Anyone heard of Miles? Not the jazz guy!

Next time you are reading your Bible, spare a thought for Miles – Miles Coverdale that is.

Miles was not your average bloke. Born in 1488, graduating from Cambridge in 1531; Miles went on to translate & produce the first complete printed translation of the Bible into English.

The picture you see on the left is the title page of this historical Bible. For a more detailed look at the cover I encourage you go HERE & have a detailed look – it’s fascinating!

When you look at his Bible’s title page, what do you see? Note the people, verses and design.  What do you see?

Well, I’ve checked out Miles’ title page and I believe that it’s possible to determine what he believed to be very important about the Christian faith.

Firstly, he believed that Scripture was both holy and authoritative, with both the Old and New Testaments.  The word of God was to be glorified, meditated upon, cherished and exercised in the life of the reader.  There was real spiritual value in teaching His word.  These things can be deduced by examining the Scriptural references found on the title page (see below).  In the Scriptures was Christ’s word and in it is divine wisdom.

The gospel was important to Coverdale as can be deduced from the references to Mark and Romans.  The gospel was to be preached in the whole world, unashamedly, because in it was power to save.  These are interesting references when viewed in the light of the evangelical witness of Coverdale’s day. (Miles knew what it was like to be persecuted as a Christian.)

The fact that there appears to be 9 references on the title page is a tribute to Coverdale’s confidence in the Holy Scriptures.  How many books today are so bold in this style of introduction?

The illustrations are obviously very important too.  Man’s sin is portrayed; Christ is honoured as the victor over Satan; the law of the Old Testament is pictured as important (divine revelation); evangelism (I find this refreshingly a surprise) is given high priority; instruction to teach the people is evident too, as is the honoured Word of God in the illustration featuring Henry VIII, Princes and Clergy.

The whole title page is a reflection of the confidence that Miles Coverdale had in a very Holy Bible. I like Miles and I like his confidence in the Bible.

By the way, Henry VIII made sure that every English church had a Coverdale Bible (chained to a bookstand – so no-one would flog it!) in order that every person could have access to a Bible for the first time in English history.

How many Bibles do you have at home?

“Go to now (most dear reader) and sit thee down at the Lord's feet and read his words, and, as Moses teacheth the Jews, take them into thine heart, and let thy talking and communication be of them when thou sittest in thine house, or goest by the way, when thou lyest down, and when thou riseth up. And above all things fashion thy life and conversation according to the doctrine of the holy ghost therein.”

- Coverdale's Preface

TITLE PAGE ... as I can determine the Bible verses-

In a clockwise direction, from the top left hand corner:

In the day so ever thou eat thereof, thou shalt die. Genesis 2.17
This is my dear beloved son in whom I delight, hear him. Matt 17.5
Go your way into all the world, preach the gospel. Mark 16.15
I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God. Romans 1.16
O how sweet are thy words unto my throat: yea more than honey. Ps 119.103
There are laws, that thou shalt lay before them. Ex 21.1

In the centre:

BIBLIA
The Bible that
is the holy Scripture of the
Old and New Testament,
faithfully and truly translated
out of Dutch and Latin
into English.
1535
St Paul. 2 Thess. 3.
Pray for us, that the word of God may have free passage, and be glorified.
St. Paul Col. 3.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you plenteously in all wisdom.
Joshua 1.
Let not the book of this law depart out of my mouth, but exercise thyself therin day and night.

REFERENCES

Bettenson, H. Documents Of The Christian Church, (Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1979).
Chadwick, O. The Reformation, (Aylesbury, Penguin Books Ltd., 1982).
Houghton, S.M. Sketches From Church History, (Edinburgh, Banner of Truth Trust, 1980).
The Lion Handbook of Christianity, (Surrey Hills, Anzea Books, 1978).