In a recent conversation with Dr. Jacob Martinson, President of High Point University, he said to me, “Craven, I have a subject for one of your columns in The Advocate.”  I was delighted and asked for his suggestion.  “Write about John Wesley and his favorite Bible,” Jacob replied.  I knew Wesley referred to himself as a man of one book, meaning the Bible, but I did not know he had a favorite. “His favorite Bible was the very first Bible translated into English by William Tynsdale,” Martinson informed me.  “See what you can find out about that.”
    It took some research, but I am happy to inform the Rev. Dr. Martinson that I have found the reason for John Wesley’s preference for the Tynsdale interpretation.  It all goes back to I Corinthians 13:1-3 and what Wesley considers to be the entire message of his faith.  The text begins: “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.”
 In the sermon on Charity (Sermon 91), Wesley says of this passage: “There are some Scriptures which more immediately commend themselves to every man's conscience. In this rank we may place the passage before us; there are scarce any that object to it. On the contrary, the generality of men very readily appeal to it. Nothing is more common than to find even those who deny the authority of the Holy Scriptures, yet affirming, ‘This is my religion;’ that which is described in the thirteenth chapter of the Corinthians.”
    The point Wesley is making here is that early Bible translations of the Greek word agape gave “Love” as its meaning.  William Tynsdale’s version, the first in the English language, translated the word as “Love.”  However, later English language versions substituted the word “Charity” for the word “Love,” thus confusing readers ever since.   
Wesley becomes very forceful in this sermon talking about the injustice of preachers who have preached on “charity,” meaning philanthropy, rather than “love,” meaning the essence of human relationships.  Because William Tynsdale’s version translated the word as “love” but later translations substituted the word “charity,” Tynsdale’s Bible became John Wesley’s favorite Bible.
    Yes, Dr. Martinson, you were correct.  Thanks for a good suggestion.