For once, I have pictures. Wipe the shocked expression off your face and I'll give you a quick virtual tour of the displays. (Apologies for the oddity of the format. Blogging with pictures isn't really my style, so I don't have a clue what I'm doing. Hopefully it is all still readable).
One of the original Tyndale New Testaments from the 1520's. He never finished the entire Old Testament. This book is nearly five-hundred years old. William Tyndale's zeal to bring God's Word to the common english man cost him his life.
On one hand, that seems a high cost - not only did he die an early death, but his life was lived exclusively with the purpose of translating the Bible into English.
One might even suggest that the Bible would have made it into English eventually, anyway. Wasn't it a wasted life?
But on the other hand, his life was lived entirely for the glory of God. And through his life, the name of God is glorified, and his own name lives in history.
Not only that, but the 1611 Authorized Version (The King James Version) borrowed heavily from Tyndale's translation. According to one author, 83% of the New King James New Testament is straight from Tyndale. The Old Testament (unfinished by Tyndale), 76% from Tyndale.
He truly exemplified 1 Corinthians 15:19-20,
"19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. 20 But in fact Christ
has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep."
In 1539, King Henry VIII finally approved an English Bible Translation. Ironically, The Great Bible (otherwise known as the Matthew Bible) which was prepared by Myles Coverdale, was basically Tyndale's translation of the New Testament and Pentateuch with additional Old Testament translation by Coverdale.
This is apparently one of the original 2,500 first editions printed, as the date on the picture is 1539. This version was basically replaced in thirty years by the Bishop's Bible.
I got a kick out of actually picking this one up and holding it.
See, back when they first printed them, the purpose was for public reading in the church, but they were afraid thieves might break in and steal them, so they chained these huge Bibles to the lecturns to deter Bible-robbers.
Thank God that His Word is no longer confined to being read only in church, but is freely available for all men to read in our own language - and throughout the world, it is being brought to more and more people through the ministry of faithful believers!
"8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! 10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory."
(2 Timothy 2:8-10, ESV)
On the left is a large edition Geneva Bible (unsure on the date, but late 16th century, mostly likely). On the right is a small edition from 1599. This was the Bible of the people prior to the 1611 Authorized Version of King James. The translators of this version also leaned heavily on the lyrical poetry of Tyndale's Bible.
This was the Bible of the Pilgrims on the Mayflower, as well as Shakespeare (which is not insignificant as far as the popularizing of language and sayings is concerned).
King James wasn't a big fan of this version. Apparently the references to 'tyrants' in the translation hit a bit too close to home. And if that didn't quite push James over the edge, the printed commentary in the marginal notes that were basically direct attacks on him certainly did. This version was deemed 'too Protestant' for use in England.
The Actes and Monuments was first published in 1563, but is more popularly known as Foxe's Book of Martyrs (pictured left with Dad). This edition is from 1570.
It is a memoriam to those whose blood was shed throughout the history of the church.
The Book of Common Prayer, originally published in 1549, (this edition is from 1688) is on the right. Of Anglican origin, I'm not certain that other Protestant denominations were quite as taken with it, although John Wesley reportedly was quite fond of it. I seem to recall that Roger Williams (founder of the Baptist colony in Rhode Island) wasn't really a big fan of it. I guess he disliked written prayers and preferred that they be fresh in the moment.
Although certainly I am indebted to my Baptist forefather, I think he perhaps failed to consider that sincerity in prayer is often just as lacking in prayers conceived in the moment as they are in written prayers. In contrast, if the heart is engaged, I think we can be just as worshipful and sincere in our prayers that were already written by someone else as we can with our own.
This particular work was apparently the source of such phrases as "Speak now or forever hold your peace," "Till death us do part," and "Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust."
In 1611, King James benevolently bestowed upon his people the gift of a new Bible version - In reality, most of it wasn't new at all. But the Bishop's Bible was too literal to the original languages and rather difficult to read.
The Geneva Bible, as mentioned, was distasteful to King Jimmy, so he authorized a new Bible translation. The end result was a Bible that was quite well done indeed - so much so that it took centuries for it to be surpassed, and many still prefer it even today. No version can compare to that historical record.
Drew is here next to a first edition 1611. I'll admit it: That is pretty cool.
On the right is a closeup of the Bible with handwritten notes. I have no idea when they were added in. I'd guess they probably don't date prior to 1611, though. Suffice to say, I really couldn't read any of the handwriting. It is all kind of small and faded.
Still, I was suitably wowed by the notes - and that is saying something for someone like me who is incapable of writing in a book. I just cannot do that to a book. Other people's notes in books I'm reading bug me, and I think I would quickly forget the significance of any notes I wrote inside the book. But there's something special about handwriting in really old books.
It kind of makes me think of two old KJV Bibles I own. They had belonged to my Grandpa Orman, and my sister, Lisa, had gotten ahold of them after his passing. Before moving to Tennessee, she gave them both to me. They have both logged far too much use to be usable, but they have notes in them - unintelligible to me for the most part - but he used it when he preached and I suppose they helped him remember things he wanted to say.
In the back of one, on one of those pages of notes that I thought nobody ever used, I found written: "Bible Study 1. Perceive: a. What is there about God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. b.Is there an example to follow or a command to obey? c. Is there any promise or warning given? d. What sins or errors are to be avoided? e. What is the main lesson of this Bible portion? 2. Make personal your discovery. 3. Apply personal message received to particular circumstances of your own life."
I sometimes pull these out now and then just to look in them and reflect on God's grace, and on all he has blessed me with. Not least among those blessings is to have been born into a believing family in a line of men who taught God's Word faithfully as they understood it.
"23 Since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and
abiding word of God; 24 for 'All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers,
and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.' And this word is the good news that was
preached to you." (1 Peter 1:23-25, ESV).
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