October 1 – Peter Waldo: A Merchant Who Chose the Word of God

When we think of the Protestant Reformation, our minds usually run to Luther hammering his Ninety-Five Theses on October 31, 1517. But long before Luther, the Lord raised up men and movements that prepared the soil for the gospel’s rediscovery. One of the earliest was Peter Waldo, a wealthy merchant of Lyon, France, whose life was turned upside down by the words of Scripture.

A Life Transformed by the Bible

Peter Waldo was a successful merchant, living in the bustling city of Lyon during the twelfth century. He was wealthy, respected, and deeply entrenched in the rhythms of medieval Catholic life. But around 1173, after hearing a traveling minstrel recite a story about the death of a man who suddenly collapsed, Waldo was shaken. He began to ask questions about eternity, salvation, and the state of his own soul.

Determined to find answers, he obtained a copy of the Scriptures translated into his local vernacular (from Latin into Provençal). At that time, the church tightly controlled access to the Bible, insisting that only clergy could interpret it. Yet Waldo longed to hear God’s voice directly. As he read, his life was transformed. He became convinced that Christ, not the Pope or the priests, was the only mediator, and that the riches of the gospel far surpassed earthly wealth.

Renouncing Wealth for Christ

Waldo’s conviction grew so strong that he gave away much of his fortune to the poor and dedicated himself to a life of simplicity and preaching. He began proclaiming the gospel publicly, urging people to repent of sin, believe in Christ, and live in obedience to God’s Word. His followers, later known as the Waldensians, became a movement of lay preachers who carried Scripture into marketplaces, villages, and homes.

The medieval church saw this as dangerous. Lay preaching was forbidden, and translating Scripture into the common tongue was considered heresy. But Waldo and his companions persisted, convinced that the people needed the Word of God more than the approval of Rome.

Theology Before the Reformation

Although Waldo lived three centuries before Luther, many of his convictions sound remarkably like Reformation theology:

• Scripture alone (sola Scriptura): Waldo believed the Bible was the ultimate authority for faith and practice, higher than papal decrees.

• Salvation by grace through faith: He denied that salvation could be purchased through indulgences or merited through good works, insisting instead that Christ alone saves.

• The priesthood of all believers: Waldo encouraged ordinary Christians to read and proclaim the Word of God.

• Holiness of life: He emphasized practical godliness, urging followers to forsake sin, reject greed, and live simply in devotion to Christ.

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In an age when the church had grown wealthy, corrupt, and distant from the Scriptures, Waldo’s message was radical.

Opposition and Persecution

The church quickly moved to silence him. At the Third Lateran Council in 1179, Waldo and his followers appealed for recognition of their preaching ministry but were rejected. By 1184, Pope Lucius III formally excommunicated the Waldensians.

Yet persecution could not stop them. For centuries, Waldensians endured hardship, exile, and massacre. Whole communities were destroyed in crusades launched against them. Still, they clung to Christ and His Word. Their motto became: Lux lucet in tenebris — “The light shines in the darkness.”

Waldo himself escaped execution and died in obscurity, but the movement he started survived underground, eventually merging with the broader Reformation in the sixteenth century.

Legacy for Today

Peter Waldo’s life demonstrates that God never leaves Himself without witnesses. Even in the darkest of ages, He raises up men and women who hunger for His Word and refuse to bow to human traditions. Waldo was not a theologian like Calvin or a writer like Luther, but his simple obedience to Scripture helped prepare the way for the gospel to shine centuries later.

The Waldensians’ survival, despite brutal attempts to destroy them, also shows the enduring power of Christ’s promise: “I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it” (Matthew 16:18).

Biblical Reflection

The heartbeat of Waldo’s ministry was confidence in God’s Word:

“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.” (Isaiah 40:8)

He believed this truth enough to risk his livelihood, reputation, and safety. That same conviction calls to us today.

Application

Peter Waldo forces us to ask hard questions: Do we treasure God’s Word enough to stake our lives on it? Do we value the gospel more than wealth, security, or the approval of men? In a culture where Bibles are plentiful yet often neglected, Waldo’s devotion shames our apathy.

His life reminds us that revival begins not with power or prestige but with ordinary people who open the Scriptures, believe what they find, and live it out. Like Waldo, may we be gripped by the unchanging Word of God and resolved to shine its light into a dark world.