"Fearless Pilgrim: The Life and Times of John Bunyan"

Binding: Hardcover
Page Count: 528
Publisher: Evangelical Press
ISBN#: 9780852346808




Monergism Books has just added a recent biography by Faith Cook—Fearless Pilgrim: The Life and Times of John Bunyan. From the publisher's description:

Faith Cook avoids the temptation of merely regarding Bunyan as one of the great figures of English literature. That he certainly is, but he is so much more – a physician of souls, much-loved pastor and powerful preacher of the gospel of grace. The authoress skilfully relates her subject to the political history of his times, in which nonconformists won a greater measure of freedom to worship according to their understanding of the Bible during the Cromwellian period, only to be restricted again after the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660.

Bunyan emerges from this book as a writer of plain yet remarkably imaginative prose, steeped in an amazing knowledge of the English Bible. That knowledge is not just textual: it is deeply experimental, the fruit of much meditation, as The Pilgrim’s Progress particularly shows.

I've enjoyed reading several biographies by Faith Cook and am looking forward to this one. Her writing style is warm, informative, and very encouraging.

Monergism Books | $22.79

"Fearless Pilgrim: The Life and Times of John Bunyan"

John Owen's Attitude Toward the Biblical Languages

This evening I picked up my copy of John Owen: The Man and His Theology edited by Robert W. Oliver (Evangelical Press/P&R Publishing, 2002) in order to compare it to Carl Trueman's John Owen: Reformed Catholic, Renaissance Man (Ashgate, 2007). I had forgotten I had this little volume but was glad to find a chapter by Carl R. Trueman entitled "John Owen the Theologian".

In this chapter I found the following quote regarding Owen's attitude toward the biblical languages:

From its very inception at the hands of Martin Luther, Protestant education had placed knowledge of the biblical languages at the very heart of its theological and ministerial training. This was for the very simple reason that Protestantism, with its high view of the unique nature and authority of the biblical canon, inevitably demanded that its leaders be acquainted with the texts of that canon in their original languages. To have failed in this area would thus have made a practical nonsense of the theological commitment to the scriptural authority. Owen himself gives four reasons why knowledge of the languages is to be desired among those who seek to lead the church: divine inspiration refers to the original texts, not translations; every jot, tittle and subtlety of the original is therefore of great importance; the emphasis and texture of the originals are lost or obscured in translation; and the idiomatic nature of scriptural language requires broad familiarity with cognate literature in the original languages. In other words, the minister or theologian would ideally not have just grasped the rudiments o Hebrew and Greek but should also have a profound understanding of the languages and the cultures from which they arose. To put it bluntly, Protestant commitment to the notion of sola scriptura required nothing less than the training of ministers in the solid, classical traditions of linguistic excellence. (47-48)

Speaking of becoming acquainted with primary sources, I found the following passage by John Owen in Volume IV of his collected works:

This only I say, that it is of singular advantage, in the interpretation of the Scripture, that a man be well acquainted with the original languages, and be able to examine the use and signification of words, phrases, and expressions as they are applied and declared in other authors. And even to the understanding of the Greek of the New Testament it is necessary that a man have an acquaintance with the Hebrew of the Old...

By these things great advantage may be obtained unto the right understanding of the sense of the Scripture, or the mind of the Holy Ghost therein; for there is no other sense in it than what is contained in the words whereof materially it doth consist, though really that sense itself be such as our minds cannot receive without the especial divine assistance before pleaded. And in the interpretation of the mind of any one, it is necessary that the words he speaks or writes be rightly understood; and this we cannot do immediately unless we understand the language wherein he speaks, as also the idiotisms of that language, with the common use and intention of its phraseology and expressions. And if we do not hereby come unto a perfect comprehension of the sense intended, because many other things are required thereunto, yet a hinderance is removed, without which we cannot do so; occasions of manifold mistakes are taken away, and the cabinet is as it were unlocked wherein the jewel of truth lies hid, which with a lawful diligent search may be found. And what perplexities, mistakes, and errors, the ignorance of these original languages hath cast many expositors into, both of old and of late, especially among those who pertinaciously adhere unto one translation, and that none of the best, might be manifested by instances undeniable, and these without number. ... And those among ourselves who are less skilled in this knowledge are to be advised that they would be careful not to adventure on any singular exposition of the Scriptures, or any text in them, upon the credit of any one or all translations they can make use of, seeing persons of greater name and worth than to be mentioned unto their disreputation have miscarried upon the same account. A reverential subjection of mind, and diligent attendance unto the analogy of faith, are their best preservative in this matter; and I fear not to add, that a superficial knowledge in these tongues, which many aim at, is of little use unless it be to make men adventurous in betraying their own ignorance. But the sense and substance of the Scripture being contained entirely in every good translation (amongst which that in use among ourselves is excellent, though capable of great improvements), men may, by the use of the means before directed unto, and under the conduct of the teaching of the Spirit of God in them, usefully and rightly expound the Scripture in general unto the edification of others; whereof many instances may be given amongst ancient and modern expositors.

This skill and knowledge, therefore, is of great use unto them who are called unto the interpretation of the Scripture; and the church of God hath had no small advantage by the endeavors of men learned herein, who have exercised it in the exposition of the words and phraseology of the Scriptures, as compared with their use in other authors. But yet, as was before observed, this skill, and the exercise of it in the way mentioned, is no duty in itself, nor enjoined unto any for its own sake, but only hath a goodness in it with respect unto a certain end. Wherefore, it is in its own nature indifferent, and in its utmost improvement capable of abuse, and such in late days it hath fallen under unto a great extremity; for the study of the ordinal languages, and the exercise of skill in them in the interpretation of the Scripture, hath been of great reputation, and that deservedly. Hence multitudes of learned men have engaged themselves in that work and study, and the number of annotations and comments on the Scripture, consisting principally in critical observations, as they are called, have been greatly increased; and they are utter strangers unto these things who will not allow that many of them are of singular use. But withal this skill and faculty, where it hath been unaccompanied with that humility, sobriety, reverence of the Author of the Scripture, and respect unto the analogy of faith, which ought to bear sway in the minds of all men who undertake to expound the oracles of God, may be, and hath been, greatly abused, unto the hurt of its owners and disadvantage of the church.

(John Owen. The Works of John Owen, volume 4: The Reason of Faith. Edited by William H. Goold. Albany, OR: Books for the Ages, Version 1.o, 2000. pp. 270-72.)

John Owen's Attitude Toward the Biblical Languages

William Tyndale (ca. 1494 – October 6, 1536)

Protestant reformer and Bible Translator William Tyndale died on this day in 1536. As a translator Tyndale is distinguished by two firsts: the first to translate the Bible into early Modern English (John Wycliffe’s work represents Middle English) and the first to distribute by means of the printing press.

About the time that Reformation fires were spreading from the Continent into England, Tyndale was determined to make the Scriptures available in the common vernacular. He believed that it is through the Word of God that people can know God. One of Tyndale’s famous quotes came in the heat of an argument with a clergyman who advised Tyndale that “we had better be without God’s laws than the Pope’s.” Tyndale replied, “I defy the Pope, and all his laws; and if God spares my life, I will cause the boy that drives the plow in England to know more of the Scriptures than the Pope himself!" Tyndale ran afoul of not only the Pope’s laws but also England’s since special permission was denied him to translate Scripture into the common language.

Tyndale traveled secretly to Germany to continue his work in hiding. In 1526 the complete New Testament in English was published. These New Testaments were smuggled into England and Scotland and distributed widely. But the Catholic Church confiscated and burned every copy it could find, an event that would foreshadow Tyndale’s own demise when the Church found him.

Friends had helped hide and support William Tyndale during his years of Bible translation, during which he revised his New Testament and translated a portion of the Old Testament. But in 1535, while hiding in Antwerp, Belgium, an English spy pretending to be a needy friend betrayed him to the authorities. Tyndale endured the harsh conditions of prison life in the castle of Vilvoorde near Brussels until his trial. On October 6, 1536 William Tyndale was strangled and then burned at the stake. His last reported words formed a prayer: “Lord, open the King of England’s eyes."

The Lord answered that prayer in a way that probably exceeded Tyndale’s expectations. English translations, approved by King Henry VIII and based on Tyndale’s work, soon began appearing on the scene. The King James Version (1611) and many modern versions owe a great debt to Tyndale’s work.

Fluent in seven languages besides his own native English, William Tyndale was a scholar who used his great learning to minister God’s Word to the common people. He had to flee his country and live as a fugitive to accomplish the work God had given him to do. When caught, he had to suffer cold, sickness, deprivation, darkness, and the injustice of a heresy trial. In his death he pleaded in behalf of the Lord’s own work among the people. He reminds me of the men and women in Hebrews 11 who were so mistreated for their faith in Christ. The Divine estimate of them could be William Tyndale’s epitaph: “Of whom the world was not worthy.”

Three things I want to carry away from considering Tyndale’s life and death: 1) whatever abilities God has given me, I want to develop and use them for His glory in the service of His people. 2) Whenever I read the Bible or carry a pocket New Testament, I don’t want to take that privilege for granted but remember what it cost to have the Word of God so available. 3) Lord, help me to be faithful unto death.

See Wikipedia for a good article on Tyndale.

Also there are good articles or biographical chapters in these books:

Sketches from Church History by S.M. Houghton (Banner of Truth, 1980)

The Footsteps of God by John Legg (Evangelical Press, 1986)

Please inform me of other resources on Tyndale.

William Tyndale (ca. 1494 – October 6, 1536)