Daniell, David. The Bible in English: Its History and Influence. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2003. http://www.amazon.com/
Tyndale, the Protestant Bible translator, was strangled and burned as a "heretic" on 6 OCT 1536. After his arrest in spring, 1535, no one really knows what happened to Tyndale’s manuscripts of translational work on Joshua to 2 Chronicles. Somehow, they survived the raid of Imperialists under Pierre Dufief’s command, a well-known, well-remunerated and energetic “heresy hunter.” Dufief had a major catch with Tyndale. "Heresy in England will stop" or so thought the Anglo-Italian senior priests. John Rogers, in Antwerp at the time, close associate of Tyndale and Coverdale, is the proposed theory: he had Tyndale's OT records and documents. It was Rogers who made sure the English Bible was finished and printed as the “Thomas Matthew’s Bible of 1537.” To complicate matters, Coverdale’s 1535 Bible was off the presses too; furthermore, Tyndale's books and NTs still dominated the market and "demand was high." That cannot be eclipsed by this inquiry. But, what was the relationship between the two Bibles, Coverdale's of 1535 and the Thomas Matthew Bible of 1537? More as that emerges.
JOHN ROGERS, 191-193. (For more on his life, see: http://reformationanglicanism.blogspot.com/2013/12/wiki-john-rogers-collaborator-in.html)
He took his BA in 1526 from Pembroke College, Cambridge. May it be remembered that “new winds” had been blowing at Cambridge for some time and that the English Reformation was powered by university men (and God). Things were bad in England; he left and is found in Antwerp in 1536 as the Chaplain to English merchants. Prof. Daniell says he had been moving in “Reforming circles” in 1536-1537 (191). He was definitely a friend of Tyndale and was with him. In Antwerp, he married a Flemish woman. He stayed for several years in Antwerp, but, at some point had gone to Wittenberg where he “matriculated on 25 NOV 1540” (191). As a Wittenberg graduate, he learned Greek, but he also evinced knowledge of Hebrew and Aramaic. In time, those skills would be employed in the furtherance of the Thomas Matthew’s Bible of 1537, a rework of Coverdale’s more Latinized portion of the Bible...the unfinished sections from Tyndale.
He, evidently, inferably, and obviously, developed close contacts with the "Lutheran heretics" including Philip Melancthon and Bruder Martin himself. As a result, Rogers becomes a Lutheran superintendent, that is, he was one of four superintendents between 1544 and 1548. He was located in Meldorf, Germany and was highly respected.
But, Edward VI ascended (or descended according to some) to the English throne. In August 1548, Rogers returned to the homeland. He’s back in London in the “house of a Reforming merchant and publisher Edward Whitchurch” (192). Rogers translated books by Melancthon, including his Weighing of the interim, a review of a recent edict by Charles V on 15 May 1548 ordering all Continental Protestants conform to Romanism (yeah, right). Ridley, the senior clerk in London, “admired Rogers” and “appointed him lecturer in divinity in St. Paul’s Cathedral” (192).
Then came Mary the First with her accession on May 1553. Pity poor Rogers and other Catholic (=Reformed, not Roman) Churchmen. On 27 JAN 1554, Rogers was sent amidst thieves and others to the Newgate Prison. His trial, one year later, was on 22 JAN 1555 before the charming Stephen Gardiner (senior clerk of Winchester) and a council of Anglo-Italian Inquisitors. On 29 JAN 1555, he was condemned. On 4 FEB 1555, he was publicly degraded of his official ordinational status and then burned at Smithfield. He was offered an opportunity to recant—he declined. He was Mary’s very first English, Protestant, and Lutheran martyr.
THOMAS MATTHEW’S BIBLE OF 1537, 193-195
Let it be noted. Tyndale’s and Coverdale’s works were already circulating in England. Demand was high despite the Inquisitors. The Thomas Matthew’s Bible of 1537 represents a major, major advance for England. Let's expand on that HUGE ADVANCE.
In 1537, Rogers worked with Matthew Crom, a well-known Antwerp printer. The result: a thick folio, double columns, and black letters.
Rogers basically printed half the OT, namely, Job to Malachi, from Coverdale’s work along with Tyndale’s earlier work from Genesis to 2 Chronicles.
But those two names were “heretical:” Tyndale and Coverdale. A screen was needed. Camouflage. 2nd Force Recon Marine: cammie greens for the jungle with camouflage paint on the face...sneaking forward on the target. Ergo, a new name was adopted. The Thomas Matthew’s Bible was innocuous in that sense. It didn’t raise as many hackles as the two heretics.
Two London printers underwrote and funded the new print-run in 1537, to wit: Richard Grafton and Edward Whitchurch. Both were prosperous and well-connected men and both were crypto-Reformers.
HERE ARE THE MAJOR, MAJOR ADVANCES.
Coverdale’s Bible was in the land…from overseas. Coverdale’s Bible had a dedicatory page to Henry VIII with an iconic title page by Hans Holbein, perhaps playing to the massive ego, featuring old Harry as a “powerful Reformation monarch” (194). But, this was never licensed by the Monarch and, further, it was a Continental product...and further, it was from the pens of heretics.
Cromwell (knowing that Tyndale’s and Coverdale’s work were foundational) was able to get Henry to “license” the Thomas Matthew’s Bible. HUGE! The Bible contained the statement, as “set forth with the King’s most gracious licence [sic]”.
Furthermore, Cromwell set about to getting this Bible into 9000 parishes with Royal support. HUGE ADVANCE for the English Reformation and THE MAJOR SETBACK for the Anglo-Italian senior clerks.
Cranmer knew what was going on. He sent a letter to Cromwell, to wit: favorers would “suffer snubs, many slanders, lies and reproaches” because of the marginal notes (194). But, the bigger objection from the Anglo-Italians? The governing issue? MASSIVE FEAR OF THE BIBLE IN ENGLISH, THE WHOLE BIBLE, FULL AND ENTIRE AND BEFORE THE ENTIRE NATION. THOSE FEARS DOMINATED THE ROMAN HIERARCHY UNTIL THE 1970S. That was the real issue, the Bible itself.
1537 is A MAJOR YEAR FOR THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND. Erasmus, early English Reformers like Frith and Barnes, Tyndale, Coverdale and now Rogers…they laid the foundation. Now, in time, the 9000 parishes would have an English Bible.
Henry licensed the book for distribution. (What was Tom Cranmer's influence, our mystery man?)
In 1538, Cromwell encouraged senior clerks to buy for all their churches.
In 1538, Cromwell required “Justices of the Peace” to make sure that all the clerics were “preaching the Word of God” and “recommending the people to have an English Bible” (194). Imagine the impact on the sheriffs and justices in all the English shires up and down the country? Or, the bishops? Both senior clerks of Canterbury, York, and one diocese “ordered” every priest to have a Latin-English NT and to read 1 chapter per day (although that’s pretty weak in itself…more like 50 chapter per day per testament, that’s right, 100 chapters per day per clerk…get a hoppin’…).
As a result, “demand was high” (195). The presses were working.
Hence, with over a year…to a year and one half…after Tyndale’s death, the King of England had licensed an English Bible from within England with preparations for its distribution nationwide. HUGE.
Cromwell’s problem was a happy one. Demand exceeded supply. Keep those presses...a'rollin,' rollin,' rollin...Rawhide! But, ultimately, Cromwell succeeded. The Preface exhorted the people to “the study of the holy Scriptures,” now available everywhere. This was a Royal reversal--a total reversal--of the murderous Anglo-Italian policy of 150 years in England. Furthermore, the work of the “pestiferous and poisonous heretics,” Tyndale and Coverdale, would now “infect the nation” and make more “heretics.” Oh the irony! Oh, the answer to Tyndale's prayer at the stake, "Oh LORD, open the King of England's eyes!" God turned the heart of a 2.0 Anglican King of England--a Romanist without the Pope.
ROGERS AS A BIBLICAL SCHOLAR, 196-197
Rogers kept the heretic Tyndale’s 1534 NT whole and entire. Rogers retained Tyndale’s Pentateuch, but omitted 4 marginal notes on the senior priest in Rome. Rogers made revisions to sections done by Coverdale, although the Psalter would be retained and used in Anglican Books of Common Prayer (until the 1960s, although it’s still used in Collegiate and Cathedral Choirs to this day). Rogers expanded the marginal notes. There were 2000 marginal notes. As a graduate of Wittenberg, as a friend and collaborator with Tyndale, Luther and Melancthon, knowledgeable in Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, French and Latin, he brought considerable skills to the work.
He is an obscure figure in the English Reformation. The Tractaholics hate talking about the Reformation. The moderns have amnesia. The current Canterbury prefers babbeling (a Montanist) rather than recovering the old theology.
Yet, Rogers—along with Cromwell, Cranmer and others—was a key player.
He died at the stake on 4 FEB 1555, the first martyr...a martyr for God, His Word, His doctrines and reformed worship and piety.
Rome remains quiet these days.
And now, we have a Nigerian Anglican Churchman reading here; this is our heritage Mr. Johnson-Uche; however, the English and American liberals have trashed the heritage, yet many of us still stand for these old paths...as you are doing in Nigeria; keep this nation in your prayers from Nigeria. We stand with you in your fidelity to the "Word Incarnate and Word written." Phoohey on the liberals! Phoohey on the Anglo-Italians or Tractarians too, the whole lot of them.
We insist on the "whole Bible," the grand ocean, not "droplets" and "tid-bits," but the whole thing. In Advent 2, may we read, learn, mark and inwardly digest the whole thing.
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