"J" is for James, King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, and the Bible of the "Middle Way"

     By the time King James I ascended to the throne of England, earlier attempts by the Bishops of England during the reign of Elizabeth I to ensconce a "Middle Way" Bible neither Roman Catholic nor radically protestant in nature had lost ground and been undermined by the English-language protestant Geneva Bible.  The KJV was an attempt to find a competitive alternative to the Geneva Bible.  Forty-seven learned men gathered at the king's request, meeting at Westminster, Oxford, and Cambridge to produce what would be published in 1611 and commonly known to later ages as the "Authorized, or King James, Version."
     In the way of thinking of the Bishops of England, the chief problem with both the English Douay-Rheims bible, and the English-language Geneva Bible were the notoriously biased interpretive notes included in the margins of those Bibles, especially the Geneva Bible.  While the poetry and clarity of the language utilized in the KJV is regarded by many to be inspired, the true miracle of the KJV was the removal if interpretive margin notes, in so doing leaving the interpretation of the text up to the reader (guided by the illumination of the Holy Spririt rather than the theology of man).  
    The following illustrative comment is excerpted from "The Translators to the Reader" section of the KJV bible first published in 1611:
Some per adventure would have no varieties of senses to be set in the margin, lest the authoritie of the Scriptures for deciding of controversies by that shew of uncertaintie, should somewhat be shaken.  But we hold their judgement not to be so found in this point.  For though, whatsoever things are necessarie, are manifest, as S. Chrysostome saith; and, as S. Augustine, in those things that are plainly set down in the Scriptures, all such matters are found that concern faith, hope, and charitie:  yet for all that it cannot be dissembled, that partly to exercise and whet our wits, partly to wean the curious from lothing of them for their everwhere plainnesse, partly also to stirre up our devotion to crave the assistance of Gods Spirit by prayer, and lastly, that we might be forward to seek aid of our brethren by conference, and never scorn those that be not in all respects so complete as they should be, being to seek in many things ourselves, it hath pleased God in his divine providence, here and there to scatter words and sentences of that difficultie and boubtfulnesse, not in doctrinal points that concern salvation (for in such it hath been vouched that the Scriptures are plain) but in matters of lesse moment, that fearfulness would better beseem us then confidence, and if we will resolve, to resolve upon modestie with S. Augustine, (though not in this same case altogether, yet upon the same ground....It is better to make doubt of those things which are secret, then to strive about those things that are uncertain.

Below, examples of the notes from the Geneva Bible (click for larger image):



 





Below, a page from the 1613 folio KJV showing lack of interpretive margin notes (click for larger image):

Below, images from a 1660 octavo KJV Bible printed in London by Henry Hills and John Field.  Note especially the image of Mary bound with this Bible, something inconceivable with the Geneva Bible (click for larger image):