The People's
Bible: The Remarkable History of the King James Version (2010)
by Alec Motyer
I'm introduced to the late Alec Motyer (1924-2016) through his many contributions to The Bible Speaks Today commentary series. He can write very difficult subjects in more comprehensible ways (not saying that it's going to be easy). Many people attempt to write the amazing story of the KJV but most are either too technical and academic (except for Alister McGrath's In the Beginning: The Story of the King James Bible. Although it is somewhat lengthy, you will be greatly benefitted from it more than others) or too simplistic and watered-down. This 202-pages book, however, is just right for non-academic like me who wanted to know more but not too much. Motyer highlights very crucial moments, people, and events in the history of the making of the masterpiece.
Once you read The People's Bible you will appreciate how blessed we are to have English Bibles available for us today and how much blood and sweat poured out by the people who desire for the words of God to be understood by all people; you will be glad that God moved Desiderius Erasmus' heart (somewhat good guy in a very bad church) to publish New Testament in Greek; you will praise God for the people like John Wycliffe and William Tyndale (my hero!), etc. who translated the Bible into the English language even it cost their lives; you will question God for why he uses corrupt King James I of England and religiopolitical turmoil during that time to give birth to "the Lively Oracles of God"; you will be confused either to rejoice or to sorrow over the many Bible versions available before and after the KJV was first published in 1611; you will cringe at how religious and political leaders twisted the Scripture to support their theological bent and believe; you will understand where the KJV-Only believers coming from and why they say what they say - and why it is dangerous to stick to only ONE translation or version.
I love using KJV for word study and as a reference Bible but not for reading and preaching (I use ESV or NLT). English is my third language and for ministry, I usually speak in Bahasa Malaysia. Besides, I have issues with the KJV textual variations and manuscripts, which I'm not going to explain here. Nevertheless, we must acknowledge that KJV is a remarkable achievement in its time and still one of the great literature in modern times (even William Shakespeare often borrows stories, references, and languages from the KJV and of course, the Geneva Bible).
"The King James Version has had, and continues to have a quite extraordinary history," writes Alex Motyer. "It is unique in the annals of all books, published in any language, anywhere, at any time. Its influence has been and continues to be incalculable. It has helped to shape the western mind; has influenced what we think and how we think. It has CHANGED THE WORLD. Yet, we must be careful not to lapse into idolatry for, of course, the 1611 Bible is only one vehicle carrying across the centuries and millennia a cargo of ancient wisdom, piety, and truth." Amen 💪😊🙏 #ServeToLead #1Book1Week #LeadersAreReaders #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain #AlecMotyer #TheKingJamesVersion #ChurchHistory
For further research, I also watch YouTube documentaries Adam Nicolson: The King James Bible (Nat Geo); The King James Bible: The Book That Changed The World (2011); New World Order Bible Versions (documentary by pro-KJV); King James Controversy (talk by Dr. James White exposing the KJV-ism); and debates by James White vs. Jack Moorman and John Ankeberg Show discussing Is the King James Version the Only Perfect Version Today? - and more. So you know how serious and deep I've explored this subject 🤣
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