Joseph Bryant Rotherham
Encyclopedia
Joseph Bryant Rotherham was a British biblical scholar and minister of the Churches of Christ. He was a prolific writer whose best-known work was the Emphasized Bible
, a new translation that used "emphatic inversion" and a set of diacritical marks to bring out shades of meaning in the original text.
, Norfolk
in the United Kingdom
. His father was a Methodist
preacher, and Rotherham followed in his footsteps, pastoring churches in Woolwich
, Charlton
and Stockton-on-Tees
. However he soon developed differences with Methodism regarding infant baptism
and, at the same time, became interested in the writings of the American
preacher Alexander Campbell, one of the early leaders of the Restoration Movement
. Rotherham eventually joined the movement in 1854 and became a well-known evangelist
and biblical scholar with the Churches of Christ.
During the 1860s Rotherham began work on a translation of the Bible
in which he tried:
This he proposed to do by giving "special heed to the Greek Article, to the Tenses, and to the Logical Idiom of the Original."
In 1872 his New Testament Critically Emphasised was published, with the Old Testament appearing in 1902. During this interval great advances occurred in textual criticism culminating at the end of the 19th century with Brooke Foss Westcott's and Fenton John Anthony Hort's Greek text of the New Testament. This led Rotherham to revise his New Testament twice to stay abreast of scholarly developments. He based his Old Testament translation on the comprehensive Hebrew text of Dr. C. D Ginsburg
, which anticipated readings now widely accepted.
Rotherham became an editor with James Sangster and Co., London in 1868, and then a Press Corrector for 31 years beginning in 1874, principally working with religious books. Although this effectively ended his Evangelistic work, he continued preaching and publishing articles in such magazines as Christian Commonwealth and Public Opinion, focusing particularly on scholarly issues such as the translation of the Revised Version
. From 1885 to 1887 he was also editor of The Rainbow, a monthly magazine of Christian literature. Rotherham was a friend of several prominent Christian leaders of his day, including G. Campbell Morgan and C.H. Spurgeon
.
on January 10, with an evening service, including an address given by the Old Testament scholar J. W. Thirtle
.
Emphasized Bible
Rotherham's Emphasized Bible is a translation of the Bible that uses various methods, such as "emphatic idiom" and special diacritical marks, to bring out nuances of the underlying Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic texts...
, a new translation that used "emphatic inversion" and a set of diacritical marks to bring out shades of meaning in the original text.
Life
Rotherham was born at New BuckenhamNew Buckenham
New Buckenham is a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.It covers an area of and had a population of 468 in 197 households as of the 2001 census. For the purposes of local government, it falls within the district of Breckland....
, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. His father was a Methodist
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
preacher, and Rotherham followed in his footsteps, pastoring churches in Woolwich
Woolwich
Woolwich is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.Woolwich formed part of Kent until 1889 when the County of London was created...
, Charlton
Charlton, London
Charlton is a district of south London, England, and part of the London Borough of Greenwich. It is located east-southeast of Charing Cross. Charlton next Woolwich was an ancient parish in the county of Kent, which became part of the metropolitan area of London in 1855. It is home to Charlton...
and Stockton-on-Tees
Stockton-on-Tees
Stockton-on-Tees is a market town in north east England. It is the major settlement in the unitary authority and borough of Stockton-on-Tees. For ceremonial purposes, the borough is split between County Durham and North Yorkshire as it also incorporates a number of smaller towns including...
. However he soon developed differences with Methodism regarding infant baptism
Infant baptism
Infant baptism is the practice of baptising infants or young children. In theological discussions, the practice is sometimes referred to as paedobaptism or pedobaptism from the Greek pais meaning "child." The practice is sometimes contrasted with what is called "believer's baptism", or...
and, at the same time, became interested in the writings of the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
preacher Alexander Campbell, one of the early leaders of the Restoration Movement
Restoration Movement
The Restoration Movement is a Christian movement that began on the American frontier during the Second Great Awakening of the early 19th century...
. Rotherham eventually joined the movement in 1854 and became a well-known evangelist
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
and biblical scholar with the Churches of Christ.
During the 1860s Rotherham began work on a translation of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
in which he tried:
This he proposed to do by giving "special heed to the Greek Article, to the Tenses, and to the Logical Idiom of the Original."
In 1872 his New Testament Critically Emphasised was published, with the Old Testament appearing in 1902. During this interval great advances occurred in textual criticism culminating at the end of the 19th century with Brooke Foss Westcott's and Fenton John Anthony Hort's Greek text of the New Testament. This led Rotherham to revise his New Testament twice to stay abreast of scholarly developments. He based his Old Testament translation on the comprehensive Hebrew text of Dr. C. D Ginsburg
Christian David Ginsburg
Christian David Ginsburg was a Polish-born, British Bible scholar and student of the masoretic tradition in Judaism....
, which anticipated readings now widely accepted.
Rotherham became an editor with James Sangster and Co., London in 1868, and then a Press Corrector for 31 years beginning in 1874, principally working with religious books. Although this effectively ended his Evangelistic work, he continued preaching and publishing articles in such magazines as Christian Commonwealth and Public Opinion, focusing particularly on scholarly issues such as the translation of the Revised Version
Revised Version
The Revised Version of the Bible is a late 19th-century British revision of the King James Version of 1611. It was the first and remains the only officially authorized and recognized revision of the King James Bible. The work was entrusted to over 50 scholars from various denominations in Britain...
. From 1885 to 1887 he was also editor of The Rainbow, a monthly magazine of Christian literature. Rotherham was a friend of several prominent Christian leaders of his day, including G. Campbell Morgan and C.H. Spurgeon
Charles Spurgeon
Charles Haddon Spurgeon was a large British Particular Baptist preacher who remains highly influential among Christians of different denominations, among whom he is still known as the "Prince of Preachers"...
.
Death
Rotherham enjoyed good health virtually to the end of his life, giving his last sermon on December 19, 1909. However on New Year's Day 1910 he caught a severe cold and experienced a rapid decline, dying only a few days later at the age of 81. His body was laid to rest in Hither Green CemeteryHither Green Cemetery
Hither Green Cemetery is a large cemetery located on Verdant Lane, in Whitefoot, London, England. Contrary to the name, the cemetery is situated in Catford, but near to Hither Green, Lee and Grove Park. Next to Hither Green Cemetery is Lewisham Crematorium....
on January 10, with an evening service, including an address given by the Old Testament scholar J. W. Thirtle
James William Thirtle
James William Thirtle , LLD, DD, Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, was editor of The Christian, 1887–1934....
.
Works
- (1902) The Emphasized BibleEmphasized BibleRotherham's Emphasized Bible is a translation of the Bible that uses various methods, such as "emphatic idiom" and special diacritical marks, to bring out nuances of the underlying Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic texts...
- (1906, revised 1922) Reminiscences Extending Over a Period of More Than Seventy Years, 1828-1906
- (1906) Studies in the Epistle to the HebrewsEpistle to the HebrewsThe Epistle to the Hebrews is one of the books in the New Testament. Its author is not known.The primary purpose of the Letter to the Hebrews is to exhort Christians to persevere in the face of persecution. The central thought of the entire Epistle is the doctrine of the Person of Christ and his...
- Christian Ministry After the Primitive Ideal
- Our Sacred Books: Short Chapters on Inspiration, Transmission, and Translation
- The Authority of the BibleBibleThe Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
: Shown by the Conclusive Argument Derived From Unity in Diversity - (1911) Studies in the PsalmsPsalmsThe Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...
- (1911) Let Us Keep the Feast: Being Plain Chapters on the Lord's Supper (Mr. Rotherham's last book)
External links
- Hagger, Thomas. Heralds of Christian Unity: Being Brief Biographical Sketches of Some Pioneers of the Restoration Movement (Melbourne: Austral Printing and Publishing Company, 1938), 58-62.
- Rotherham, Joseph George. Reminiscences extending over a period of more than seventy years (London: H. R. Allenson, ltd., 1922).
- Rotherham, Joseph Bryant. Rotherham's Emphasized Bible (Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1994).