Here is a nice explanation for why the KJV is the most printed Bible today. It has less to do with the quality of the manuscripts used or the accuracy of the translation than it does other factors including that listed below.
The outlawing of the Geneva Bible in England which was at the time the choice of Spirit filled believers is one of the main factors. Without the heavy hand of government it is doubtful that it could have competed with The Geneva Bible on an even playing field. This fact alone makes it unreasonable to suggest that the KJV was the Bible chosen by the Spirit filled believers. It was not.
http://religion-today.blogspot.com/2007/10/bible-battles-king-james-vs-puritans.html
After the King James Version was published in 1611, the Geneva Bible was banned in England. Indeed, James made ownership of it a felony. The King James Bible became the pulpit Bible for Anglicans and inexpensive copies were published for sale to the masses. At first, it was not very popular; several of its early publishers went broke from poor sales.
The King James Version began to gain popularity only when different publishers began to add explanatory notes to the text, in direct opposition to James? expressed wishes. Indeed, the KJV became the most popular Bible version in twentieth-century America when a set of notes written by Cyrus I. Scofield was added in 1909 and then revised into the Scofield Reference Bible in 1917. These notes promote the theology of dispensationalism, based in part on Calvinist theology that James rejected, and have helped promote that theology?s popularity, just as the Geneva Bible promoted Puritan theology.
So, much misinformation in your most recent posts; enough to make a wild-eyed KJVO blush with envy.
The KJV is indeed the most printed Bible in the history of the world, not just today. This uncomfortable fact had nothing to do with "the banning of the Geneva". The Geneva, like many Bibles in history were banned by ecclesiastical and political powers throughout history which were unable to stop the printing, distributing, reading and preaching them. Why do you think it was named the Geneva Bible instead of the London Bible? King James banned the Geneva and this was the reason the KJV become so popular? What a riot! King James grew up with the Geneva and had his own personal copy. As much of the English wording of the KJV comes from the Geneva and Tyndale Bibles, I'm really pressed to understand your argument. You think the Geneva should have been the English Standard instead of the AV? Is your anti-KJV bias showing? Let me do a quick check on a few verses that have been debated on this board:
The word "
Bishop" is used in the Geneva - 1Timothy 3
The word "
baptize" is used the Geneva - Mt 3
The word "
church" is used in the Geneva - Mt 16
I find "
God is manifest in the flesh" in the Geneva - 1Timothy 3:16
I find "
only begotten Son" in the Geneva - John 1:18
I find "
Son of man which is in heaven" in the Geneva - John 3:13
I find "
except they be agreed" in the Geneva - Amos 3:3
I find "
confirmed the word with signs that followed" in the Geneva - Mk 15:20
I find "
the desire of money is the root of all evil"in the Geneva - 1Timothy 6:10
And wonder of wonders, I find "
For there are three, which bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the holy Ghost: and these three are one" in the Geneva - 1John 5:7
etc.
So, I'm sure, since you insist that Spirit filled believers chose the Geneva, but were stifled by threat of felony, that you will stop attacking those same readings found in the English Authorized Version and similar versions.
May I suggest reading Leland Ryken, a professor of English at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois and a English language stylist for the ESV translation. He is NOT KJVO. He has made comments that contradict your preferred blogger. I quote:
* AV is the most influential English Bible
* Those who demand a colloquial language Bible and complain about the alleged high style language of the AV should take note that the AV has a modest vocabulary of 6000 words compared to 10,000 words of Milton and over 20,000 words of Shakespeare.
* The AV is the best selling book of all time, the most influential book, the most quoted book, the most important book and most widely read book in the English language; it is a book of books.
* Translators were selected because of their expertise in the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures and not on the basis of political or ecclesiastical allegiance. All translators were scholars and came from all parties within the Anglican Church ? 1/4 were puritans. They were the best of the best of the Hebrew and Greek scholars. When translators were chosen and did their work everyone rose above partisan spirit, even the anti-puritans.
* The AV was not an immediate sensation, but was an immediate success. In the first 3 years it went through 17 editions compared to 6 editions for the Puritan?s Geneva Bible, in the 3 decades following the AV went through 182 editions verses only 15 for the Puritan?s Geneva.
* When the Puritans came to power in 1640 they did not push for their Geneva version. The AV replaced the very popular Geneva Bible and became ?THE Bible? for English speaking people. For over three centuries it was THE Bible of English speaking Christians and read regularly.
* Unlike modern translators, the AV translators put no premium on being original and daring. Truly, good Christian Reader, we never thought that we should need to make a new Translation, nor yet to make of a bad one a good one, but to make a good one better, or out of many good ones, one principal good one, not justly to be excepted against; that hath been our endeavor, that our mark. Continuity with the whole English Bible tradition was their goal.
* The AV was never officially authorized either by the king, nor ecclesiastical authority, but received an even greater authorization on the basis of its inherit superiority. The AV was authorized by the people, a better authorization than by a king or ecclesiastical authority.
* The most accurate English Bible?has better words than other translations?the words are beautiful, powerful and moving beyond other translations?superior?became dominate because of its excellence and it carried an authority that compelled allegiance?
* The language of the AV is beautiful, its style is dignified and stately so unlike the dressed down language of modern colloquial versions. It is elegant. It would never have dominated had its language been reduced to common every day street language. Its style is uplifting, moving and sounds like a sacred book and not like the daily newspaper. Simplicity of style and majestic in effect.
* New translation philosophy emerged only recently in the mid 20th century. It pains Dr. Ryken to hear disparaging comments about the AV from those who promote this new dynamic equivalence philosophy in translation.
Here just a couple of Dr. Ryken's books:
* The Word of God in English
* The Legacy of the King James Bible
Also, you might want to read, Sir, Frederic Kenyon's book, Our Bible and the ancient manuscripts.
I happen to have a C.I Scofield editon of the Holy Bible with the Introduction (to be read), which reads in part:
"After
mature reflection it was determined to use the Authorized Version. None of the
many Revisions have commended themselves to the people at large. The Revised Version, which has now been before the people for twenty seven years , give no indication of becoming in any general sense
the people's Bible of the English-speaking world"
Dr. Schofield an early Fundamentalist was not KJVO as we further read:
"The discovery of the Sinaitic MS. and the labours in the field of textual criticism of such scholars as Griesbach, Lachmann, Tischendorf, Tregelles, Winer, Alford and Westcott and Hort, have cleared the Greek
textus receptus of minor inacuracies, while confirming in a remarkable degree the general accuracy of he Authorized Version of that text. Such emendations of the text as scholarship demands have been placed in the margins of this edition, which therefore combines the dignity, the high religious value, the tender associations of the past, the literary beauty and the remarkable general accuracy of the Authorized Version, with the results of the best textual scholarship."
Scholar Scofield wanted to use the Revised Version, but recognized that the AV was the people's Bible. That long arm of English Bishops and kings must have reached across both time and the ocean to compel Dr. Scofield to go against his better senses.
Hope this helps you tamper some of your anti-KJV bias.
