As I read through Isaiah, comparing the generally accepted Masoretic Text (MT) to the ancient Septuagint (LXX), the Greek translation of the paleo-Hebrew scriptures used by the Jews and early church, I find significant differences. Sometimes the MT seems to rewrite almost entire chapters. I chose the section listed in the title to focus on to illustrate how, in my opinion, the MT, which was finally completed centuries after Christ’s death and resurrection, deliberately hides or omits clear references to Christ contained in the LXX. Consider for yourself.
| Masoretic Text | Septuagint | Significance |
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8 “But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, Descendant of Abraham My friend, 9 You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, And called from its remotest parts And said to you, ‘You are My servant, I have chosen you and not rejected you. 10 ‘Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ Isaiah 41:8–10 (NASB95) |
8 But you, Israel, my child Jacob, whom I have chosen, seed of Abraham, whom I have loved, 9 whom I have taken hold of from the ends of the earth; and I summoned you from its heights and said to you, “You are my child; I have chosen you and I have not forsaken you.” 10 Do not be frightened, for I am with you; do not be misled, for I am your God who strengthens you, and I have helped you and have established you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:8–10 (LES2) |
The first significant difference is that the MT identifies Israel as a servant, but the LXX as God’s child (Greek: pais, which can be translated as servant, but its basic meaning is child, which is significant.) The same translation difference is found in Isaiah 49:6, where the MT says, “It is too small a thing for you to be called my servant,” but the LXX says that “it is a great thing for you to be my child.” Jesus twice was specifically called God’s son by God speaking from heaven. (Matthew 3:17, Mark 9:7, 2 Peter 1:17) This passage in Isaiah cannot be a reference to the Jews, whom Jesus identified as children of Satan. (John 8:44) Lest I be accused of antisemitism at this point, let me make it clear that I do not hate Jewish people. I am merely speaking of them as does the New Testament. Without Christ, all men are lost, Jews and Gentiles. Those who actively resist the gospel and defame Christ are what the Bible calls “anti-Christ.” Those who are not part of God’s elect children (Ephesians 1:4) through faith in Christ cannot possible be part of God’s chosen people. The New Covenant renders all men equal (Acts 10:34) who desperately need forgiveness and to be reborn. Through faith in Christ, the elect from both the descendants of Abraham and the Gentiles, who compose the church, become children of God in Christ. The LXX says that God took hold of this “seed” or descendant of Abraham. We know from Galatians 3:16 that the seed is Christ, the elect child of God sent to ransom Israel and the whole world. (John 3:16) The reference to the seed being “taken hold of from the ends of the earth,” is probably a reference to the church, which consists of people from all over the earth who have responded to the gospel and are now “in Christ.” Abraham, whom the MT identifies as God’s “friend,” is called “the one whom God loved” in the LXX. Interestingly, the Greek verb agapao is used, the same word used in the NT for the “agape” love of God. The LXX anticipates the love God shows to his children in the New Covenant. The MT, in verse 10, has God saying to his child, “Do not anxiously look about you,” but the LXX says, “do not be misled.” The Greek verb planao is used, which means to deceive or mislead. The same word from which the word “planets” is derived. The last point is that the MT frequently changes verb tenses to make promises appear to pertain to future Israel when the LXX uses the past tense to refer to Christ, the church, or some past fulfilled promise. For example, compare the tenses in verse 10. Jewish and Christian Zionists have attempted to take for Israel what belongs to Christ alone. |
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11 “Behold, all those who are angered at you will be shamed and dishonored; Those who contend with you will be as nothing and will perish. 12 “You will seek those who quarrel with you, but will not find them, Those who war with you will be as nothing and non-existent. Isaiah 41:11–12 (NASB95) |
11 Look! All who oppose you will be dishonored and feel shame, for they will be as though they did not exist, and all your adversaries will be destroyed. 12 You will seek them, and you will not find the people who rage against you, for they will be as though they did not exist, and those who wage war against you will be no more. Isaiah 41:11–12 (LES2) |
The LXX adds in verse 11, all your adversaries will be destroyed. If the previous verses pertain to Christ, as I believe is the case, based on my previous comments and John 5:39, then this prophecy was fulfilled in 70 AD, when Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed, just as Jesus predicted, which ended the Jewish occupation of the land and ended the sacrificial system, leading to the rise of modern rabbinical Judaism, a blend of Babylon and the Torah, in which the Babylonian Talmud is more highly esteemed than the scriptures. Modern Judaism is not the same thing as what was practiced by the Israelites who remained faithful to God in the Old Testament. |
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13 “For I am the LORD your God, who upholds your right hand, Who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.’ 14 “Do not fear, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel; I will help you,” declares the LORD, “and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 41:13–14 (NASB95) |
13 For I am your God, who holds your right hand, who says to you, “Do not be afraid, 14 O Jacob, small Israel.” “I have helped you,” says God, the one who ransoms Israel. Isaiah 41:13–14 (LES2) |
The MT adds, “I will help you,” in verse 13. The MT calls Jacob a “worm,” but the LXX calls him “small.” The MT adds, “you men of Israel; I will help you.” I believe this was done in an effort to make the prophecy appear to pertain to the future nation of Israel rather than to Christ. Remember: the MT was composed centuries after the Jews had been expelled from the land. This possible deception is strengthened by changing the verbs to future tense, instead of using the past tense as does the LXX. The MT uses “Holy One of Israel,” a direct reference to the God of the Old Testament; whereas, the LXX uses simply says, “God, who ransoms Israel.” The New Covenant clearly identifies Jesus as the One who paid the ransom, his own blood. (1 Peter 1:18-19) |
| I challenge you to read the “gospel according to Isaiah” in both the MT and the LXX. I think you will be as surprised and saddened as I have been regarding the wholesale changes to the text. | ||
Conclusion
If you want to know more about why Christians should prefer the Septuagint to the MT, click on this link.The Eastern Orthodox Church had the wisdom to retain the LXX for its Old Testament scriptures. As for me, I now rely on the Septuagint. It was Paul’s standard for Old Covenant truth and is quoted in the New Testament. That makes it good enough for me.
