Tyndale (Part 1)

The next section of this web log addresses a deep and at times difficult issue among today's believers.  But it has been an issue from some time soon after the close of the first century AD.  I find that, to get to the heart of the issue, it helps to inquire into the story of William Tyndale. As you may know, he was a preeminent bible translator at the time when there was no complete English bible and he gave us the first English bible translated from the original language texts.

In his translation of the New Testament, the English word 'church' does not appear - quite rightly in my opinion - because the Greek word for 'church' is kuriakos and the correct translation of the word that is in the Greek text of the New Testament is 'congregation' or 'gathering' or 'assembly' but definitely not 'church'.

What follows in the next few posts is an examination of New Testament 'church', starting with Tyndale.

..oo000oo.. 

Ever been in a meeting where the preacher says, “The New Testament Greek word for church is ecclesia”?  How many times do you think you’ve heard that?  Don’t know about you, but I’ve lost count.

In Acts 17, Luke is telling the story of the travels of Paul and Silas.  They pass through Thessalonica and arrive at Berea.  Luke says, “Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the scriptures daily to see whether [the things Paul and Silas were saying] were so.”

At an early age, I began trying to be ‘noble-minded’ about what I was hearing, imagining that the ones I was listening to were also noble-minded and would not simply tolerate my searching the scriptures ‘to see if these things were so’, but actually expect that of me.  That was a former generation of elders and leaders.  These days, you’re a trouble-maker if you do that.  And these days I make no apology for obeying God rather than men.

As I ‘searched the scriptures’ on this matter, I found that all these preachers and teachers are only half right.  And I think that perhaps that is being generous.  They’re maybe ten percent correct.  What we indeed have is the situation where every time the word ‘ecclesia’ appears in the Greek text, our English translators render it ‘church’.  Generally, nobody argues with me there.  But that’s the ten percent – the fact that it happens.  The real issue is, should it be translated thus?  I think not.  And I am in good company.  Surprised?  If more of us were noble-minded – more like the Bereans than the Thessalonians – we would not be so surprised – and we would be much wiser.

Let me introduce William Tyndale.  Wikipedia puts Tyndale’s life span at AD 1492-1536.  He lost his life at 44 years of age.  Many histories of Christianity list Tyndale among the ‘Reformers’.  Like other reformers, he is also in the list of martyrs – those murdered for their ministry.  I have a wonderful old book in my library and it is dated 1885, from London: T. Woolmer, 2 Castle Street, City Road, E.C.; and 66 Paternoster Road, E.C.  It is titled “Wycliffe to Wesley; Heroes and Martyrs of the Church in Britain.”  The print below is taken from a line drawing of Tyndale in that book.

The final words about Tyndale in that historical record are these: “According to his sentence, Tyndale was first strangled and then burnt at the stake, his last prayer being, ‘Lord, open the King of England’s eyes!’”

As Jesus had Judas to sell Him out for a few pieces of silver, there was a man in Tyndale’s life who would sell him out too.  He was Henry Philips – known only for his betrayal of Tyndale.  Philips pretended to be a convert to Protestantism and Tyndale believed his profession and took him into his trust.  But have a read of this, taken from that same historical record:

Doubtless Philips was the agent of others more cunning than himself, and certainly he was in communication with the Emperor’s law officers.  Watching his opportunity, when Thomas Poyntz, whose guest Tyndale was, had left Antwerp for some days, Philips invited the doomed man to dine with him.  Tyndale refused on the plea that he was engaged to dine at a friend’s, but invited Philips to accompany him.  ‘So when it was dinner-time, Master Tyndale went forth with Philips; and at the going out of Poyntz’ house was a long narrow entry, so that two could not go in a front.  Master Tyndale would have put Philips before him, but Philips would in no wise, but put Master Tyndale afore, for that he pretended to show great humanity [politeness].  So Master Tyndale, being a man of no great stature, went before; and Philips, a tall, comely person, followed behind him, who had set officers on either side of the door upon two seats (which being there, might see who came into the entry); and coming through the same entry Philips pointed with his finger over Master Tyndale’s head down to him, that the officers, which sat at the door, might see that it was he whom they should take’.         [This extract is taken from Foxe in his Book of Martyrs.]

So betrayed, Tyndale was arrested and held in custody for “a year and a hundred and thirty-five days, from May 23^rd or 24^th , 1535 to October 6^th, 1536.”  A ‘kangaroo court’ trial followed and his sentence was pronounced.
 

To this day, millions of people worldwide honour Tyndale and value his pioneering but dangerous bible translation work.  But one has to ask, why were there sinister forces working against him and running surveillance on him?  That is the question for us here.  And, however much we like to think it otherwise, at the root of it, Tyndale was spied upon, betrayed, arrested, tried, murdered and discarded because of four words.  Granted, the incestuous authorities of Church and State saw him as seditious and heretical, but these four words – and his unwillingness to compromise on them – got him killed.

to be continued...