King James Bible

1604 - 1611

Religious context:

In 1517, a German monk named Martin Luther published “95 Theses” criticizing the Catholic Church and the Protestant Reformation began.

In 1534, Henry VIII created the Church of England because the pope would not allow him to get divorced. British subjects were forced to join the Church of England, whose members are referred as Anglicans. Thus, during the reign of Henry VIII a Catholic minority forms that refuses to give up their traditional faith.

During the reign of Edward VI, a group of radical Protestants referred to as “Puritans” sought to purify the Church of England. In other words, they wanted to make the Church of England, which was basically Catholic in doctrine and tradition, much more Protestant.

During the reign of Mary, Roman Catholicism was made the state religion and Protestants were persecuted. Thus, the name “Bloody Mary.”

During the reign of Elizabeth I, the Church of England was reestablished to as a compromise between Catholicism and Puritanism. Catholics considered Elizabeth an illegitimate ruler and plotted to assassinate her.

During the reign of James I, both Catholics and Puritans were angered that he supported the continuation of the Church of England. Catholic extremists attempted to assassinate the Members of Parliament and James I in the Gunpowder Plot. Puritans asked that James commission a new English translation of the Protestant Bible.

In 1604, James I commissioned a new English translation of the Protestant Bible.

During the reign of Charles I, the English Civil War erupted. Ultimately, the Puritans took over the English government and things got pretty crazy (just imagine if Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry became joint-dictators of the United States). The English people decided that too much religion results in too much oppression and they restored the monarchy with Chares II. Thus, the Restoration period began…

The Christian Bible consists of the Old Testament and New Testament.

Books > Chapters > Verses Example: Matthew 19.23-24 book chapter verse

The Old Testament writings are between 2,400 - 3,400 years old. Judaism refers to the Old Testament as the Tanakh, which is comprised of three parts: the law, the prophets, and the writings. Hebrew Canon: 24 books Christian Canon: 39 books

The New Testament writings record the teachings and events that are the foundation of Christianity. The New Testament contains 27 books; and the first four are referred to as the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

The New Testament Canon was finalized and declared official Scripture in the late 4th century at the Councils of Carthage (393 A.D.) and Hippo (397 A.D.)

Original New Testament manuscripts come in three text types:Alexandrian (North African)Byzantine (Turkey, Greece, Middle East)Western (Rome)

The Alexandrian text type has the oldest manuscripts. A majority of English translations are based on the Alexandrian text type.

Erasmus, a Christian humanist, used the Byzantine text type to compile the first published Greek New Testament in 1514.

The group of 54 scholars and clergymen appointed by James I in 1604 to produce a new English translation based their work on Erasmus’ text and original Greek and Hebrew manuscripts.

King James Bible: Production and Legacy

The group of scholars and clergymen worked from 1604 – 1611.

Their overall goal was accuracy and beauty.

They produced elegant, simple, and straightforward language that was NOT intended only for the educated elite.

The King James Bible became and remained the most influential English version of the Protestant Bible for over 300 years.

Poets who were inspired by the King James Bible include:John Milton, William Wordsworth, Walt Whitman, T.S. Eliot

The King James Bible demonstrated the poetic use of the English language and remains an influential translation today on the 400th anniversary of its completion.

Literary Forms

Maxim: Brief and memorable statements of general truth that imparts guidance or advice.

Book of Ecclesiastes (Old Testament)King Solomon

Psalm: Sacred song or lyric poem.Book of Psalms (Old Testament)

King David

Parable: Short story that is meant to teach a lesson or illustrate a moral truth.