Wycliffe: understanding of Scripture

Saturday, December 31, 2016
    Commemoration of John Wycliffe, Reformer, 1384
Meditation:
    And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
    —1 Corinthians 13:13 (KJV)
Quotation:
    Christian men and women, old and young, should study well in the New Testament, for it is of full authority, and open to understanding by simple men, as to the points that are most needful to salvation. Each part of Scripture, both open and dark, teaches meekness and charity; and therefore he that keeps meekness and charity has the true understanding and perfection of all Scripture. Therefore, no simple man of wit should be afraid to study in the text of Scripture. And no cleric should be proud of the true understanding of Scripture, because understanding of Scripture without charity that keeps God’s commandments, makes a man deeper damned... and pride and covetousness of clerics is the cause of [the Church’s] blindness and heresy, and deprives them of the true understanding of Scripture.
    ... John Wycliffe (1320?-1384), Wycliffe: Select English Writings, AMS Press, 1976, p. 23 (see the book)
    See also 1 Cor. 13:13; Matt. 5:5; 22:43; Rom. 15:4; Gal. 3:8; 2 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 4:12
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, implant in me a meek heart, that I may imitate our Savior throughout the coming year. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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