A Prayer for the Feast Day of William Tyndale

Almighty God, who gave your servant William Tyndale boldness to confess the name of our Savior Jesus Christ before the rulers of this world, and courage to die for this faith: Grant that we may also be ever ready to give a reason for the hope that is in us, and to suffer gladly for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and ever. Amen.

About William Tyndale

From here.

William Tyndale was born about 1495 at Slymbridge near the Welsh border. He received his degrees from Magdalen College, Oxford, and also studied at Cambridge. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1521, and soon began to speak of his desire, which eventually became his life’s obsession, to translate the Scriptures into English. It is reported that, in the course of a dispute with a prominent clergyman who disparaged this proposal, he said, “If God spare my life, ere many years I will cause a boy that driveth the plow to know more of the Scriptures than thou dost.” The remainder of his life was devoted to keeping that vow, or boast. Finding that the King, Henry VIII, was firmly set against any English version of the Scriptures, he fled to Germany (visiting Martin Luther in 1525), and there traveled from city to city, in exile, poverty, persecution, and constant danger. Tyndale understood the commonly received doctrine — the popular theology — of his time to imply that men earn their salvation by good behavior and by penance. He wrote eloquently in favor of the view that salvation is a gift of God, freely bestowed, and not a response to any good act on the part of the receiver. His views are expressed in numerous pamphlets, and in the introductions to and commentaries on various books of the Bible that accompanied his translations. He completed his translation of the New Testament in 1525, and it was printed at Worms and smuggled into England. Of 18,000 copies, only two survive. In 1534, he produced a revised version, and began work on the Old Testament. In the next two years he completed and published the Pentateuch and Jonah, and translated the books from Joshua through Second Chronicles, but then he was captured (betrayed by one he had befriended), tried for heresy, and put to death. He was burned at the stake, but, as was often done, the officer strangled him before lighting the fire. His last words were, “Lord, open the King of England’s eyes.”

Miles Coverdale continued Tyndale’s work by translating those portions of the Bible (including the Apocrypha) which Tyndale had not lived to translate himself, and publishing the complete work. In 1537, the “Matthew Bible” (essentially the Tyndale-Coverdale Bible under another man’s name to spare the government embarrassment) was published in England with the Royal Permission. Six copies were set up for public reading in Old St. Paul’s Church, and throughout the daylight hours the church was crowded with those who had come to hear it. One man would stand at the lectern and read until his voice gave out, and then he would stand down and another would take his place. All English translations of the Bible from that time to the present century are essentially revisions of the Tyndale-Coverdale work.

From the Morning Scriptures

John’s disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them, he sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?” When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?’ ” At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

–Luke 7:18-23 (TNIV)

Pay attention to Jesus’ response to John’s disciples in today’s lesson. Jesus doesn’t appeal to wishful thinking or sentimentality nor does he offer promises about who he is. Instead he appeals to the cold, hard facts of his ministry. In effect, Jesus says to us, “See for yourselves if you have questions about me or my ministry. My actions speak louder than anything I can tell you.” Jesus concludes his response on a gracious note. He tells John’s disciples that he does not wish anyone to stumble on his account. Jesus is willing to offend when necessary (because he loves us and wants the best for each of us) but he does not want discouragement and doubt to trap us.

Notice too how Jesus uses a cascading order of his deeds. He starts with healing the blind and then finishes by referring to his raising the dead and proclaiming the Good News to the poor. How remarkable that Jesus puts the Good News ahead of raising the dead in terms of mighty acts of power! In responding this way, Jesus reminded John (and us) that these were the things that Scripture predicted about the Messiah. This also gives us insight into Jesus’ economy as well as the Kingdom’s. How does this stack up with your own economy?

All this reminds us of God’s amazing love for us. He does not foist or force himself on us. He asks us to use his gifts of reason and senses to assess who he is, and he gives us plenty of data with which to make our assessment of him. He insists that we decide about him. Is that not the only real way we can come to see the value (or not) in someone or something?

The next time you have questions about Christ, open your eyes, your ears, and your mind to examine the record. You will not be disappointed. In fact, if you come to Jesus with an open heart and mind, and with honest questions, he will answer you in ways that will continue to blow your mind all the days of your life (and on through eternity).

More From William Law

Here are two more excerpts from this week’s featured Anglican writer, William Law. See Monday’s post for more info on Rev. Law’s book, A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life. I have found the first excerpt to be particularly challenging.

Represent to your imagination that your bed is your grave; that all things are ready for your interment; that you are to have no more to do with this world; and that it will be owing to God’s great mercy if you ever see the light of the sun again or have another day to add to your works of piety. Then commit yourself to sleep as one that is to have no more opportunities of doing good, but is to awake among spirits that are separate from the body and waiting for the judgment of the last great day.

Such a solemn resignation of yourself into the hands of God every evening, and parting with all the world as if you were never to see it any moreand all this in the silence and darkness of the nightis a practice that will soon have excellent effects upon your spirit. For this time of the night is exceeding proper for such prayers and meditations. The likeness which sleep and darkness have to death will contribute very much to make your thoughts about it the more deep and affecting. So that I hope you will not let a time so proper for such prayers be ever passed over without them.

A Serious Call

And this:

The first thing that you are to do when you are upon your knees is to shut your eyes. Then with a short silence let your soul place itself in the presence of God. That is, you are to use this or some other better method to separate yourself from all common thoughts, and make your heart as sensible as you can of the divine presence.

A Serious Call


Faith Made Manifest

Don’t economize in almsgiving–cut off nothing in charities, rather increase them if anything. ‘Give and it shall be given you.’ ‘In the measure that you do to others so shall it be done to you. What you give to the poor you give to me.’ The best way of always having enough is to share generously with the poor, seeing in them the representatives of Jesus himself. And then be full of confidence. ‘He who gives life will also give the nourishment. He who gave the body will give the clothing. Seek the Kingdom of God and his Justice (that is to say, perfection) and the rest shall be given unto you.’ This is said for all Christians and not only for monks. Be full of confidence. Keep yourself from all anxiety.

–Charles de Foucauld, Meditations of a Hermit

The Medicine We Need

It is comforting to know that the Lord is at hand. Here is a medicine to relieve grief and every bad circumstance and every pain. What is it? To pray and to give thanks in everything. Grief comes out of the circumstances [of life] with their demands. Thanksgiving comes from a soul that has true insight and a strong affection for God.

–John Chrysostom, Homily on Philippians 15.4.4-7

Loving Our Enemies

We should love all humans, even our enemies, not because they are friends but in order that they may be like friends. We should burn with love for all who are already our friends and pray for those who are still enemies that they might become our friends. When we love someone in the right way we make them a friend, one who is joined in some way to us in unity. If we lived the way we should, we would love our enemies in order that they might become our friends.

–Augustine, Commentary on the Epistle of John, 10.7.3

Don’t Be Anxious

“Do not be anxious about anything.” This means: Do not be concerned for yourselves. Do not give unnecessary thought to or be anxious about the world or worldly things. For all that is needful for you in this life God provides. And it will be even better in that life which is eternal.

–Marius Victorinus, Epistle to the Philippians 4.6

The Dos and Don’ts of Listening to Jesus

The Lord says, listen to my words. They are not to be interpreted according to the vain pleasure of the listener, but they must be listened to in silence and received with all humility and great affection. Many hear the world more easily than they hear God; they follow the desires of the flesh more readily than the pleasure of God. Write my words in your heart and study them diligently, for they will be absolutely necessary in the time of temptation. Whatever you fail to understand in reading my words will become clear to you on the day of your visitation. I am accustomed to visit my elect in a double fashion, that is, with temptation and with consolation. And I read to them two lessons each day: one to rebuke them for their faults; the other to exhort them to increase their virtue. Those who possess my words yet spurn them earn their own judgment on the last day.

–Thomas a Kempis, The Imitation of Christ 3.3

Here’s a little test for you. How do you receive this writing from a Kempis? Does it irritate you and/or seem strange to you, or do you see it as loving counsel for the beloved? How you answer will give you insight into the level and depth of your pride.

Rejoicing Amidst Grief

This rejoicing [in Philippians 4:4-9] is not separable from grief, for indeed it is rather deeply connected with grief. The one who grieves for his own wrongdoing and confesses it is joyful. Alternatively it is possible to grieve for one’s own sins but rejoice in Christ. On this account Paul says “rejoice in the Lord.” For this is nothing if you have received a life worthy of rejoicing.

–John Chrysostom, Homily on Philippians 15.4.5-7