When researching and writing about the Geneva Bible, I was struck by the importance of its annotations, or marginal
study notes – as well as the attachment of so many of the English people to
them. John Eadie pointed out how much the people relished the Geneva Bible
notes, and, records their complaint that “they could not see into the sense of
Scripture for lack of the spectacles of those Genevan annotators.”[i] In a sense, the Geneva
Bible was the first English “Study Bible.”[ii]
Another point emphasized – often with extreme negativity by opponents of the King James Bible – is that King James did not like the notes in the Geneva Bible. When he agreed to the new translation suggested by the Puritan John Reynolds, he declared against it having such marginal readings.
“…he gave this caveat…that no marginal notes should be added, having found them which are annexed to the Geneva translation…some notes very partial, untrue, seditious, and savouring too much of dangerous and traitorous conceits…”[iii]
Oddly enough (or perhaps not), I have increasingly come to the same conclusion as King James about Bibles – no marginal notes – though not necessarily for all the same reasons.[iv] Over seven years ago now, I reviewed the BPS Wide Margin Bible I had recently purchased, writing:
“…it is not a ‘Study Bible’ in the traditional sense – not one in which you study someone else’s notes…it is a ‘Study’ Bible in the purest sense – it is a Bible in which you read and study the Bible alone.”
I like a plain Bible, without cross-references, book introductions and outlines, footnotes, marginal notes, or the words of Christ in red. I recommend a black letter Bible without notes, commentary, or references. I like a wide-margin so I can write in it.[v] I am not opposed to reading the thoughts and commentary of others.[vi] However, our initial encounter with the Bible should be with the Bible alone, led by the Holy Spirit, and should not include the distractions men have added to it (as much as is practical).
Study Bibles generally include notes and commentary on every page. As with the old Geneva Bible, these notes provide all sorts of additional information: exegesis, theology, historical notes, cross-references, as well as outlines, charts, maps, and so on. These things provide great assistant, but also introduce the possibility of much evil – for example, personal, theological, or denominational bias in the notes, or the laziness of allowing others to think for you. When someone prints a study Bible with notes and commentary in it, the fact that it is in “the Bible” can give that material a level of credibility it does not deserve.
The first thing to do is read what God says to us. Get familiar with the biblical text, before we get familiar with what others say. We need to pray and meditate upon what we read. Study the meaning of the words in our language (the language in which we are reading). Study the words in the original languages. After doing those things, then we may look for the help of others. Discuss the Bible with your pastors, your church, and your Christian friends. Think about the Bible yourself before reading what the “experts” think.
If you have a Bible – with or without notes – read and study it. The best “Study Bible” is the one that you read!
[ii] Perhaps we moderns who suffer from an embarrassment of riches in study helps might be embarrassed to complain overmuch about 16th century Christians who had little access to study helps of any kind.
[iii] Constitutional Documents of the Reign of James I, A.D. 1603-1625, Joseph Robson Tanner. Cambridge: University Press, 1960, p. 64.
[iv] Some of James’s objections to the notes included: (1) they favored presbyterian church government over episcopal church government, and (2) they did not firmly support the “divine right of kings.” Notes in the Geneva Bible taught that subjects could disobey kings. The comment at Exodus 1:19-20 contains this note concerning the Hebrew midwives, “Their disobedience herein was lawful...” James believed “And most properly of any other, belongeth the reading thereof unto Kings, since in that part of Scripture, where the godly Kings are first made mention of, that were ordained to rule over the people of God...” See electronic text from Stoics.com of Basilikon Doron, or His Majesties Instructions to His Dearest Sonne, Henry the Prince. Curiously, marginal notes also aggrieve certain religious leaders who are the most aggrieved by King James’s view on marginal notes. It is just the marginal notes they do not like that bother them!
[v] This can be a boon when initially making notes, but eventually to much attention to our own notes can become just more commentary that hinders us from fresh study of God’s word.
[vi] In his book Commenting and Commentaries, Charles H. Spurgeon wrote, “It seems odd, that certain men who talk so much of what the Holy Spirit reveals to themselves, should think so little of what he has revealed to others.”
No comments:
Post a Comment