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PODCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Today’s Celebrate the Bible episode highlights the Biblia del Oso, one of the first Spanish Bible translations published in 1569 by Casiodoro de Reina. This important historical artifact contributed to the Protestant Reformation in Spain. It includes details on its translation process, historical significance, and its impact on Spanish-speaking Protestant communities.
Before we begin, I would like to mention something. If you are listening to this as a podcast and would like to view the photos associated with this episode, please visit my WordPress page at celebratethebible.com.
If the episode is no longer on the front page, just type “Spanish Bible” into the search box. The search box is located at the bottom of the page.
I am very fortunate, and blessed, to have been able to obtain several pages from this Bible, as they are quite rare. These pages are considered valuable, historical artifacts.
The translator of this Bible was named Casiodoro de Reina. He lived from 1520-1594. Casiodoro was a monk who was denounced as a heretic after converting to protestantism. He was one of the main figures of the Protestant Reformation in Spain. At one point, in 1557, he fled Spain with his parents during the inquisition. He carried out his translation while traveling throughout Europe.
This Bible is also affectionately known as the “Bible of the Bear”. It illustrated a Honey Bear looking for honey on its title page.
The Bible was printed in Basel, Switzerland, in 1569, by Thomas Guarinus.
The Old Testament was translated using earlier translations. These translations were checked against the Hebrew Masoretic Text. The New Testament was based on the Greek Textus Receptus.
The Biblio del Oso was revised by a man named Cipriano de Valera, and published in the year 1602. It is known as the “Reina-Valera” version. This is nearly a decade earlier than the appearance of the Authorized King James Bible.
In fact, in the 1611 King James Bible preface, the translators mentioned that they made use of this Spanish Bible.
It is one of the most printed and read Bibles in the world. It is used extensively for many Spanish-speaking Protestant communities here in the United States today.
The Bible leaves in my collection are from the book of St. Matthew. I will include several photos, including close-ups, at my celebratethebible.com WordPress web site. I also have a commemorative postage stamp that was issued to celebrate the anniversary of the printing of the Bear Bible.
Because this Bible is so famous, there is plenty of information available online that will help complete the information here. I’ll include a few links below. My main goal with both these web pages, and the podcasts, are to show the actual examples in my collection.
There is a wealth of historical information online. However, there is often not the same amount of photography to go with it.
So, until we meet again, and for celebratethebible.com, this is Francis Douglas.
If you would like me to give a presentation at your church, school, gallery, or organization, please let me know. My contact information is below:
You can reach the author at fd316@celebratethebible250.com
The topic I cover is the History of the Christian Holy Bible in America.
Your group will not only learn about it. They will also see, on display, pages from the most significant Bibles in American history.
I will be available for Southern New Jersey, Southeastern Pennsylvania, and Northern Delaware.
Additional Resource:
Ernest Strubhar: The Life of Casiodoro De Reina (2019) @ Roxbury Holiness Camp
America 250 Semiquincentennial Bible Celebration 