I hope you will journey with me in rediscovering the beauty of God’s Word in the Septuagint (LXX). In 285 BC, the LXX was translated from paleo-Hebrew by 70 Jewish translators into Greek, the language of most of the civilized world at that time. Due to its pre-Christ and pre-fall of Jerusalem date, the LXX cannot be accused of being influenced by any underlying animosity toward Christ or Christianity or desire to elevate Judaism’s claim to God’s blessings or the promised land. Most Christians believe the Masoretic Text (MT), upon which our English Old Testament is based, is written in the original Hebrew, but it too is a translation from the ancient and by then dead paleo-Hebrew Phoenician pictograph script into the modern Hebrew block script derived from Aramaic. The Masoretes completed it between 600 t0 1000 AD, by which time the Jews had become hostile to the Christian message, which shows up in various omissions, changes, and obfuscations of verses and passages that clearly point to Christ in the LXX.
Jesus taught us that all scripture points to him (John 5:39). As a rule, the Septuagint more clearly points to Jesus than does the MT.
In the West, Christians have not questioned the MT since Jerome chose it as the basis for his Latin Vulgate Old Testament. The Eastern Orthodox Church, to their credit, never deviated from the Septuagint, preserving it for later generations to rediscover. Because of the power of tradition, it is quite difficult for many of us in the West to think of the LXX as being more trustworthy than the MT, but I have found that a side-by-side comparison indicates otherwise.
In this series of articles, I have undertaken to illustrate the similarities and differences between the MT and LXX by examining various passages. Below is another example. The Septuagint version I am using is the Lexham English Septuagint 2nd Edition. It is available in print or digitally through Logos Bible Software. Occasionally I reference Brenton’s translation, which is a good one, but the English is somewhat dated.
| Masoretic Text | Septuagint | Significance |
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1 “I was sought by those who did not ask for Me; I was found by those who did not seek Me. I said, ‘Here I am, here I am,’ To a nation that was not called by My name. Isaiah 65:1 (NKJV) |
1 “I became evident [emphanes] to those who did not consult [eperotao] me; I was found [heurisko] by those who did not seek [zeteo] me. I said, ‘Look! Here I am,’ to a people [nation – ethnos] who have not called upon my name. Isaiah 65:1 (LES2) |
The subtle differences between the MT and LXX often hide God’s grace in the New Covenant. The MT says God was “sought” by people who did not ask for him, which is a contradictory statement. The LXX says that God made himself manifest to those who did not inquire, consult, or ask for him. God revealed and reveals himself to those who were or are not actively seeking him or perhaps did or do not know who he is. This seems to fit with one of Jesus’ parables, when he said that after the ones first invited to the feast (the Jews) refused to come, he instructed his servant… 23 … ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. Luke 14:23 (NKJV) We cannot know God until he reveals himself to us. (Matthew 16:17) Jesus made it clear that unless the Spirit of God draws us, we cannot come to him. (John 6:44) The Son of God himself can stand in front of a person whose heart is hard and closed to God, and he will not understand who he is or heed his words. But when God reveals himself, as he did to Peter and to countless thousands of others, our hearts will see and we will respond by properly revering and worshiping the Lord. This people or nation who had not previously called upon God’s name can be no other than the Gentiles. Paul confirms this in Romans Chapter 10, a passage in which he explains that God has included the Gentiles in God’s kingdom. (Romans 10:12) Then he goes on to quote Isaiah 65:1. 20 But Isaiah is very bold and says: “I was found [heurisko] by those who did not seek [zeteo] Me; I was made manifest [emphanes] to those who did not ask [eperotao] for Me.” Romans 10:20 (NKJV) No doubt, he recited this from memory. His quote agrees with the Greek in the LXX, except he switched the order of the phrases. Paul personally experienced God’s mercy in this way when Jesus dramatically revealed himself to him as he was on the way to persecute believers in Damascus. God still reveals himself to people who are not seeking him. This is currently happening on a large scale in Muslim countries through dreams and visions. |
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2 I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, Who walk in a way that is not good, According to their own thoughts; 3 A people who provoke Me to anger continually to My face; Who sacrifice in gardens, And burn incense on altars of brick; 4 Who sit among the graves, And spend the night in the tombs; Who eat swine’s flesh, And the broth of abominable things is in their vessels; 5 Who say, ‘Keep to yourself, Do not come near me, For I am holier than you!’ These are smoke in My nostrils, A fire that burns all the day. 6 “Behold, it is written before Me: I will not keep silence, but will repay— Even repay into their bosom— 7 Your iniquities and the iniquities of your fathers together,” Says the LORD, “Who have burned incense on the mountains And blasphemed Me on the hills; Therefore I will measure their former work into their bosom.” Isaiah 65:2–7 (NKJV) |
2 I stretched out my hands all day to a people who resisted [apeitheo] and opposed [antilego] , to those who walked in a way that was not good but followed after their sins. 3 This people who provokes me is before me always; they sacrifice in their gardens and burn incense on their bricks to demons that do not exist; 4 among their graves and in caves they who eat swine meat and the broth of sacrifices sleep for the sake of dreams; all their vessels are defiled, 5 they who say, ‘Depart far from me, do not approach me for I am clean.’ This is the smoke of my wrath; fire burns in it all the day. 6 Look! It is written before me, ‘I will not keep silent, until I pay back into their bosom 7 their sins and the sins of their fathers,’ ” says the Lord. “They burn incense upon the mountains, and they taunt me upon the hills. I will pay back their deeds to their bosom.” Isaiah 65:2–7 (LES2) |
This section applies to the nation of Israel, those who are not part of God’s elect. The MT calls them a “rebellious people,” but the LXX is more specific, calling them “a people who resisted and opposed” God. Stephen used the same sort of language in his final sermon before the Jews stoned him to death. 51 “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. Acts 7:51 (NKJV) Paul quoted this verse in Romans chapter 10. 21 But to Israel he says: “All day long I have stretched out My hands To a disobedient [apeitheo] and contrary [antilego] people.” Romans 10:21 (NKJV) The Greeks words match those in Isaiah, showing that he used the LXX as his source and understood this passage to apply to unrepentant Israel. The MT says Israel followed after her “thoughts.” The LXX say, “sins.” The LXX says that the sacrifices they made upon bricks were to demons (who did not exist). We know from other places that demons are real; so, this passage must be a reference to demons portraying themselves as gods, which are not really gods at all. This seems to be Paul’s line of thinking in other places were he addresses the subject. (Galatians 4:8, 1 Corinthians 10:21) People who bow down to idols are surrendering to evil spirits who are not by nature gods at all, but who do oppress people in all sorts of ways. This is another example of how the devil deceives people into serving him. The rest of this passage lays out the reasons for God’s judgement of the Jews who rejected him and his Son, Jesus the Messiah. All who reject the magnificently gracious offer in the gospel, both Jew and Gentile, judge themselves unworthy of eternal life and worthy of God’s judgment. (Acts 13:46) |
Conclusion
If you want to know more about why Christians should prefer the Septuagint to the MT, click on this link. In another article, I share some of the things I have so far learned by making this comparison. As for me, I now prefer the LXX. It was Paul’s and the other apostles’ standard for Old Covenant truth, was used by synagogues in Jesus’s day, and is most often quoted in the New Testament. That makes it good enough for me.
