I heard once that students who go to a certain Christian University, known for its…traditional…values, are really good at understanding Shakespeare. If memory serves (and I have about a 68% success rate of memory service), this information came in the form of a set up looking for a punchline.
“Hey, did you know that students from this Christian University are really good at Shakespeare?” Then I am expected to ask, “Why is that?” I was expecting something a couple notches above a “knock knock” joke. Not this time. Seems that this particular Christian University is immersive in the language of the only the Bible they use, the King James Version, of the same era and expression as William Shakespeare.
There is a legend that it was Shakespeare himself, because
being a playwright was not enough, who translated the Bible into what we know as the King James Version.
SIDEBAR: The King James Version is also known as the Authorized Version. In some circles of Christendom, this seems to be interpreted as if Jesus said 'somewhere' in the gospel, "Verily, verily, I speakest unto thee, “Andst thou shalt not readest the Holy Writ and Solemn Word of Thine Almighty God exceptest that thou participatest within Thine English only by Thine Holy and Thrice Blessed King James Version…”"
No.
King James authorized it, NOT Jesus. The light side of my soul thanks him for aiding us in having the Bible brought into the English language. The dark side of my soul wonders if, by his 'authorization', he got a cut of sales…
We, of the Presbyterian Church (USA) nationally, and as the First Presbyterian Church of Merchantville in particular, use the New Revised Standard Version. This is an update of the Revised Standard Version which is an update of the King James Version. So, (wink wink), that makes our Bible twice-over unauthorized.
To make a long story short…too late…
The passage this Sunday shall be shared in the King James
Version.
This is because there are certain passages in the Bible
that are best shared that way. Psalm 23 comes to mind.
Our pew Bibles (NRSV) translate the heart stone of the Psalm as “Even
though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil”. It is accurate, does justice to the translation
of the Hebrew, but it is just not “Yea,
though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…”
It is THAT turning of a phrase that favors, for me, Shakespeare translating the Bible.
Sunday’s text is perhaps the most well known Christmas text
in the Old Testament, from Isaiah 9, here in the KJV:
“The people that
walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the
shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.
Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before
thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the
spoil.
For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the
rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian.
For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood;
but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire.
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall
be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The
mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the
throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with
judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of
hosts will perform this.”
There are times like this when the artistry of Shakespearean English lifts our Scripture reading to another level.
And while I may have differences of theological opinion with a certain Christian Universities, I do not disagree with them about this.
Especially in this time when asking a young person the set up line "So, who do you think William Shakespeare is?", I risk the answer “Isn't that Billy who likes to wave around a pointy
stick? And that's not how you spell spear.”
In the Name of Him who is Called Wonderful,
Pastor Peter
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