Posted by
ValiantForTruth on Sunday, November 02, 2008 1:16:04 AM
For Reformation Sunday here are some words of William Tyndale. First translator of the Greek New Testament into English. A model of his life's work may be taken from 2 Peter 1:12-21. He loved the Scriptures and desired that the common man have access to the Bible in the common tongue.
First printed in 1531; William Tyndale's ground breaking prologue expanded and printed as a separate volume: A Pathway into the Holy Scripture. It was attacked in England and denounced as heretical. It contains what Tyndale believed to be "the first principles" of the Christian faith -- and therefore necessary to the proper understanding of the Holy Writ. The following is the first few paragraphs. The rest can be found at the link...
I do marvel greatly, dearly beloved in Christ, that ever any man should repugn or speak against the scripture to be had in every language, and that of every man. For I thought that no man had been so blind to ask why light should be showed to them that walk in darkness, where they cannot but stumble, and where to stumble is the danger of eternal damnation; other so despiteful that he would envy any man (I speak not his brother) so necessary a thing; or so Bedlam mad to affirm that good is the natural cause of evil, and darkness to proceed out of light, and that lying should be grounded in truth and verity; and not rather clean contrary, that light destroyeth darkness, and verity reproveth all manner lying.
Nevertheless, seeing that it hath pleased God to send unto our Englishmen, even to as many as unfeignedly desire it, the scripture in their mother tongue, considering that there be in every place false teachers and blind leaders; that ye should be deceived of no man, I supposed it very necessary to prepare this Pathway into the scripture for you, that ye might walk surely, and ever know the true from the false: and, above all, to put you in remembrance of certain points, which are, that ye well understand what these words mean; the Old Testament; the New Testament; the law; the gospel; Moses; Christ; nature; grace; working and believing; deeds and faith; lest we ascribe to the one that which belongeth to the other, and make of Christ Moses; of the gospel, the law; despise grace, and rob faith; and fall from meek learning into idle disputations; brawling and scolding about words.
The Old Testament is a book, wherein is written the law of God, and the deeds of them which fulfill them, and of them also which fulfill them not.
The New Testament is a book, wherein are contained the promises of God; and the deeds of them which believe them, or believe them not.
Evangelion (that we call the gospel) is a Greek word; and signifieth good, merry, glad and joyful tidings, that maketh a man's heart glad, and maketh him sing, dance, and leap for joy: as when David had killed Goliah the giant, came glad tidings unto the Jews, that their fearful and cruel enemy was slain, and they delivered out of all danger: for gladness whereof, they sung, danced, and were joyful. In like manner is the Evangelion of God (which we call gospel; and the New Testament) joyful tidings; and, as some say, a good hearing published by the apostles throughout all the world, of Christ the right David; how that he hath fought with sin, with death, and the devil, and overcome them: whereby all men that were in bondage to sin, wounded with death, overcome of the devil, are, without their own merits or deservings, loosed, justified, restored to life and saved, brought to liberty and reconciled unto the favor of God, and set at one with him again: which tidings as many as believe laud, praise, and thank God; are glad, sing and dance for joy... [William Tyndale]