Wrapping up the review of why the King James is the gold standard of the English bible, Keith returns to some of the hallmarks of the Geneva bible.
It used a font style that was easier for the English reader to grasp. Roman lettering, not gothic font. It was developed by well-known reformers, with plenty of study notes and references. Despite being considered a bible of the reformers, it was popular even in catholic circles.
King James hated it, thinking the references spoke against the king, government authority, and encouraging people to overthrow tyrants. His were political reasons, not religious reasons. He commissioned 47 scholars to translate original language texts. His instructions included a systematic method for peer review.
His 15 rules condensed in a few words are:
- To be based on the bishop’s bible, making minimal changes in comparing it with the original languages.
- The names of prophets and people should remain in traditional spelling.
- Church should be used, not gathering or congregation.
- Use the common, middle of a road meaning of a word, especially where various diverse meanings are possible.
- Chapter divisions are to be retained as much as possible.
- No marginal notes, unless a difficult Greek or Hebrew word needs extra explanation.
- Only a fit reference. A quotation from one passage into another should match.
- after individual peer review, the agreed upon text will stand
- Each team of translators reviewed and approved each book.
- Team leaders were to bring variances for a general group meeting.
- Outside help is called on for obscure word translations.
12. Bishops and clergy are to offer input. - Draw on university experts to be team leaders.
- where the bishop’s bible disagrees with original languages, draw on Tyndale, Coverdale, Matthew and Geneva.
- Team members should be experts in the original languages.
During the time the king james version was being translated, the English language, spelling, alphabet and grammar were still under development. As late as the 1960s, punctuation updates were still being made
What makes the KJV the gold standard?
Peer review. It wasn’t the first to be based on original language. Other versions were also authorized by a king. The claim that tradition or grammar makes it better is more about personal preference. Even the KJV drew on the traditions of earlier and sometimes controversial English bibles.
Peer review is also what most modern translators use. Modern versions Aare not copies of copies, each goes back to original languages, from the asv in 1901 to now. Nearly all use teams of translators who peer review each other.
As the meanings of words and grammar uses continue to shift, English today isn’t the same language as it was 300 or 400 years ago.
God’s word has always been delivered in the language the people understand.
Moses understood it and wrote it in Hebrew. By the time of Jesus, scripture had been translated to Greek, the language of the day. When Latin took over, it became the new language of scripture. The bible continues to be translated into languages around the world, languages in the common tongue of the local a people group. There’s no reason to not keep the English language bible current, speaking to people in their common tongue.
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Thanks to the recorded comments from J Vernon McGee. NASB.
Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”
“Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995
by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.”
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