study of the king james bible(钦印〈圣经〉研究)-第7节
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really the old faith which was in dispute； but only foreign control of
English faith。 They had mistaken Henry's meaning。 So Henry began to put
restrictions on the use of the Bible。 There were to be no notes or
annotations in any versions； and those that existed were to be blacked out。
Only the upper classes were to be allowed to possess a Bible。 Finally； the
year before his death； all versions were prohibited except the Great Bible；
whose cost and size precluded secret use。 The decree led to another great
burning of Bibles in 1546 Tindale； Coverdale； Matthewall but the Great
Bible。 The leading religious reformers took flight and fled to European
Protestant towns like Frankfort and Strassburg。 But the Bible remained。
Henry VIII。 died。 The Bible lived on。
Under Edward VI。； the boy king； coming to the throne at nine and
dying at fifteen； the regency with Crammer at its head earned its bad name。
But while its members were shamelessly despoiling churches and
enriching themselves they did one great service for the Bible。 They cast
off all restrictions on its translation and publication。 The order for a Great
Bible in every church was renewed； and there was to be added to it a copy
of Erasmus's paraphrase of the four gospels。 Nearly fifty editions of the
Bible； in whole or in part； appeared in those six years。
And that was fortunate； for then came Mary and the deluge。 Of
course； she again gave in the nominal allegiance of England to the Roman
control。 But she utterly missed the spirit of the people。 They were weary
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with the excesses of rabid Protestantism； but they were by no means ready
to admit the principle of foreign control in religious matters。 They might
have been willing； many of them； that the use of the Bible should be
restricted； if it were done by their own sovereign。 They were not willing
that another sovereign should restrict them。 So the secret use of the Bible
increased。 Martyr fires were kindled； but by the light of them the people
read their Bibles more eagerly。 And this very persecution led to one of the
best of the early versions of the Bible； indirectly even to the King James
version。
The flower of English Protestant scholarship was driven into exile； and
found its way to Frankfort and Geneva again。 There the spirit of
scholarship was untrammeled； there they found material for scholarly
study of the Bible； and there they made and published a new version of the
Bible in English； by all means the best that had been made。 In later years；
under Elizabeth； it drove the Great Bible off the field by sheer power of
excellence。 During her reign sixty editions of it appeared。 This was the
version called the Genevan Bible。 It made several changes that are familiar
to us。 For one thing； in the Genevan edition of 1560 first appeared our
familiar division into verses。 The chapter division was made three
centuries earlier； but the verses belong to the Genevan version； and are
divided to make the Book suitable for responsive use and for readier
reference。 It was taken in large part from the work of Robert Stephens；
who had divided the Greek Testament into verses； ten years earlier； during
a journey which he was compelled to make between Paris and Lyons。 The
Genevan version also abandoned the old black letter； and used the Roman
type with which we are familiar。 It had full notes on hard passages； which
notes； as we shall see； helped to produce the King James version。 The
work itself was completed after the accession of Elizabeth； when most of
the religious leaders had returned to England from their exile under Mary。
Elizabeth herself was not an ardent Protestant； not ardent at all
religiously； but an ardent Englishwoman。 She understood her people； and
while she prided herself on being the 〃Guardian of the Middle Way；〃 she
did not make the mistake of submitting her sovereignty to foreign
supervision。 Probably Elizabeth always counted herself personally a
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Catholic； but not politically subject to the Roman pontiff。 She had no wish
to offend other Catholic powers； but she was determined to develop a
strong national spirit and to allow religious differences to exist if they
would be peaceful。 The dramatic scene which was enacted at the time of
her coronation procession was typical of her spirit。 As the procession
passed down Cheapside； a venerable old man； representing Time； with a
little child beside him representing TruthTime always old； Truth always
young presented the Queen with a copy of the Scriptures； which she
accepted； promising to read them diligently。
Presently it was found that two versions of the Bible were taking the
field； the old Great Bible and the new Genevan Bible。 On all accounts the
Genevan was the better and was driving out its rival。 Yet there could be no
hope of gaining the approval of Elizabeth for the Genevan Bible。 For one
thing； John Knox had been a party to its preparation； so had Calvin。
Elizabeth detested them both； especially Knox。 For another thing； its notes
were not favorable to royal sovereignty； but smacked so much of popular
government as to be offensive。 For another thing； though it had been made
mostly by her own people； it had been made in a foreign land； and was
under suspicion on that account。 The result was that Elizabeth's archbishop；
Parker； set out to have an authorized version made； selected a revision
committee； with instructions to follow wherever possible the Great Bible；
to avoid bitter notes； and to make such a version that it might be freely；
easily； and naturally read。 The result is known as the Bishops' Bible。 It was
issued in Elizabeth's tenth year （1568）； but there is no record that she ever
noticed it； though Parker sent her a copy from his sick…bed。 The Bishops'
Bible shows the influence of the Genevan Bible in many ways； though it
gives no credit for that。 It is not of equal merit； it was expensive； too
cumbersome； and often unscholarly。 Only its official standing gave it life；
and after forty years； in nineteen editions； it was no longer published。
Naming one other English version will complete the series of facts
necessary for the consideration of the forming of the King James version。
It will be remembered that all the English versions of the Bible thus far
mentioned were the work of men either already out of favor with the
Roman pontiff； or speedily put out of favor on that account。 Thirty years
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after his death； Wiclif's bones were taken up and burned； Tindale was
burned。 Coverdale's version and the Great Bible were the product of the
period when Henry VIII。 was under the ban。 The Genevan Bible was the
work of refugees； and the Bishops' Bible was prepared when Elizabeth had
been excommunicated。 That fact seemed to many loyal Roman churchmen
to put the Church in a false light。 It must be made clear that its opposition
was not to the Bible； not even to popular use and possession of the Bible；
but only to unauthorized； even incorrect； versions。 So there came about the
Douai version； instigated by Gregory Martin； and prepared in some sense
as an answer to the Genevan version and its strongly anti…papal notes。 It
was the work of English scholars connected with the University of Douai。
The New Testament was issued at Rheims in 1582； and the whole Bible in
1609； just before our King James version。 It is made； not from the Hebrew
and the Greek； though it refers to both； but from the Vulgate。 The result is
that the Old Testament of the Douai version is a translation into English
from the Latin； which in large part is a translation into Latin from the
Greek Septuagint； which in turn is a translation into Greek from the
