“The English Reformation was a biblically based movement that took as its motto the right of each Christian to read …the Bible in one’s native language. Luther had first given this theory its definitive expression: “We have never yet desired anything else…than the liberty to have the Word of God, or the Holy Scriptures, to teach and to practice it” English Protestants echo the sentiment. Whereas the Roman Catholic powers wished to have people memorize and recite select portions in Latin, under their purview, never understanding true salvation. Puritan William Tyndale, a multi-linguistic genius, was more ambitious, and became a martyr for translating much of the Bible, at the moment of his death praying “Lord, open the King of England’s eyes.” By 1560 the Geneva Bible was produced in English including the Puritan and Calvinistic interpretation notations in select passages. And for the first time Scripture was divided into numbered verses, making it readable by ordinary people. Christians of the Reformation era knew the Bible better than their evangelical counterparts today. We need to heed to many Puritans, one such godly man such as Richard Baxter begged his readers “love, reverence, read, study and obey the Scriptures.” “After reading this book today, it is a solemn reminder to all Christians, to rejoice in your freedom, and seek today and everyday to read the Holy Bible!”
Let us praise God for the hard work being done which brings us gifts to our study such as the 28th Ed. Nestle Aland, Greek New Testament, and excellent clear versions such as the E.S.V. and N.A.S. All of which are testaments of years of labor by people who have been working for years in their perspective scholastic fields, verifying, validating documenting manuscripts, physical evidence, archeology, christian historians, all who authenticate exactly what our first century brothers and sisters were reading themselves. In fact we have more evidence of the Holy Bible than anything else in history. Pray to our Lord God for an insatiable unending desire and love to study the Holy Scriptures daily, seeking to become more obedient each day, glorifying our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ by every thought word and deed. Spread the Gospel to all~ Amen, and may God bless you! [excerpts from “Worldly Saints The Puritans as They Really Were” – Leland Ryken.]