accordingly, the Catholic Church’s top levels of leadership — namely, the Pope and bishops — collaborated to institute a new program, called the Counter-Reformation. The Counter-Reformation was intended to push back against Calvinist attacks on the Church, while also shoring up popular support for Church doctrine and deeds across the region. As part of this new policy, the Catholic Church increased its support for the institution of monarchy, the more authoritative and absolute the better. This is because Church leaders found it easiest to work alongside and negotiate with powerful kings and queens, who could command and enforce their subjects’ strict obedience. Additionally, the Church and monarchy shared very similar structural systems — both were constructed on the principle of one sovereign leader (a King and a Pope) who dictated his laws down a rigidly hierarchical chain of command.

The Catholic Church was greatly worried by the success of the Protestant Reformation, especially as the doctrines of Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Ulrich Zwingli gained strong footholds across Western Europe. King Henry VIII’s secession from Catholicism with his Act of Supremacy, as well as his son, King Edward I’s legalization of Protestant practice in England, finally convinced the Catholic Church that something had to be done. Accordingly, the Council of Trent was convened in 1545 – this was an assembly of top Catholic figures, expressly assembled by Pope Paul III, to come up with various reforms that could be made to Church practices. The Council hoped that any reforms which they would devise and then implement would hopefully convince many Europeans to abandon Protestantism and return to Catholicism, while also stopping any further abandonment. The Council met, off and on, until 1563, when it finally announced a sweeping program of reforms. These included prohibiting the sale of Church positions, the granting of increased powers to local bishops, and the creation of more seminaries to educate young men. These reforms were limited however – they were purely administrative and practical in nature; no doctrinal changes were made.