[B-Greek] Why does the Greek New Testament sometimes quote from theLXX and not from the proto-MT whe

Albert Pietersma albert.pietersma at sympatico.ca
Thu Mar 11 12:12:12 EST 2004


If you have never done so, I would advise you read the so-called Letter  
of Aristeas, available, for example, as a Greek - English diglot in the  
Dropsie Jewish Apocryphal Literature series (M. Hadas).  It ostensibly  
tells the story of Septuagint origins, but in fact is a defense of the  
Septuagint against its source text circa 130 BCE.
The tale reflects vividly that certainly by  that time Egyptian  
Greek-speaking Jewry regarded the Septuagint (i.e. the Pentateuch) as a  
text with an illustrious genealogy which had become an independent  
entity vis-a-vis its  parent.  (The daughter had become of age.)
That the text had this standing well before 130 BCE is suggested by the  
fact that Greek Jewish writers from the late 3rd BCE onward (e.g.  
Demetrius, Eupolemus, Artapanus, Aristobulos, Philo etc.) cite its  
text.
Whether the Septuagint BEGAN its existence as a translation that  
replaced its parent text is another question; that it BECAME such a  
text is patently obvious.
Al

On Mar 11, 2004, at 10:06 AM, Bart Torbert wrote:

>
>
>
>
>
> Philip,
>
> Your question does raise an issue that I find interesting, but have  
> never
> found a complete answer to.   I have read claims that the LXX was used  
> as
> the "standard text" among the Greek speaking Jews living outside of  
> Judea.
> I am sure there are folks on the list that would dispute that  
> assertion.
>
> What I am trying to find is the balance between the authoritativeness  
> of
> the LXX vs the MT.   With all the fuss these days over New Testament
> translations and manuscripts, the issue of what proper manuscripts to  
> use
> and how to translate them regarding the Old Testament does not get as  
> much
> attention.
>
> Paul would have been very knowledgeable  of  the Hebrew version(s).    
> One
> would think he would defer to them, considering his Orthodox training.
> Maybe the examples in Hebrews reflects Paul's use of text that his  
> audiance
> would be the most familiar with.  So what does that say about the over  
> all
> "quality" of the LXX vs the MT?
>
> Bart Torbert
> bart.torbert at ihsenergy.com
>
>
>
>
>
>              "John Byron"
>              <jbyron at ashland.e
>              du>                                                        
>  To
>              Sent by:                  <phil-eng at ighmail.com>,
>              b-greek-bounces at l         <b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org>
>              ists.ibiblio.org                                           
>  cc
>
>                                                                     
> Subject
>              03/11/2004 07:06          Re: [B-Greek] Why does the Greek
>              AM                        New Testament sometimes quote   
> from
>                                        theLXX and not from the proto-MT
>                                        whe
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Philip,
>
> The NT authors seem to have been more familiar with the LXX than a
> proto-MT. Also, we must be careful if we assume that there was a single
> homogeneous Hebrew text available to anyone in the first century CE.  
> The
> numerous biblical fragments found at Qumran, Cairo Geniza and even the
> Targumim demonstrate that there were a variety of texts available. I  
> am not
> sure we should conclude that an author chose a text to fit a particular
> theological point, but I would not rule it out. The LXX is, in many  
> ways, a
> theological interpretation of one or more Hebrew texts. Thus the LXX
> reflects the theology of many Greek reading Jews living during that  
> time.
>
> John Byron Ph.D.
> Ashland Theological Seminary
> 910 Center St.
> Ashland, OH 44805
> jbyron at ashland.edu
>
>>>> "Philip Engmann" <phil-eng at ighmail.com> 03/11/04 08:46AM >>>
> Dear B-Greekers,
>
> Why does the Greek New Testament sometimes quote from the LXX and not
> from the proto-MT where the two texts differ?
>
> For example, in the following verses:[1]
>
> 1.    Hebrews 1.6/
> <http://us.f1f.yahoofs.com/users/f298c9bb/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/ 
> WINDOW
> S/My%20Documents/My%20Documents/WINDOWS/Mcuments/Philip's%20Files/ 
> Mcumen
> ts/Philip's%20Files/My%20Documents/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/ 
> WINDO
> WS/Desktop/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/spDt32-43.html> Deuteronomy 32.43
>
> "Let all God's angels worship him." NT/LXX
> The MT omits this quotation             MT
>
> 2. Hebrews 2.6-8/
> <http://us.f1f.yahoofs.com/users/f298c9bb/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/ 
> WINDOW
> S/My%20Documents/My%20Documents/WINDOWS/Mcuments/Philip's%20Files/ 
> Mcumen
> ts/Philip's%20Files/My%20Documents/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/ 
> WINDO
> WS/Desktop/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/spPs8-4.html> Psalm 8.4-6
> "Thou didst make him a little lower than the angels" NT/LXX
> "thou hast made him a little less than God"                   MT
>
> 3. Hebrews 2.13/
> <http://us.f1f.yahoofs.com/users/f298c9bb/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/ 
> WINDOW
> S/My%20Documents/My%20Documents/WINDOWS/Mcuments/Philip's%20Files/ 
> Mcumen
> ts/Philip's%20Files/My%20Documents/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/ 
> WINDO
> WS/Desktop/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/spIs8-17.html> Isaiah 8.17
> "I will put my trust in him." NT/LXX
> "I will hope in him"                 MT
>
> 4. Hebrews 3.15/
> <http://us.f1f.yahoofs.com/users/f298c9bb/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/ 
> WINDOW
> S/My%20Documents/My%20Documents/WINDOWS/Mcuments/Philip's%20Files/ 
> Mcumen
> ts/Philip's%20Files/My%20Documents/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/ 
> WINDO
> WS/Desktop/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/spPs95-7.html> Psalm 95.7-8
> "Today, when you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the
> rebellion."                NT/LXX
> "O that today you would hearken to his voice! Harden not your hearts,  
> as
> at Meribah"      MT
>
> 5. Hebrews 8.8-12/
> <http://us.f1f.yahoofs.com/users/f298c9bb/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/ 
> WINDOW
> S/My%20Documents/My%20Documents/WINDOWS/Mcuments/Philip's%20Files/ 
> Mcumen
> ts/Philip's%20Files/My%20Documents/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/ 
> WINDO
> WS/Desktop/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/spJr31-31.html> Jeremiah. 31.31-34
> "for they did not continue in my covenant, and so I paid no heed to
> them, says the Lord"   NT/LXX
> "my covenant which they broke, though I was their husband, says the
> LORD"                    MT
>
> 6. Hebrews 10.5-7/
> <http://us.f1f.yahoofs.com/users/f298c9bb/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/ 
> WINDOW
> S/My%20Documents/My%20Documents/WINDOWS/Mcuments/Philip's%20Files/ 
> Mcumen
> ts/Philip's%20Files/My%20Documents/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/ 
> WINDO
> WS/Desktop/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/spPs40-6.html> Psalm 40.6-8
>  "Sacrifices and offerings thou hast not desired; but a body hast thou
> prepared for me"      NT/LXX
> "Sacrifice and offering thou dost not desire; but thou hast given me an
> open ear"               MT
>
> 7. Hebrews 10.37-38/
> <http://us.f1f.yahoofs.com/users/f298c9bb/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/ 
> WINDOW
> S/My%20Documents/My%20Documents/WINDOWS/Mcuments/Philip's%20Files/ 
> Mcumen
> ts/Philip's%20Files/My%20Documents/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/ 
> WINDO
> WS/Desktop/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/spHab2-3.html> Habakkuk 2.3-4
> "and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him."
> NT/LXX
> "Behold, he whose soul is not upright in him shall fail [Hebrews. - is
> puffed up]"       MT
>
> 8. Hebrews 11.21/
> <http://us.f1f.yahoofs.com/users/f298c9bb/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/ 
> WINDOW
> S/My%20Documents/My%20Documents/WINDOWS/Mcuments/Philip's%20Files/ 
> Mcumen
> ts/Philip's%20Files/My%20Documents/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/ 
> WINDO
> WS/Desktop/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/spGen47-31.html> Genesis 47.31
> "By faith Jacob ... bowing in worship over the head of his staff."
> NT/LXX
> "Then Israel bowed himself upon the head of his bed"
> MT
>
> 9. Hebrews 12.5-6/
> <http://us.f1f.yahoofs.com/users/f298c9bb/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/ 
> WINDOW
> S/My%20Documents/My%20Documents/WINDOWS/Mcuments/Philip's%20Files/ 
> Mcumen
> ts/Philip's%20Files/My%20Documents/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/ 
> WINDO
> WS/Desktop/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/WINDOWS/spPr3-11.html> Proverbs 3.11-12
> "For the Lord disciplines him whom he loves, and chastises every son
> whom he receives."  NT/LXX
> "for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom  
> he
> delights"        MT
>
>
>
>   _____
>
> [1] The first phrase shows the New Testament and the LXX wording, and
> the second phrase has the wording from the Hebrew Old Testament. In  
> each
> case, the New Testament author is true to the Septuagint. The  
> difference
> between the Hebrew MT and the Greek LXX is highlighted.
>
> ---
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—
Albert Pietersma
Professor of Septuagint and Hellenistic Greek
Near & Middle Eastern Civilizations
University of Toronto
Home: 21 Cross Street,
Weston ON Canada M9N 2B8
Email: albert.pietersma at sympatico.ca
Homepage: http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~pietersm




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