Re: LXX foundation and Anti-Missionaries

From: David Moore (dvdmoore@dcfreenet.seflin.lib.fl.us)
Date: Tue Oct 31 1995 - 11:52:57 EST


On Tue, 31 Oct 1995, Eric Weiss wrote:

> I read your question on B-GREEK re: Anti-Missionaries and the LXX and saw
> that the only response you got was a remark about the Anti-Missionaries not
> just having a negative focus and suggesting that Jews would not use the term
> "Old Testament" but would rather call it "the Bible" (which is probably true
> since it's not "old" to them). It did not answer your question.
>
> The "Anti-Missionaries" are probably affiliated with Jews for Judaism--if you
> want to read what they're all about, their web page is at
>
> http://www.clark.net/pub/mpowers/j4j/web/
>
> They have a valid point about the LXX, but not one that can't be overcome by
> the Christian wishing to share the Messiah Jesus with Jews. The NT uses the
> LXX often in its quotes of the "Old" Testament, and without being a scholar
> in this area, I can't specifically say how accurately the LXX (and hence the
> NT) conveys the meaning of the Hebrew OT in every case. I understand that
> parts of the LXX are translated very well and other parts are not. I've read
> that the Dead Sea Scrolls discoveries have shown that there were probably at
> least 3 Hebrew text traditions current in the first century, or at least
> manuscripts found at Qumran exhibited evidences of having come from these
> three families: a) the one that eventually led to the Masoretic text which
> is the basis for our Hebrew Old Testament text today; b) one that appears to
> be the Hebrew basis for the LXX translation; and c) one with close affinities
> to the Samaritan Pentateuch. The LXX rendering thus can't be automatically
> ruled out as being an "incorrect" translation of the Hebrew text--it depends
> on which Hebrew text you are talking about.
>
> There are A LOT of books out there on the NT use of the Old Testament which
> discuss this very question you are asking, since this is something Christian
> scholars have had to deal with and explain--I just wish I could remember the
> titles!
(snip)
        A couple of titles that might be helpful are the following: _New
Testament Development of Old Testament Themes_, by F. F. Bruce (Grand
Rapids: Eerdmans, 1968); and _The Uses of the Old Testament In the New_,
by Walter C. Kaiser, Jr.(Chicago: Moody, 1985).

Regards,
David Moore

> For more information, you might also want to contact Jews for Jesus. Their
> web page is
>
> http://www.jews-for-jesus.org/index.html or
> http://www.jews-for-jesus.org/Introduction.html
>
> You can E-mail them at
>
> jfj@jews-for-jesus.org or
> jfjnet@aol.com
>

David L. Moore Southeastern Spanish District
Miami, Florida of the Assemblies of God
dvdmoore@dcfreenet.seflin.lib.fl.us Department of Education



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