by Moon Choi

With these last words, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit,” Patrick Hamilton died at 24 years old and became Scotland’s first martyr for the Protestant movement.

Born in 1504, Hamilton came from an extremely privileged family. Through his family’s influence, Hamilton was appointed to an Augustinian monastery at the age of 13. Rather than staying in Scotland, he left to study at the University of Paris. It was there that Hamilton encountered Luther’s theology based off of Scripture and Erasmus’s writings and his publication of the Greek New Testament. After earning a Master’s Degree from Paris, Hamilton set out to the Louvain in Belgium which was renown for the study of Greek, Hebrew and Latin.

After his studies in Paris, the 19 year old Hamilton went to St. Andrews University as a graduate student and a teacher. St. Andrews at the time was the Roman Catholic stronghold, “the very Vatican of the church of Scotland” (Tjernagel, 2). Hamilton never stood out as sympathetic to the reformation as he followed all the typical rituals of worship.

In 1525, warning signs of the Reformation in Scotland could be seen. The government took quick action to ban the possession of any reformation literature and decreed warnings about the heresies that would inevitably reach the students at St. Andrews University. With his continental education and his knowledge of reformation theology, Hamilton “was now conclusively brought…to accept the theological and spiritual reform of Luther in preference to the moral and disciplinary reform of his former master, Erasmus” (Tjernagel, 3).

In 1527, Hamilton decided to study Lutheran theology himself and set out for Wittenberg, Germany. Hamilton was able to hear Luther and other religious leaders preach. On top of that, “he found the monasteries deserted, priests married, and the people singing Christian hymns.” (Tjernagel, 3) To add to his already impressive academic resume, that year, Hamilton was in the first class of the University of Marburg. In his class were the English reformers William Tyndale and John Frith. Hamilton, at this time wrote what came to be known as “Patrick’s Places,” a series of textbook exercises which simply pointed to the gospel.

After a term at Marburg, Hamilton, now 23 years old, felt equipped to evangelize at home. He first converted the members of his family. Then he preached to the surrounding towns and countryside, even to the neighboring parish.

As Hamilton was tirelessly preaching the gospel, the Archbishop, Beaton, became aware of his activities. Beaton was in a bind as Hamilton was preaching heresy but was also from an influential family. Beaton bided his time, letting Hamilton continue preaching so that future charges could be indicted. Though pitted against the Hamilton family’s reputation, Beaton decided that Hamilton was to be put to death. Hamilton’s brother, Sir James Hamilton, came to know about his brother’s situation and mustered up a defensive force for his brother. He did not arrive in time. Hamilton, with thorough knowledge of his plight, came to the cathedral to be interrogated. He stood firm in his convictions. Beaton soon learned of Sir James Hamilton’s plans and had Patrick Hamilton kidnapped in the night. He accelerated Hamilton’s trial and had him successfully charged for heresy. That winter morning, Patrick Hamilton was burned from noon until six.

Hamilton was not the only one to fall as a martyr on Beaton’s watch. Eighteen years after his death, George Wishart was also burned. An outraged public violently protested and Beaton was also killed. During the course of his ministry, Wishart encountered a young man, John Knox, who would later become a French galley slave, then a pastor in England and chaplain to the young Kind Edward VI.

Hamilton’s life is remarkable in his pursuit of the knowledge of Scripture. He spent eleven years developing an esteemed academic career in four different countries, seeking to know the pure Word of God. His courage in light of his immediate plight is remarkably mature for someone of his age but one cannot help but realize that it is only natural that after becoming intimately acquainted with the Word, that he would not tremble before man but fearlessly serve his Lord Jesus Christ. (Tjernagel, Neelak S. Patrick Hamilton: Precursor of the Reformation in Scotland. Diss.)

by Steven Hong

Because of the political climate, and perhaps due in part to the difference in proximity from Rome, the Reformation in Switzerland can be characterized as more radical than the Reformation in Germany. As a confederation of states or cantons, the Swiss lived in a spirit of democracy. Though Roman Catholic influence was still substantial, it wasn’t enough to hold back a more liberal brand of Reformation in Switzerland.

God’s primary agent of reform was Ulrich Zwingli. Born in 1484, Zwingli was born to a family of clergymen. His father decided early on that young Ulrich would enter the clergy too. He was given a proper education in Basel and at Berne, and then was sent to the prestigious University of Viena. After several years of classical scholarship in Italy, he returned to Basel, where he studied theology under Thomas Wyttenbach, an active opponent of indulgences who actually preached that Christ’s blood had covered over sin once for all.

As Zwingli was finishing his M.Div. in 1506, he accepted the pastorate at Glarus, and remained there for ten years, continuing his rigorous studies of the classics, honing his Greek and saturating himself in the Epistles. As he did so, his love for the Word of God grew, and he would declare that the only way to truth was to listen to the Bible expounding itself. Until then, Zwingli had been loyal to the Pope, but as his understanding of the Bible grew, his allegiance to Rome began to fade.

In 1516, Zwingli began to vocalize his convictions against the corruptions of the church. On a trip to Einsiedeln, he was distraught at the crowds worshiping the shrine of the Winking Madonna. He preached, “In the hour of death call upon Jesus Christ alone, who bought you with his blood, and is the only Mediator between God and man” (Lindsay, 63).

Zwingli’s preaching became more vehement, and the Pope became increasingly agitated. The Pope tried to silence Zwingli by promoting him, but the Pope’s advances were refused. Only when Zwingli was invited by a council of citizens in Zurich to be their pastor, did he accept. Zurich would soon become the focus of the Swiss Reformation.

When the preacher of indulgences, Bernhard Samson, came into the Canton, Zwingli publicly opposed him and the practice. He also began a series of sermons on the Doctrines of Grace, expounding the Epistles of Paul he so diligently studied the decade before. The citizens of the Canton were eager to hear Zwingli, who was a gifted speaker.

At the time, the Swiss Infantry was feared by all neighboring states, and were often available for hire in foreign battles. Zwingli, who had been an army chaplain in the past, knew the atrocities of this practice firsthand. Eventually, his preaching would compel Zurich to desist the practice, and again, he would draw the ire of the Pope, who was often a client of the army’s services. In fact, this patriotic resistance raised more opposition than Zwingli’s preaching itself. A mandate had come from Rome, to destroy all books of Lutheran influence that had found their way to Zurich. Though this edict was obeyed in part, the council of Zurich also issued a mandate that all clergymen are, “to preach the Holy Gospels and Epistles agreeably to the Spirit of God, and to the Holy Scritpures of the Old and New Testaments” (Lindsay, 63). It was clear that the Swiss Reformation was picking up steam, and Zwingli’s publications during the period only fueled the fire. He wrote against the forbidding of certain foods during Lent, the celibacy of the clergy and the host of other corruptions in the Church. Though the Pope was unhappy, he was unwilling to come down too hard and too fast on Zurich, for fear of losing the loyalty of other Swiss Cantons. Instead, Zwingli convinced church officials to a series of public discussions, where he would increasingly win the support of Zurich citizens by his reasoning from Scripture.

As the Reformation gained momentum, Mass became abolished, along with idol worship. Services began to be held in the common vernacular, and the Bible was translated for the people several times over. Zwingli’s doctrine began to spread to neighboring Cantons. One of these was Basel, where a young Frenchman from Dauphine, named Farel, was studying. Farel would eventually win over another young Frenchman, named Jean Calvin, to active work in the Reformation.

by Steven Hong

On October 31, 1517, a small, unassuming monk walked down a busy road to Castle Church at Wittenberg and nailed a pamphlet upon its doors. Five centuries later, this unceremonious event would be celebrated by Christians worldwide as Reformation Day.

The Build-Up

Many historians might consider the moment that Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door at Castle Church in Wittenberg, as the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. But like any significant event in history, there were forces at work long before Luther’s lifetime.

“Pre-Reformation” figures, such as John Wycliffe and Jan Hus laid the foundation, condemning indulgences and encouraging dramatic reform. Hus was eventually burned at the stake for not recanting his criticisms of the Roman Catholic Church, but not before declaring in 1415 that, “within a hundred years, God would raise up a man whose calls for reform cannot be suppressed.” Hus was off by two years.

Luther’s Life

From a very young age, Luther felt the heavy weight of his own sinfulness bearing down on him. As a child, he would have sleepless nights haunted by nightmares of a wrathful God. In July of 1505, as young Martin was walking to school, all this came to a head, when he was caught in a violent thunderstorm. When a lightning bolt nearly struck him, Luther made a vow to enter the monastery if God would only spare his life.

True to his word, Luther turned away from a life of studying law and entered the Augistinian order two weeks later. There, he would continue to wrestle with his sinfulness, constantly seeking absolution. He would flog himself, give alms, and do everything in his power to mortify his own flesh.

Luther, ever the diligent scholar, would eventually become a well-respected lecturer of the Bible. This was significant because the Bible was only limited to the clergy and even then, only those who understood Latin, since the Bible had not yet been translated into the German vernacular.

As Luther delved into the book of Romans, he began to understand that salvation was a product of grace, not works. His notion of salvation was slowly and radically transformed. He soon came to see that all his good deeds were worthless. This also meant that the indulgences that the church was selling were spiritually impotent, and Luther began to raise his voice in concern. However, the corruption brought about by indulgences in the church only grew. As Johann Tetzel, the most charismatic proponent and seller of these indulgences, drew nearer to Luther’s Wittenberg home, Luther penned his 95 Theses and walked up to that door at Castle Church…

Legacy

Luther’s teachings against the Roman Catholic practice of indulgences became more than a nuisance, and soon he was summoned by the Emperor to stand trial before an official council. Under the threat of death, Luther was called to recant his writings and teachings against the Roman Catholic Church. Luther famously declared, “My conscience must submit to the Word of God: to act against conscience is unholy and dangerous; and therefore I cannot and will not retract. So help me God…Here I stand. I can do nought else. God help me. Amen.”

The courage of a single monk sparked a nationwide flame of reformation. That flame would eventually spread across the continent, to Geneva, England and even across the Atlantic. He liberated many souls from the prison of a works-based salvation, and even translated the Bible into the common language, so that people could draw life from the fountain itself, rather than having the church hold it captive for sordid gain.

by Pastor John Kim

David Martyn Lloyd-Jones has come to make a pretty significant impact in my life. His commentaries and writings reveal a mind that was enthralled with the Word of God. His devotion to preaching the Word of God and in taking a stand for Biblical truths have been inspirational for many and just recently, I was able to appreciate the ministry of this faithful servant.

MLJ was born in Wales to parents who were not Christians but were religious, and so he was exposed to a nominal form of Christianity while growing up. It was while he had been pursuing his medical studies that God laid a hold of his heart and MLJ was not only converted to Christ in saving faith, but decided to forsake his medical practice and become a preacher to a poor village in Wales. To abandon a privileged position where he was working with a doctor who served the royal family in London was unthinkable to most people. Yet for MLJ, it was simply an extension of his following Christ.

His initial ministry took place in a small church in Sandfields, Aberavon starting in 1926 where without a seminary degree, he committed himself to preaching the Scriptures. He immersed himself in reading significant theological works, always taking a book with him wherever he went, especially during his summer months where he would have time off from his preaching ministry to spend time with his family. It was during these early years of ministry that his focus on preaching the gospel resulted in the conversion of many in the town.

From 1937 to 1968, MLJ ministered at Westminster Chapel, first starting as an associate to G. Campbell Morgan until his retirement in 1941 and then serving as the senior minister until health problems caused him to step down from full-time pastoral ministry. The latter years of his life were committed to editing his exposition of various books of the Bible for print. In 1981, he passed away from cancer after a long and faithful ministry.

MLJ was known as a Calvinistic-Methodist preacher, a strange combination in our day, but something that was not so uncommon in his day. In fact, the whole movement really started with George Whitefield, who in many ways was the catalyst for the whole Methodist movement in England and the American colonies. It was when Whitefield invited John Wesley to join him as a partner in ministry that the two took divergent paths as Wesley took exception to the doctrine of predestination and promoted his emphasis of man’s free will. And so the two branches of Methodism were formed, with the Calvinistic Methodists being the minority. It was even with much surprise to myself when I first read Whitefield’s biography that the concept of a “Calvinistic Methodist” was introduced and I found it to be a novel partnership.

It was MLJ who really epitomized the picture of a Calvinistic Methodist, with his firm commitment to the doctrines of grace, yet communicating with the passion of an evangelist. The calling to preach was one that he took seriously and believed with all his heart that it was to be “logic on fire, eloquent reason…theology coming through a man who is on fire.” Here was someone who had the clinical background, yet he did not shy away from connecting the use of intellect with the expression of genuine emotions. One of his most popular works to this day is Spiritual Depression – a work which really has ministered to many by biblically addressing those who face the challenges of emotional distress.

His interest in reformed doctrine also brought about a revival of Puritan literature. MLJ was instrumental in the starting of the Banner of Truth Trust, which has published numerous Puritan works, and also the two volume biography of MLJ by Iain Murray. Reading his life story and about the challenges he faced was truly inspirational as his love for God, his love for his wife, his love for preaching God’s Word, and his love for people really radiated in variegated ways that really moved my heart.

I had the opportunity to visit the library of MLJ while visiting London this past summer and seeing the books that he used to ground himself theologically was an exciting moment for me. I pictured him reading and digesting various sets like the works of Jonathan Edwards (I still have a hard time even reading the print – it’s so small!), the works of B.B. Warfield (which I have yet to begin), and other books, and I couldn’t help but wonder at the thoroughness with which he studied each work. I am sure that his medical background helped in his deliberate and purposeful examination of truth and in aligning it with the authority of God’s word. But I am even more sure that it was his commitment to study the Word of God with the Spirit of God guiding his studies that fueled his “logic on fire.”

His commentary on Romans was not finished as he retired before he concluded his studies on the epistle. Yet, to read with his typical thoroughness in explaining the text has helped me greatly in understanding its nuances. If anything, I have been incredibly blessed to see that someone who did not receive a formal theological education, was indeed used by God to communicate in a unique and powerful way the sufficiency and authority of the Word of God.

I often tend to do a little bit of “hero worship” when I read about various inspirational figures. But rather than “hero worship”, I think one thing that I have learned as I read biographies of significant figures in church history is this – God chooses to use whom He will for His purposes and He is not limited to any one profile. In fact, God will often use obscure and socially insignificant figures to do great things for the sake of His kingdom. But He can also use those who seemed destined for worldly success as well and mold them into an instrument for His purposes. We can learn and be challenged by many who have preceded us in the walk of faith. While we ourselves might not make the pages of a church history text, we can all strive to be a part of the great family of faith and be bound as one in the service of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.