Category: English Bible

Scripture for Today, 3-2-17

3/1/2017

Series: History of the Holy Bible in English, Installment #9 [final]: Thomas Cranmer, 1556 AD

In 1539, Thomas Cranmer, the Archbishop of Canterbury, hired Myles Coverdale at the bequest of King Henry VIII to publish the "Great Bible" Authorized 1611 version.

Thomas Cranmer was largely responsible for the creation of the Protestant Church in England.

Three men were tried as the Oxford Martyrs were tried for heresy in 1555 for their religious beliefs denying the pope's teachings, during the Marian persecution of protestants in England. The three martyrs were the Anglican bishops Hugh Latimer, Nicholas Ridley and Thomas Cranmer, the Archbishop of Canterbury. They were tried at University Church of St Mary the Virgin, the official church of the University of Oxford. The men were imprisoned at the former Bocardo Prison near the extant St Michael at the Northgate church. The door of their cell is on display in the tower of the church. The men were burnt at the stake just outside the city walls to the north, where Broad Street is now located. Latimer and Ridley were burnt on 16 October 1555. Cranmer was burnt five months later.

In March 1556 AD Cranmer was burned at Oxford, for the confession of Christ's true doctrine and his harsh refusal to honor the pope. He said:

"...when I come to the fire it shall first be burned.
And as for the pope, I refuse him as Christ's enemy,
and Antichrist, with all his false doctrine."

As he was bound to the stake with the flames; his eyes were lifted up to heaven, and he using often the words of Stephen:

"Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
***

[1] Foxe's Book of Martyrs: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/22400/22400-h/22400-h.htm More here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_Martyrs
***

"All that will live godly in Christ Jesus
shall suffer persecution." 2 Timothy 3:12

Scripture for Today, 3-1-17

2/28/2017

Series: History of the Holy Bible in English, Installment #8: Miles Coverdale, 1569 AD

Miles Cloverdale was born in 1488 in Richmondshire, England and he printed the first complete Bible in the English language on October 4, 1535. He made use of Luther's German text and the Latin as additional sources. He was quoted as saying:

"It shall greatly help ye to understand the Scriptures if thou mark not only what is spoken or written, but of whom and to whom, with what words, at what time, where, to what intent, with what circumstances, considering what goeth before and what followeth after."

During his long life, he experienced eight decades of crucial importance in religious history. His theological development is a paradigm of the progress of the English Reformation from 1530 to 1552. In 1528, he had left the Augustinians and, wearing simple garments preached in Essex against transubstantiation [literally the communion bread being the body and blood of the Lord Jesus], the worship of images and the traditional form of confession. Such views were very dangerous in 1528, for the future course of the religious revolution. Reforms proposed by the Lollards and those preached by Luther were being pursued by a vigorous campaign against what the Roman Catholic leadership referred to as 'heresy.'

Towards the end of 1528, Coverdale fled England to the Continent of Europe.[1]

By the time of his death, he had transitioned into an early Puritan, affiliated to Calvin. Apparently he died of natural causes although he was exiled from London three times and was buried in St. Bartholomew's Church in January of 1569. More here

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction,
for instruction in righteousness:"
2 Timothy 2:16

Scripture for Today, 2-28-17

2/27/2017

Series: History of the Holy Bible in English, Installment #7: William Tyndale 1536 AD

After only five years as priest in the Roman Catholic Church, in 1526 William Tyndale was first to bring holy scriptures to the common man all in English. He was quoted as saying:

"I defy the Pope and all his laws. If God spare my life, ere many years I will cause a boy who drives the plow to know more of the scriptures than you do!"

While William was held for eighteen months in the castle dungeon before his trial for heresy for printing the Latin Bible to English; he wrote a letter stating the following:

"First, faith alone justifies.
"Second, to believe in the forgiveness of sins, and to embrace the mercy offered in the gospel, was enough for salvation.
"Third, human traditions cannot bind the conscience, except where their neglect might occasion scandal.
"Fourth, he denied the freedom of the will.
"Fifth, he denied that there is any purgatory.
"Sixth, neither the Virgin nor the Saints pray for us in their own person.
"Seventh, neither the Virgin nor the Saints should be invoked by us."

In August 1536 AD William was convicted as being a heretic at the pageant of casting him out of the Church. In the town square a crowd gathered. The great doctors and dignitaries assembled in due pomp and array taking their seats on the high platform. Tyndale was led out, wearing his priest's robes. He was made to kneel and his hands were scraped with a knife or a piece of glass as a symbol of having lost the benefits of the anointing oil with which he was consecrated to the priesthood... he was summarily tied to the stake and burned.

The Lord Jesus said:

"You will be hated by everyone on account of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. v9 they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
Matthew 10:22; 24:9

"When they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost."
Mark 13:11

"They shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake."
Luke 21:12

John Rogers, 1st of Many Christian Martyrs
1501-1600 Church History Timeline
In 1555 AD John Rogers burned to death at a stake at Smithfield, England

Scripture for Today, 2-25-17

2/24/2017

Series: History of the Holy Bible in English, Installment #6:
Erasmus of Rotterdam, 1516 AD

In 1516 Netherlands, the great scholar Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus, known as 'Erasmus of Rotterdam,' or simply 'Erasmus,' was a Dutch Renaissance humanist, Catholic priest, social critic, teacher and theologian. In his efforts to correct the Latin Vulgate, and with the help of printer John Froben, he published a Greek-Latin Parallel New Testament.

Erasmus' New Testament focused attention on just how corrupt and inaccurate the Latin Vulgate was. He knew how important it was to go back and use the original Greek (New Testament) and original Hebrew (Old Testament) languages to have accuracy.

This was considered 'illegal activity' by the Roman Catholic Church that had no sympathy or encouragement for the undertaking. Erasmus criticized those that spend the Church's riches at the people's expense, Popes & priests that stray without condemnation He believed Gospel most important and had to be restored. He died of an illness in 1536 .

See beautiful engraved page of Latin by Erasmus & Froben here:

upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/Erasmus_hieronymus.jpg

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me."
John 14:6

Scripture for Today, 2-24-17

2/23/2017

Series: History of the Holy Bible in English, Installment #5:
John Colet, 1496 AD

In 1496, John Colet, the son of the mayor of London, Oxford professor and Dean of St Paul's school. John began reading the New Testament in Greek and translating it into English for his students at Oxford and the public at Saint Paul's Cathedral in London.

The people were so hungry to hear the Word of God in a language they could understand,
that within six months there were 20,000 people packed in the church and at least that many outside trying to get in! Fortunately for Colet, he was a powerful man with friends in high places, so he amazingly managed to avoid execution.

(Sadly, while the enormous and beautiful Saint Paul's Cathedral remains the main church in London today, as of 2003, typical Sunday morning worship attendance is only around 200 people... and most of them are tourists).

God's word in my heart like a fire in my bones!
Jeremiah 20:9

Scripture for Today, 2-23-17

2/22/2017

Series: History of the Holy Bible in English, Installment #4:
Thomas Linacre 1490 AD

In the 1490's another Oxford professor, and the personal physician to King Henry the 7th and 8th, Thomas Linacre, decided to learn Greek.

After reading the Gospels in Greek, and after comparing it to the Latin Vulgate, he wrote in his diary:

"Either this (the original Greek)
is not the Gospel... or we are not Christians."

The Latin had become so corrupt that it no longer even preserved the message of the Gospel... yet the Roman Catholic Church still threatened to kill anyone who read the scripture in any language other than Latin... though Latin was not an original language of the scriptures.

"For ever, O LORD, Thy word is
settled in heaven." Psalm 119:89

Scripture for Today, 2-22-17

2/21/2017

Series: History of the Holy Bible in English, Installment #3: John Hus, 1400 AD

2-20-17, One of Wycliffe's followers, John Hus, actively promoted Wycliffe's ideas: that people should be permitted to read the Bible in their own language, and they should oppose the tyranny of the Roman church that threatened anyone possessing a non-Latin Bible with execution.

In 1415, Hus was burned at the stake,
with Wycliffe's manuscript Bibles
used as kindling; his last words:

"In 100 years, God will raise up a man whose calls for reform cannot be suppressed."

Almost exactly 100 years later, in 1517, Martin Luther nailed his famous 95 Theses, list of heretical issues theology and crimes of the Roman Catholic Church, to the church door at Wittenberg. The prophecy of Hus had come true!

Jesus said, "The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you." John 15:20

Scripture for Today, 2-21-17

2/20/2017

Series: History of the Holy Bible in English, Installment #2 - Gutenberg's Printing Press 1450s

In the 1450's at Mainz, Germany, Johann Gutenberg invented the printing press. With the Roman Catholic Church's strong opposition, the first book to ever be printed was a Holy Bible in Latin.

Gutenberg's Bibles were beautiful; each leaf printed was later colorfully hand-illuminated. Though he had created - what many believe to be the most important invention in history - he was a victim of unscrupulous business associates who took control of his business and left him in poverty.

The invention of the movable-type printing press meant that Bibles and books could finally be effectively produced in large quantities in a short period of time.

This was essential to the success of the Reformation.

Jesus said, "The servant is not greater than his lord.
If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you."
John 15:20

Scripture for Today, 2-20-17

2/19/2017

Series: History of the Holy Bible in English, Installment #1 - John Wycliff 1380 AD

February 19, 2017 - We have learned that thousands of years ago the Pre-Reformation History of the Bible's original languages of Hebrew and Greek ; that for one thousand years in the Dark & Middle Ages the Word was trapped by the Roman Catholic Church [RC] in Latin only. The Laity were not allowed to read it.

In 1380's AD John Wycliff began transcribing the Word of God into English by hand. Wycliffe, was an Oxford University English professor, scholar and theologian. He was well-known throughout Europe for his opposition to the RC teachings; he believed them to be contrary to the Bible.

He was assisted by his scribe, Purvey and many of his followers, called the Lollards.

John Wycliffe died in 1384 AD and John Foxe [1] said about him in his book of martyrs,

"Though they digged up his body, burnt his bones, and drowned his ashes, yet the Word of God and the truth of His doctrine, with the fruit and success thereof, they could not burn; which yet to this day...doth remain." [1]

Jesus said: "For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass,
one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law,
till all be fulfilled." Matthew 5:18

[1] Foxe's Book of Martyrs:
www.gutenberg.org/files/22400/22400-h/22400-h.htm

Scripture for Today, 3-2-17

Series: History of the Holy Bible in English, Installment #9 [final]: Thomas Cranmer, 1556 AD

Scripture for Today, 3-1-17

Series: History of the Holy Bible in English, Installment #8: Miles Coverdale, 1569 AD

Scripture for Today, 2-28-17

Series: History of the Holy Bible in English, Installment #7: William Tyndale 1536 AD

Scripture for Today, 2-25-17

Series: History of the Holy Bible in English, Installment #6:
Erasmus of Rotterdam, 1516 AD

Scripture for Today, 2-24-17

Series: History of the Holy Bible in English, Installment #5:
John Colet, 1496 AD

Scripture for Today, 2-23-17

Series: History of the Holy Bible in English, Installment #4:
Thomas Linacre 1490 AD

Scripture for Today, 2-22-17

Series: History of the Holy Bible in English, Installment #3: John Hus, 1400 AD

Scripture for Today, 2-21-17

Series: History of the Holy Bible in English, Installment #2 - Gutenberg's Printing Press 1450s

Scripture for Today, 2-20-17

Series: History of the Holy Bible in English, Installment #1 - John Wycliff 1380 AD

Index

Archives

Series: History of the Holy Bible in English, Installment #9 [final]: Thomas Cranmer, 1556 AD

Series: History of the Holy Bible in English, Installment #8: Miles Coverdale, 1569 AD

Series: History of the Holy Bible in English, Installment #7: William Tyndale 1536 AD

Series: History of the Holy Bible in English, Installment #6: ​Erasmus of Rotterdam, 1516 AD

Series: History of the Holy Bible in English, Installment #5: ​John Colet, 1496 AD

Series: History of the Holy Bible in English, Installment #4:​Thomas Linacre 1490 AD

Series: History of the Holy Bible in English, Installment #3: John Hus, 1400 AD

Series: History of the Holy Bible in English, Installment #2 - Gutenberg's Printing Press 1450s

Series: History of the Holy Bible in English, Installment #1 - John Wycliff 1380 AD

Index

Archives

Series: History of the Holy Bible in English, Installment #6:
Erasmus of Rotterdam, 1516 AD

Series: History of the Holy Bible in English, Installment #5:
John Colet, 1496 AD

Series: History of the Holy Bible in English, Installment #4:
Thomas Linacre 1490 AD