www. August 2010
Darryl F. Zanuck, the famous Hollywood movie producer, once suggested the most monotonous movie is one that is accurate, but has no drama. With television and E-mail and I- pods, have words lost their meaning? "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." NOT SO, oh ye of little etymological erudition; words are powerful enough to crush the spirit of a child, or a fellow believer going through a crisis, or to heal their hurting heart.
Would history be any different if General MacArthur had said, "See y'all later," instead of I SHALL RETURN? What if Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had said, "I have an occurring thought" instead of I HAVE A DREAM? What if Dr. King's historical namesake, Martin Luther, had said "I'm not leaving this place," instead of HERE I STAND?
Every Bible reading Christian (that does include us?) is in debt to William Tyndale, truly a great wordsmith in Christendom. Many of the words he composed are still with us today, just as powerful for this generation as ages past.
AM I MY BROTHER'S KEEPER?
LET MY PEOPLE GO.
FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT.
0, DEATH, WHERE IS THY STING?
Those phrases are in the King James Version, but they originated from the extensive work in words done by Tyndale. His compassion was to utilize the new invention of the printing press, which changed the world forever. Tyndale believed the new invention could change the world for the glory of God. He wanted the "plow boy" to be able to read the Holy Bible. He believed the common people deserved the best translation possible.
Permission for such a project was adamantly and forcefully denied. He pursued the course, anyway, setting up his own print shop in Germany in 1525. He translated the New Testament and put it into the hands of the common people. Most of the copies were burnt, as the Church of the day was opposed to the common people reading the Scriptures.
For his hard work, for his dedication, for his saying YES to the call of God on his life, any idea how large Tyndale's royalty checks were? Was he the winner of the Pulitzer Prize of the 1500s? All the answers are NO. NO money. NO fame. NO appearance on the "talk shows." NO being the special guest preacher at Annual Conference. The REWARD Tyndale received for putting the Bible into the hands of the common people (that's us) was to be arrested while he was still in his 40's, jailed for sixteen months, tried for heresy, found guilty, and martyred (strangled, then burnt) on 06 October 1536.
Almost everyone has a Bible, or two, or three. Bibles can be bought at retail stores for only a dollar or two. Yet, biblical ignorance abounds in our land. Got any new excuses for not reading and studying the Bible? Would William Tyndale be embarrassed at how we take the Bible for granted, and William died so that the common people could have a copy of Scripture to read in their own  anguage. Next time we open our Bible, to read, to pray, to defend our argument, say a special thanks to William Tyndale, a dedicated disciple who was willing to give his life for the Bible. What are you willing to give to the Lord?