The Bible: Translation And Interpretation
THE BIBLE: TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETATION
The Reformation urged all Christians to read and value the Bible, and act on what they found within its pages. The traditional response of the opponents of the Reformation to this proposal was that the Bible—which all agreed, although with markedly varying degrees of enthusiasm, was ultimately the foundation of Christian life and thought—was difficult to understand. People needed help to make sense of it. Not only was it written in a language few could understand, its ideas were complex, and needed explanation for the people. The Church, of course, was more than willing to provide such an explanation. Luther, however, argued that the interpretation offered by the Church merely reinforced its own position. The Bible was not, as a matter of principle, allowed to critique either the teachings or practices of the medieval Church. For Luther, it was axiomatic that every Christian had the right to read and interpret the Bible for herself.
As the Reformation progressed, it became clear that making sense of the Bible was not perhaps as straightforward as some had thought. There were “hard places”—to borrow a phrase that would be used by the Geneva Bible—that puzzled and perplexed readers. Translation of the Bible was not enough; this needed to be supplemented by explanation. A work that offered the benefits of both accurate biblical translation and interpretation had the potential to be hugely influential. It could also be a best-seller, no small consideration for the entrepreneurs who might be tempted to invest in such a project.
This is precisely what was provided by the Geneva Bible of 1560, which offered both the best English translation of the biblical text then available, along with copious English marginal notes, designed to allow its readers to make sense of what they read in the biblical text itself. The immense success of this work—which is beyond dispute—clearly shows that the work met a real need, and met it effectively.