John Knox: My Hero!

If you have been paying attention to the url for this blog, you will have noticed that part of the address is "knoxknoxwhosthere." This was the result of some playful punning on the name of a man who I have come to admire greatly: John Knox, Scottish Reformer.

Knox was the man primarily responsible for arresting Scotland's decline and decay into the brutish ignorance and oppression that papal tyranny had produced, and for beginning the climb up to the religious and civil freedoms that not only impacted his nation, but which has spread to many countries around the world. This is an admirable accomplishment, but it is not the primary reason why I have come to love him.

I love John Knox because he was an example of some one who took an uncompromising stand for truth, no matter what the cost, no matter who was offended, and no matter what dangers it forced him into. He faced down raging nobles and a queen who dared to promote the false religion of the papacy. He faced personal danger from those who wished to assassinate him. His language was strong and forthright and he often preached and rebuked sin pointedly from his pulpit, not regarding the stations of those that he knew would be offended. Thomas M'Crie says of Knox:

A stranger to complimentary or smooth language, little concerned about the manner in which his reproofs were received, provided they were merited, too much impressed with the evil of the offence, to think of the rank or character of the offender, he often uttered his admonitions with 'an acrimony and vehemence more apt to irritate than to reclaim.' But he protested at a time when persons are least in danger of deception, and in a manner which should banish suspicions of the purity of his motives, that, in his sharpest rebukes, he was influenced by hatred of the vices, not the persons of the vicious, and that his aiim was always to discharge his own duty, and if possible, to reclaim the guilty.

We may think that Knox's uncompromising stand and vehement charges against the sins of the leaders of the day would also translate into his being a person who was cold and stern in his religion. Knox did have a reputation for being austere, but not unfeeling. He rigidly adhered to God's justice, and yet, there are more instances on record of his interceding for the pardon of crminals than perhaps any other man of his time.

We may often trace the true character of a man by the reactions of his own family and domestics to him. Knox was held in great love and esteem, not only by his wife and children, but by his servants -- a very telling thing indeed. Bannatyne, one of his personal servants, said this of his master upon Knox's death:

"In this manner," says he,"departed this man of God: the light of Scotland, the comfort of the church within the same, the mirror of godliness, and pattern and example to all true ministers, in purity of life, soundness in doctrine, and boldness in reproving of wickedness; one that cared not the favor of men, how great soever they were. What dexterity in teaching, boldness in reproving, and hatred of wickedness was in him, my ignorant dulness is not able to declare, which if I should prize to set out, it were as one who would light a candle to let men see the sun; seeing all his virtues are better known and notified to the world a thousand fold than I am able to express."

Between Knox and his fellow ministers we never read of any discord. He was hated and dreaded by the profane and licentious, but the religious and sober held him in great veneration and affection. In private life he was revered by his friends, and though subject to melancholy and depression because of continued illness, he enjoyed the pleasures of company when he was feeling well, and was not above taking pleasure in jokes and humor, notwithstanding the grave tone of his general character.

This extremely brief description of Knox's character has a point behind it. Knox exemplified the Christian fortitude that all Christians must have if they are to live the Christian life devoid of denying the Lord. All too often, we can betray our principles in the face of fear of either family, friends, co-workers and acquaintances. Popularity, the desire to please, a need for love and acceptance, and just fear are powerful motivators that can cause us to be silent when we should speak, or keep us quiet when we should be active. We pull our punches or compromise in order to minimize the pain we think we would feel if we did take a bold stand. Yet the Lord promises us that we are BLESSED if we do suffer for the sake of righteousness, and it is by keeping an eye on the eternal God and the Promiser of this promise that we may overcome these things.

I close with Knox's dying testimony:

"The day now approaches and is before the door, for which I have frequently and vehemently thirsted, when I shall be released from my great labours and innumerable sorrows, and shall be with Christ. And now, God is my witness, whom I have served in spirit, in the gospel of his Son, that I have taught nothing but the true and solid doctrine of the gospel of the Son of God, and have had it for my only object to instruct the ignorant, to confirm the faithful, to comfort the weak, the fearful, and the distressed, by the promises of grace, and to fight against the pround and rebellious, by the divine threatenings. I know that many have frequently and loudly complained, and do yet complain, of my too great severity; but God knows that my mind was always void of hatred to the persons of those against whom I thundered the severest judgements. I cannot deny but that I felt the greatest abhorrence at the sins in which they indulged, but I still kept this one thing in view, that if possible I might gain them to the Lord. What influenced me to utter whatever the Lord put into my mouth so boldly, with out respect of persons, was a reverential fear of my God, who called, and of his grace appointed me to be a steward of divine mysteries, and a belief that he will demand an account of my discharge of the trust committed unto me, when I shall stand before his tribunal. I profess, therefore, before God, and before his holy angels, that I never made merchandise of the sacred word of God, never studied to please men, never indulged my private passions or those of others, but faithfully distributed the talent intrusted to me, for the edification of the church over which I watched. Whatever obloquy wicked men may cast on me respecting this point, I rejoice in the testimony of a good conscience. In the mean time, my dearest brethren, do you persevere in the eternal truth of the gospel; wait diligently on the flock over which the Lord has set you, and which he redeemed with the blood of his only begotten Son. And thou, my brother Lawson, fight the good fight, and do the work of the Lord joyfully and resolutely. The Lord from on high bless you and the the whole church of Edinburgh, against whom, as long as they persevere in the word of truth which they have heard of me, the gates of hell shall not prevail."

After Knox died, and as he was being laid to rest in his grave, the newly elected regent, Morton, said of him, "There lies he, who never feared the face of man." May the same be said of us some day. Amen.