One of the key battle grounds of the protestant reformation was the fight to have the scriptures translated into the language of the people, so that men and women everywhere could read the Bible for themselves.
This was an astonishing paradigm shift; no longer would the priest mediate God’s word to the people, instead they themselves were granted access to the “word of truth” (2 Tim 2:15). It is this radical sentiment that Ussher captures for us in Article 4.
The Scriptures ought to be translated out of the original tongues into all languages for the common use of all men: neither is any person to be discouraged from reading the Bible in such a language as he doth understand, but seriously exhorted to read the same with great humility and reverence, as a special means to bring him to the true knowledge of God and of his own duty. (Article 4)
Not only are the Scriptures to be translated but the people are to be “seriously exhorted” to read them!
This may seem like an obvious point but when understood in the light of the 6000+ people groups around the world who have no access to the Bible in their own language it becomes all the more poignant.
It means that having the Bible in our own language should arouse in us a humble joy that God has given us such a gracious gift that we might be brought to “the true knowledge of God”.
In light of this we should also be roused to pray for those who have never heard the name of Jesus. Praying that God would open a way to these people and stir in the hearts of men and women a desire to serve them and see them won for Christ.
For more information and to widen the lens of your prayer life please visit the following sites:
• The Joshua Project
• The Barnabas Fund
• Wycliffe Bible Translators
