A Theology Lesson

Above; John Wycliff portrait by Thomas Kirkby 1828.

Let’s pause to talk about biblical history and then make a comparison. There have been at least 23 English Bible versions published by the Catholic Church. Prior to this the Bible was only in Latin, the Old Testament having been translated from Hebrew and the New Testament from Greek. There were no Bibles for the general public, people went to Mass to hear the priests.

The first Catholic English language Bible was the Douay-Rheims Bible, the New Testament was published in 1582 and the Old Testament in 1610. This was probably in response to the publishing of Luther’s Bible, first published in German in 1522 and completed in 1545. One Protestant criticism of the Catholic Church was the Bible was unavailable to common people.

Martin Luther was not the first to make a public Bible version. In 1382 – 1395 Wycliffe’s Bible was printed in Middle English. John Wycliff was a scholastic philosopher, Christian reformer, Catholic priest, and a theology professor at the University of Oxford and a precursor of the protestant reformation. His political-theological theory of dominion stated the church should not be allowed to own property or have ecclesiastic courts. Men in mortal sin, he said, were not entitled to exercise authority in the church or state, nor to own property. This, as one would imagine, brought him into conflict with Pope Gregory XI.

After his death in 1384 the anti-Lollard statute of 1401 De heretico comburendo classified heresy as a form of sedition or treason. It ordered that Lollard books, frequently associated with Wycliffe, be handed over and burnt. Anyone who refused could also be burnt. Not many copies of his Bible survived.

The US Conference of Catholic Bishops has been working on their own bible, separate from the rest of the Catholic world. The New American Bible Revised Edition or USCCB version of 2011 is based on the 1970 Catholic New American Bible. In 2024 they unveiled yet another version (Aletia).

Let’s compare the verse below where Jesus is speaking.

Matthew 11:12

USCCB From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence,* and the violent are taking it by force.

Catholic Since John the Baptist came, up to this present time, the kingdom of Heaven has been subjected to violence and the violent are taking it by storm.

KJV And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

Douay-Rheims Bible And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent bear it away.

Luther’s Bible Aber von den Tagen Johannes des Täufers bis hierher leidet das Himmelreich Gewalt, und die Gewalt tun, die reißen es an sich. But from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and violent people are trying to seize it by force.

Wycliff’s Bible And from the days of John Baptist till now the kingdom of heavens suffereth violence, and violent men snatch it.

Greek Interlinear απο δε των ημερων ιωαννου του βαπτιστου εως αρτι η βασιλεια των ουρανων βιαζεται και βιασται αρπαζουσιν αυτην. Out of the days of John the Immerser until now the Kingdom of the Heavens is done to violence and violent men forcibly take her.

They took out the men part.

HOME

CASE STUDIES