One Principal Good One: The King James Bible

By Jonathan Wheatley and Dave Reese

This book speaks to the majesty of the King James Bible, in both its literary contribution to the English language and how it distinguishes itself from the previous English translations and those that have been attempted since. The authors address the doctrines of Inspiration and Preservation; and that by faith, believe that only the King James Bible is worthy of being called the inspired/preserved word of God in the English language. The authors cover the Process of Bible translation by committee and the rules by which they were provided as guidance by the king at the Hampton Court conference. Specifically, the doctrinal impact of the Third Rule whereby the translators were to keep the old Ecclesiastical words such as "Church" not to be translated as "Congregation." Other words to be used were "Charity" in addition to "Love"; "Baptisms," as well as "Washings"; and the distinction between "Covenant" and "Testament" is clearly seen in the context where the words are used.

In addition to the doctrinal import, there is considerable attention given to the printing technology of the fourteenth to sixteenth centuries and a dissertation on the artwork of the first edition, printed in 1611. The practical results of preaching the King James Bible in places like the Philippines and other foreign lands are presented with plentiful illustrations and examples. Lastly, the authors have included the Epistle Dedicatory and Translators to the Reader that were provided in earlier editions of the King James Bible, but sadly, seldom printed in the newer editions.

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• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Dec 28, 2022
• ISBN: 9798886857979

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One Principal Good One

The King James Bible

Jonathan Wheatley and Dave Reese

ISBN 979-8-88685-796-2 (paperback)

ISBN 979-8-88751-632-5 (hardcover)

ISBN 979-8-88685-797-9 (digital)

Copyright © 2022 by Jonathan Wheatley and Dave Reese

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

All scripture quotations are from the King James Bible unless otherwise indicated.

Italics, underlining, and boldface type are used for emphasis throughout the book.

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1

The Majestic King James Bible

Chapter 2

The Inspiration/Preservation of the Word of God

Chapter 3

Key Translators to the Bible in English

Chapter 4

The Process of Bible Translation

Chapter 5

King James Bible and Basic Source Language Helps

Chapter 6

Faith Given by God and Belief/Faith in God

Chapter 7

Private Interpretation of Prophecy

Influence of the Third Rule on the Bible Doctrines of:

Chapter 8. Baptism and Washings

Chapter 9. Agape: Charity and Love

Chapter 10. Covenant and Testament Distinctions

Chapter 11. Church and Assembly

Chapter 12. Church and Congregation

Chapter 8

Baptism and Washings

Chapter 9

Agape: Charity and Love

Chapter 10

Covenant and Testament Distinctions

Chapter 11

Church and Assembly

Chapter 12

Church and Congregation

Chapter 13

Printing in the Fourteenth to Sixteenth Centuries

Chapter 14

The Artwork within the First Printing of the Authorized Version

Works Cited

Chapter 15

Animism, Culture, and Foreign Missions

Appendix

Appendix: Glossary of Terms

The Epistle Dedicatory and Translators to the Reader

Table D. English Bible Timeline

Primary Resources and Bibliography

About the Authors

Introduction

The King James Bible is superior in translation of the original languages into English above all other English versions and is sufficient for all faith and practice. There was not an original or second inspiration of the translators in the process of translating the AV1611. God did lead in the translation process so that the product is the inerrant, infallible, inspired word of God. Reasons for holding the KJB in pre-eminence above other English translations (before 1611 or afterward) are detailed in this work.

Those who believe the King James Bible over modern English translations are often misrepresented as KJV Only or King James Version Onlyists. These are titles crafted by oblivious critics to construct a glib inference to ignorance upon whomever believes the pre-eminence of the KJB among English translations, as well as cast the translators of 1604 to be amateurish linguists.

American quibblers find fault with the acronym KJB (King James Bible) and insist it should only be KJV (King James Version)—as though that is an essential issue. (In the Appendix, we define why both terms, KJV and KJB, appear in this book.) Desultory reasoning that insists on the use of only a certain word for titles of pre-eminent and perennial works is incongruous.

In the United Kingdom, the term KJB is used more so than KJV. Most scholars use either KJB or KJV when referring specifically to the work that was commissioned by King James. The term Authorized Version (AV) is also used in the United Kingdom. Although many challenge whether it was truly authorized, the term is used interchangeably with KJB.

In Commonwealth countries like New Zealand, David Norton entitled his critical and informative book, The King James Bible. A quick scan of our bibliography confirms the prevailing title used by most scholars to be The King James Bible (Butterworth, McGrath, Norton, and others). Herbert differentiates the King James Bible by title from the other English Bibles.¹

We have observed that those who insist on calling it only as KJV in the US have an ulterior motive and, when pressed, will say they prefer other translations to the KJB. Those who insist on only one titular reference or literary identification of the 1611 Bible have never given attention to titles in Bible translation or the history of English literature. Some of the best-known authors of literature as well as biblical scholars use, or are influenced by the KJB in their works, simply because the King James Bible is the perennial English Bible translation, as well as among the foremost literary masterpieces of the English language.

Careless seems the great Avenger; history's pages but record

One death-grapple in the darkness 'twixt old systems and the Word;

Truth forever on the scaffold, Wrong forever on the throne—

Yet that scaffold sways the future, and, behind the dim unknown,

Standeth God within the shadow, keeping watch above his own.

—James Russell Lowell (1819-1891), The Present Crisis stanza: 8

Chapter 1

The Majestic King James Bible

The AV1611 translators never claimed that their work was any more than another translation, but the last several hundred years of its fruitful existence has proven beyond any reasonable doubt, the King James Bible to be the inspired word of God for English-speaking peoples.

As King James travelled to London in 1603 to ascend to the throne, a group of Puritans met him and presented the Millenary Petition, a document (carefully worded so as not to appear seditious or rebellious toward the King) that argued the Church of England had not gone far enough in removing Roman Catholic practice. While many of the Puritan goals were denied, the petition did culminate in the Hampton Court Conference which began the production of the Authorized Version.²

At the Hampton Court Conference amidst freezing weather in London on January 14, 1604, King James gave a total of fifteen rules to guide a new English translation of the Bible. Neither he nor the over forty-seven translators could have foreseen all the beneficial consequences of the guidelines. One matter was a documented fact: The King disliked the copious annotations in the margins of the 1560 Geneva Bible, I think that of all (English Bibles), that of Geneva is the worst was his statement in the Hampton Court Conference. In his homeland of Scotland, he had turned from Roman Catholicism despite his mother being of Catholic persuasion. He also had an aversion toward the Scottish Presbyterianism and the fanatical Calvinism of Geneva.

The third translation rule of fifteen given by King James I to leave the ecclesiastical terms unchanged, resulted in an all-pervasive, diverse, and popular English translation. Words like church, remission, baptism, gospel, mystery, justification, etc., were to be retained in a class of their own.³ By implementation of this rule, varied interpretations of each term were allowed by different contexts. This rule followed the former practice of the six (6) English Bible translation efforts preceding the AV1611. Previous deviations had caused some confusion. What this unique rule did was to make the context of the King James Bible the authority for meanings of critical doctrinal words and opened the riches of God's Book, which provided a considered and thorough biblical dictionary. Certain terms were explicitly defined in the context of their usage by many scholars, experts in specific fields.

The multiplicity of doctrinal views (Church of England: High, Low/ Puritan/ Protestant, etc.) by the fifty-four translators assigned to the AV1611 guided in preventing one view from being dominant. Multiple and fastidious committee checks, along with revisions, produced a consummate translation: usable without prescriptive interpretation overpowering the descriptive and vice versa. In a few instances, the KJV seems to almost lay deliberate linguistic snares to reveal the hidden motives of the cunning religious critic or arrogant and short-minded denominationalist. The AV1611 translators (as stated in the Preface to the Reader) did not scorn or reject the previous work of many language translations. Although they did not hesitate to describe them as containing the word of God, their stated purpose was to make a principal good one better than before. Prior English translators and translations (Tyndale, Matthews, Coverdale, Bishops Bible, etc.) of the Hebrew/Greek various words provided the AV1611 translators a historical source of accurate and difficult meanings.

An informed, sincere, and unbiased reader, who follows the divine rules laid out within the King James Bible text, will not see ambiguous doctrines or find textual contradictions, but will discover a miraculous coordination and designed relationship of the whole work from Genesis to Revelation.

Partial List of Ecclesiastical Words:

Church/assembly

Baptism/water/washing/with Holy Ghost/ by the Spirit

Charity/love

Faith/believe

Covenant/testament

All of the terms listed above may seem, upon a cursory reading, to convey a different or even conflicting doctrine from one instance to the next in the KJB. In fact, when the reader is not aware of the term's scriptural analogy, there are many more that may even allow a word the sense of ambiguity or incompatibility of meaning. It appears the AV translators did it on purpose in some cases.⁴ A perceived ambiguity would not only force the reader to search the whole of scripture to gain understanding of a particular term, it also could explain the KJB's popularity due to the various manifold interpretations of passages.

The AV1611 translators refused to use the method of uniform translation—a method modern translations have followed and as a result of that method, contradictions occur between their translated passages:

We have not tied ourselves to an uniformity of phrasing, or to an identity of words, as some peradventure would wish that we had done, because they observe, that some learned men somewhere, have been as exact as they could that way. Truly, that we might not vary from the sense of that which we had translated before, if the word signified that same in both places (for there be some words that be not the same sense everywhere) we were especially careful, and made a conscience, according to our duty. (AV1611. Preface to the Reader, See book Appendix)

Simple but basic rules following Normal-Literal biblical interpretation are:⁵

John 14:2: "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. The word of God is to be interpreted or understood in a normal-literal method. God means what He says. If mansions are said, mansions are meant. A mansion is not a limited house, small shack, or little cabin by the side of the road in any dictionary: Greek or English. Mansions" are then defined or interpreted by the term's other usages in the Bible, consultation with various dictionaries (both English and Greek), as well as historical literary use for clarification of interpretation but never with a view to improving the KJB text.

1 Corinthians 2:13: Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. A comparison of things (words, sentences, verses, doctrines, ages, etc.) that are different reveals they are not the same. In other words, by the Spirit is not the same as with the Spirit; with the Holy Ghost is not the same as by the Holy Spirit; although Holy Ghost and Holy Spirit are the same Person of the Trinity, each describes differences of Nature (Person emphasis and Work emphasis).

2 Timothy 2:15: Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Division is the way a doctor learns where the appendix is located in a body. Gross anatomy with a cadaver is a basic course in med school before a doctor performs surgery on you. In math, if you rightly divide (cut) 6 by 2, you discover there are two 3s in 6. If you rightly divided, 2 times 3= 6. Division is a way to learn more about any subject. The Greek word for rightly dividing is ὀρθοτομέω: ortho (correct) tomeo (cutting). It does not carry the more general meaning of right handling in any language. The KJB is already divided into two Testaments: Old and New. There are several divisions in the KJB—all may have different doctrines; some share a few of the same doctrines. That is why the reader finds STUDY heading the verse in 2 Timothy.

Normal-Literal interpretation allows translation of a figure of speech, but to translate the figure literally obscures the very point of why it is used, loses the emphasis and the truth it was meant to teach. Too close adherence to literality produces incoherence.

A KJV 1611 or KJB or even original manuscript inspiration theory is not acceptable. (See chapter on Inspiration and Preservation) The biblical interpretation of effective inspiration is defined in 2 Timothy 3:16–17 KJB: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (17) That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works."

Bible inspiration is accompanied by God's providential preservation of His words to completely furnish the man of God unto all good works. "Though we may challenge the idea of word-by-word inspiration (i.e., in 1611), we surely must conclude that these were men able, in their profound moods, to transcend their human limits. In their own words, they spake as no other men spake because they were filled with the Holy Ghost. Or in the clumsier language of our time, they so adjusted themselves to each other and to the work as to achieve a unique coordination and balance, functioning thereafter as an organic entity—no mere mechanism equal to the sum of its parts, but a whole greater than all of them." ⁶

God protects and preserves His inspired word by various means throughout history from corruption by accident, ignorance, or deliberate attempts to destroy it. The authors of this book believe the King James Bible (KJB) deserves to be called inspired, the preserved word of God in the English language, and is the sufficient guide in all matters of faith and practice. The finished work of 1611 was so guided by the hand of God that the completed AV1611 translation far exceeded the intents, apparent abilities, and knowledge of any particular committee of one or the whole of the forty-seven living translators.

This personal trust or belief does not prohibit the use of Hebrew, Classical, and common (κοινή) Greek, other language studies, dictionaries, concordances, lexicons, etc., to help in definition and understanding of words and terms. Verbal-plenary inspired manuscripts (every word: verbal, plenary, and all words together) neither precludes translation nor essential spelling updates or typology corrections (Lionnes: lions, Quicke: quick, etc.).

There is no question of the AV1611 translators' intellectual abilities. We seriously doubt a more capable group of translators has even been or can be assembled in the future. When compared to the LXX's short seventy-two days (time from beginning to completion, reported by Josephus), the AV1611's seven years long labour plus the separate fourteen stages of editorial reviews by all fifty-four translators, that seems to overwhelm the pitiful seventy-two days claimed labour of the LXX.⁷

Several features occur in the completed translation work that possibly overshadowed or overwhelmed the individual beliefs or deliberate intentions of the AV1611 translators.⁸ It is noteworthy that the KJB is a common language English Bible that reflects words more suited for public reading rather than a classical or formal text using strict grammatical rules of language.

The KJB is a living book

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

The Greek word for life is ζάω. The English word zoology comes from the Greek word. ζάω is translated quick in a total of five verses in the KJB NT. In Hebrews 4:12 KJB, it is quick, in the other four verses, it is in contrast to the word dead. There are no textual contradictions between the KJB and most modern translations or the manuscripts behind the translation in each passage: The word quick means living with a sense of immediate action. A book written in 1992 by Randall Kenyon, Let Dead Bury Their Dead has chapter 2 and line 25, I say, you there. Feller. Is you quick or dead? (OED 2009 edition). The Middle English spelling of quicke also referred to weeds or any plant that grew rapidly or easily in almost any soil. Weeds (quicke-grass) are known to rapidly spring up without even careful planting or waiting on an appropriate season.

That is of the same manner quick is defined in all the KJB texts. An interesting aside is when you cut your finger to the quick, it is painful and immediately felt. That is because there is an invasive entrance into the lower surface of the epidermis, the outer layer of skin. The epidermis is composed of many dead (few nerve endings are present) cells and plays an important role in protecting your body from things like infection, harmful rays of the sun, and loss of important nutrients and water, as well as avoiding continually painful stimuli from even a light wind! The quick is where the dermis of the skin contains nerves—where you feel pain.

Therefore, accepting the KJB's claim of life, what is thought by many as an inanimate object, this living word can perform tasks normally only ascribed to a supernatural person. This Book claims ability to divide a material composition of the body as well as immaterial soul and spirit. Division of bones and the marrow is also within this Book's capabilities. Not only that, but Hebrews 4:12 also says the living word of God can discern between the private thoughts and intentions of every man. The ability of the word of God to discern such (Greek: κριτικός: from which we get the English word critic) is the highest known psychological ability.

Medical discovery of what bone marrow does began in the 1800s.⁹ Of particular note is the KJB's connection between bone and marrow. Bone marrow is complex and involved in hematopoiesis (Greek αἷμα, blood and ποιεῖν to make). This is another name for blood cell production. Hematopoietic stem cells that are found in bone marrow produce blood cells for the physical body. The word of God said long before medical science discovered it, Leviticus 17:11, "the life of the flesh is in the blood."

In consideration of the word and Word, we may ask, Is it not impossible to absolutely separate a Person (Word) from His words (word) when both claim to be infallible, inerrant, and eternal?

We must be careful to differentiate between Subject (God) and Object (Bible) or the instruments that God (His Being or Person) uses. God's words accomplish His will and work; to do this, the Author and the Author's words must be powerful and inerrant. The written or spoken word of God is infallible, inerrant, and inspired, but it is not identical to the Godhead (Trinity). The Bible is the sword of the Spirit, but the sword is not the same as the Third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit.¹⁰ The written word is the infallible instrument of Deity to accomplish God's purposed will. While it is impossible to totally separate the word of God from the Godhead, belief in the infallibility, inerrancy, and inspiration of the word of God is not to be confused with the worship of the Person of God.

This may sound a bit like animism¹¹ (a living spirit in everything), which is prevalent among Asian countries. Admittedly, the Bible is an Oriental book as to the human source, and not all elements of animism are ungodly or idolatry. There is a salient difference between belief that a spirit dwells in everything and everything being present to Deity (Omniscience).

Foreknowledge

Foreknowledge is an essence or attribute of Deity: the ability to know and predict future events. Foreknowledge is based on the Omniscience and Omnipresence of God (all knowing and all present: everything is present to God—this contrasts with God dwelling in everything or place). In His Omniscience, God knows what the future holds and will be both for individuals and for groups of peoples. He knows and sees everything in advance and His will is carried out in accord with His plans and purposes.

Regardless of the interpretation of elect and predestinate, both are determined by divine foreknowledge. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied (1 Peter 1:2 KJB). The clearest progression of foreknowledge and election from eternity to time, followed by eternity, is found in Romans 8:28–30. Verses 29 and 30 are the only occurrences of the word predestinate in the Bible: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (29) For whom he did foreknow (number one), he also did predestinate (number 2) to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (30) Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called (number 3) and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified (number 4)."

Foreknowledge of future matters or events can only be accessed by Deity. To be relevant in historical progress and up-to-date on foreknowledge, basic language descriptions must be used so that future progress may not be confused. In other words, in the book of Nahum, God prophecies in 2:4: The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings. Had chariots been substituted with Model T, and Interstate Highways instead of broad ways, or had electric cars been used instead of lightnings, the prophecy would have been misunderstood and dated for only the nineteenth century USA. Nahum's prophecy might also apply to 2020 drag race tracks or 5 p.m. West Coast traffic on I-5 or on I-85 through Atlanta, Georgia! Nahum's prophecy as found in the KJB can even foreknow twenty-second century technology.

Another example of God's foreknowledge is found in Job 38:35: "Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are?" Electrical energy that enables communication was unknown in 1611 or in the centuries before. Of course, if the prophecy had been dated by Canst thou send a cell phone text, that goes, and says Hello?—the twenty-first century battery-powered device would be dated and could not foreknow the twenty-second century future communication devices powered by natural, un-stored energy.

Future politics, the rise and fall of governments, and the historical record of various cultures are also foreknown by God. The book of Daniel foresaw the fall of Babylon, the rise and fall of the Persian government, the succeeding kingdom of Greece, etc., hundreds of years before the occurrences.

Readability of the KJB

The AV1611 translators' sermons, writings, etc., reveal an entirely different linguistic syntax and style when compared to the more easily read and comprehensive style of the relaxed syntax of the KJB. The Preface to the Reader in the AV1611 is an example of the translator's formality:

Zeal to promote the common good, whether it be by devising anything ourselves, or revising that which hath been labored by others, deserveth certainly much respect and esteem, but yet findeth but cold entertainment in the world. It is welcomed with suspicion instead of love, and with emulation instead of thanks: and if there be any hole left for cavil to enter (and cavil, if it do not find a hole, will make one), it is sure to be misconstrued, and in danger to be condemned. This will easily be granted by as many as know story, or have any experience.

Another example by the chief AV1611 translator, Lancelot Andrewes:¹²

Sermons of the Nativity. Preached upon Christmas-Day, 1622.

Preached before King James, at Whitehall, on Wednesday, the Twenty-fifth of December, A.D. MDCXXII.

St. Matthew ii:1–2 Behold there came wise men from the East to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is He That is born King of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the East, and are come to worship Him. Ecce magi ab Oriente venerunt Jerosolymam, Dicentes, Ubi est Qui natus est Rex Judaeorum? Vidimus enim stellam Ejus in Oriente, et venimus adorare Eum.

There be in these two verses two principal points, as was observed when time was 1.) the persons that arrived at Jerusalem, 2.) and their errand. The persons in the former verse, whereof hath been treated heretofore. Their errand in the latter, whereof we