Christian Martyr - John Rogers***By Clicking Here*** History tells us that John Rogers was the first to be martyred behind the Protestant movement which came under the order of Mary I of England - a.k.a. "Bloody Mary." Rogers was a Catholic priest who had eventually converted to Protestantism.
And to add to that, John was also a Bible translator, minister and commentator for his new found faith. His conversion comes after he had met and became friends with the renown scholar William Tyndale. At the time of their meeting, Tyndale was working on a project that dealt with a Bible English translation. History reveals that eventually Tyndale would himself, suffer martyrdom - for we are told that he'd been tied to the stake and then strangled to death. After this horrific ordeal had happened, his body was then burned. Tyndale would suffer martyrdom before he had finished his project, which left his English Bible translation incomplete. As for Rogers, he would head back to England and it would be att his time that he'd started pastoring a church. Rogers was determined to finish Tyndale's work, so he went out and obtained a license that would allow him to print a complete English language Bible. Know that Rogers would use the completed translation notes from Tyndale - which included all of the notes to the New Testament and part of the Old Testament. He also used Bible translator Miles Coverdale translation notes as well, and this resulted in Rodgers not only being able to complete the English translation (both Old & New Testaments) that Tyndale had started, but he was also able to complete a full commentary on the Bible as well. Now oddly enough, most historians seem to give Rogers credit for having the first completed English translation of the Bible - which was done in the year 1537. But this would go against the fact that Miles Coverdale had finished his complete English translation of the Bible in the year of 1535. Now personally I believe that this provides for an interesting dilemma indeed? But for sake of credit, I would agree that Rogers did have the first English language commentary that was done on the Bible. Now with the recent martyrdom of Tyndale... Rogers knew that he would have to be extremely careful when it came to printing his English Bible translation, or he too, could lose his life as well. Because of this he would use a fictitious name that was known as "Thomas Matthews." Know that because of Rogers fictitious name the "Matthews Bible" was able to be put forth, and this work would be later used to further the work on the "Bishop Bible" and the "King James." Now it's at this time that Protestantism would be finally accepted in England, thanks to Edward VI - who would be known as England's first Protestant ruler. But unfortunately after Edward VI had passed away, Mary I who was his half sister had taken the throne. Now history tells us that she was a Roman Catholic who'd opposed the Protestant movement, and because of this, she's credited with restoring England back to Roman Catholicism after her half brother Edward VI had died. Now within three days after Mary I had enter London, Rogers had preached a message urging everyone to stay true to their doctrines that they had been taught. Shortly after, it's discovered that Rogers was put under house arrest and would eventually be transferred to the infamous "Newgate Prison." Know that it was at this prison that Rogers would be eventually sentence to death. Also know that Rogers was offered a chance to live and avoid execution if he would recant Protestantism and convert back to Catholicism. But he refused this deal and because of this, he was immediately burned at the stake on this day February 4, 1555. Because of this, John Rogers would become the first Protestant martyr - which would lead to many more under the rule of Mary I - a.k.a. "Bloody Mary."
7) <-CURRENT CHRISTIAN MARTYR PAGE-> 
|
|
