William Tyndale (1494-1536)
William Tyndale (1494-1536) was probably the one man that offered the greatest contribution in History for the English Bible, and therefore is the man that made the greatest contribution to the good of the English speaking people! Yet, sadly, many have never heard of this man!
Tyndale’s TIMES: Persecution
Just three years before Tyndale was born, the Spanish Inquisition was established, and by the time Tyndale was fifteen years old, 8,800 had been burned to death and 90,000 imprisoned under the pope’s Inquisitor General in Spain, Thomas de Torquemada. In 1492, when Tyndale was a young lad of eight, 500,000 Jews had been driven out of Spain and their wealth confiscated. As Tyndale learned his letters and grew to manhood, terrible persecutions were being poured out upon the Waldensian Christians in Bohemia and Moravia. Just twenty-four years before his birth, the 3,000 inhabitants of the valley of Loyse were destroyed by the Roman Catholic armies. When Tyndale was four, an army of 18,000 Catholics made war against the Waldensian Christians of Piedmont.
Tyndale’s TIMES: Printing
Tyndale was born just four decades after Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press.
Tyndale’s TIME: Perversion
The popes of Tyndale’s day were very powerful and very wicked. These wicked, unregenerated men ruled over much of Europe and in Tyndale’s day, England.
Perversion of the Popes:
I am reminded of what Wycliffe said of the Papacy: Wycliffe said, “How then shall any sinful wretch, who knows not whether he be damned or saved, can constrain men to believe he is the head of holy Church?” (Shelton, II, page 415)
Today, the Catholic dogma still insists the Pope to be the “Vicar of Christ”.
Perversion of the Priesthood:
Perversion of the People:
Tyndale’s TIME: Persecuted, yet faithful Witnesses:
In spite of Rome’s crushing rule over England, there were Bible-believing people that faithfully remained a persecuted, yet faithful witness to the English peoples. There were Waldenses, Lollards, and other dissident believers in England even before the time of Wycliffe. These brought a witness and the Wycliffe Bible to the English peoples.
The followers of Wycliffe, termed as Lollards, would carry the Scriptures throughout England up and until the time of Tyndale.
A Brilliant Mind and a Heart of Great Faith
Many times sholarship often does not go hand in hand with a believing heart. Thankfully men like Tyndale who were brilliant in mind where also humble in spirit and great in faith. Tyndale is one scholarly saint that used all of his gifts to the glory and honor of God and the spreading of His faithful Word!
A Believer of Deep Conviction and Piety
Tyndale closely associated himself with other devout Chirstians that encouraged one another in the reading and study of the Scriptures and the preaching of the Gospel!
A Saint singulary addicted to the study of the Scriptures!
Tyndale the Translator
William Tyndale had a burning desire to translate the pure Word of God into the English language. He wanted the common man to have access to the Word of God. He would be the first the translate the entire New Testament from the Greek and a good portion of the Old Testament from the Hebrew.
He would be the first to put in print the English New Testament!
A Perilous and Secretive Undertaking!
The Highest Price Eventually would be Paid!
Tyndale would translate and print the New Testament. He would also Translate the books of Genesis to I Chronicles and the book of Jonah from the Hebrew into English. Tyndale would never have opportunity to complete his translation of the Old Testament. He would be arrested, and after sixteen horrible months, He would be martyred for his “crimes” of putting the Scripture in the language of the common man.
Tyndale’s Dangerous, Illegal Beliefs
Tyndale’s Lasting Legacy:
Tyndale is likely the single greatest human contributor to English speaking peoples!
Click on the link to go to the third Bible called the Coverdale Bible:
