5 “Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. 6 In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS Jeremiah 23:5–6 (NKJV) 

5 “Look, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “and I will raise up a righteous rising [Greek – anatole] for David, and a king will reign and understand and perform justice and righteousness in the land. 6 In his days both Judah will be delivered, and Israel will encamp confidently, and this is his name, which the Lord will call him: “Jozadak.” Jeremiah 23:5–6 (LES2) 

Here is a perfect example of why I have an issue with the Masoretic Text. The passage in this instance is a much beloved Scripture, but it is not the true word of God. The Masoretes, in their effort to remove a passage that clearly refers to Jesus have given us something that sounds good and is often quoted by Christians as referring to Jesus, but is not what was written in the ancient Septuagint that the early church used to prove Christ is the Messiah.

In verse 5, the MT says, “I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness.” Who could have a problem with that, except it is not what God said. The LXX records Jeremiah saying, “I will raise up a righteous rising [Greek – anatole] for David.” This Greek word for rising is used to describe the sun rising in the east, and we shall see that it is is a clear foreshadowing of Christ’s resurrection. (John 5:39, Luke 24:25-27) Jesus is the the king who fulfilled the rest of the prophecy in verse 5.

The next huge difference is the name by which Jeremiah says this coming king will be called. The MT says, “The Lord our righteousness.” This agrees with Paul’s words about Jesus.

30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—31 that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.” 1 Corinthians 1:30–31 (NKJV)

So my issue with the MT is not that it contradicts the New Testament, but that it is not what God spoke through Jeremiah. The LXX calls his name, “Jozadak,” a name is not nearly as inspiring until we discover its significance. 

Jeremiah prophesied about a future high priest named Jozadak, who would have a son named Joshua (Jesus in Greek). Here is what Zechariah prophesied about him.

11 And you will take silver and gold, and you will make crowns and place them upon the head of the great priest Joshua, the son of Jehozadak. 12 And you will say to him, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Behold, a man; Anatole is his name, and from beneath him he will rise up and build the house of the Lord. 13 And he will receive virtue, and he will sit and rule upon his throne... ” Zechariah 6:11–13a (LES2)

Notice that Jozadak (Jehozadak) will have a son named Jesus who will be crowned and rule upon his throne. Also, notice in verse 12 the mention of the word “Anatole” as another name for him, which cross references to Jeremiah 23:5, where he said that God would raise up a righteous Anatole for David! I do not think it would be going too far to translate “Anatole” as Risen One. This one rises from “beneath,” which we know is a reference to the lower parts of the earth. (Ephesians 4:9)

If we compare the MT version of Zechariah 6:11-13, we will see that the Masoretes were careful to change Zechariah to match Jeremiah.

11 Take the silver and gold, make an elaborate crown, and set it on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. 12 Then speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, saying: “Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, And He shall build the temple of the LORD; 13 Yes, He shall build the temple of the LORD. He shall bear the glory, And shall sit and rule on His throne; So He shall be a priest on His throne, And the counsel of peace shall be between them both.” ’ Zechariah 6:11–13 (NKJV)

Instead of calling him the Risen One, Anatole, who rises up, he is called the branch who branches out.

Can you understand why I have very little love for the MT, which took an amazing prophecy about Christ and converted it into something that sounds good, but is not accurate? Very clever, like a snake.

15 O LORD, You know; Remember me and visit me, And take vengeance for me on my persecutors. In Your enduring patience, do not take me away. Know that for Your sake I have suffered rebuke. 16 Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts. Jeremiah 15:15–16 (NKJV) 

15 O Lord, remember me and visit me, and hold me guiltless before those who pursue me, not for forbearance. Know how I received reproach concerning you 16 by those who reject your words. Make an end of them, and your word shall be to me as cheer and delight to my heart, because your name has been invoked upon me, O Lord Almighty. Jeremiah 15:15–16 (LES2) 

The MT has Jeremiah asking God to take vengeance on his persecutors, but the LXX asks God to “hold me guiltless,” but without bearing long with his enemies. The MT applies God’s long-suffering to Jeremiah.

The MT says that Jeremiah suffered rebuke for God’s sake, but the LXX says that Jeremiah suffered reproach from those who rejected God’s words. The MT then says the famous line, “Your words were found, and i ate them,” which I have sung to God. How sad for me that they appear to be contrived by the translators of the MT. The LXX says, “Make an end of them,” meaning those who reject God’s words. 

The MT and LXX agree in the next section, except that the MT calls God the Lord of hosts, while the LXX says he is Lord Almighty.

17 I did not sit in the assembly of the mockers, Nor did I rejoice; I sat alone because of Your hand, For You have filled me with indignation. 18 Why is my pain perpetual And my wound incurable, Which refuses to be healed? Will You surely be to me like an unreliable stream, As waters that fail? Jeremiah 15:17–18 (NKJV) 

17 I did not sit in the assembly of those who mock, but I was reverent at the face of your hand. I was seated by myself because I was filled with bitterness. 18 Why do those who grieve me prevail over me? My wound is severe. How will I be healed? When it came, it came to me like false water without faith. Jeremiah 15:17–18 (LES2) 

19 Therefore thus says the LORD: “If you return, Then I will bring you back; You shall stand before Me; If you take out the precious from the vile, You shall be as My mouth. Let them return to you, But you must not return to them. 20 And I will make you to this people a fortified bronze wall; And they will fight against you, But they shall not prevail against you; For I am with you to save you And deliver you,” says the LORD. 21 “I will deliver you from the hand of the wicked, And I will redeem you from the grip of the terrible.” Jeremiah 15:19–21 (NKJV) 

19 Because of this, thus says the Lord: “If you return, then I will restore you, and you will stand before my face. And if you bring out what is valued from the worthy, you will serve as my mouth. And they will turn to you, and you will not turn to them. 20 And I will give you to this people as a fortified bronze wall, and they will fight against you, and they shall not prevail against you; for I am with you to save you 21 and to deliver you from the hand of evildoers, and to redeem you from the hand of the plague.” Jeremiah 15:19–21 (LES2) 

This passage is God’s response to a disconsolate Jeremiah, which sounds very much like what Jesus told Peter before his betrayal. 

31 And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” Luke 22:31–32 (NKJV) 

Apparently Jeremiah was not in a good place and needed to repent and be restored to his prophetic ministry. Bitterness can knock us off track with God. 

The MT has God instructing Jeremiah to separate the precious from the vile, but the LXX tells him to bring what is precious out of what is merely worthy. This reminds me of the old saying that the enemy of what is best is what is merely good. In order to be God’s spokesperson, we need to give ourselves to God’s best and not be satisfied with anything less. 

God forbade Jeremiah from surrendering his calling in order to have peace, promising to preserve him from everyone who wished to persecute and destroy him. I believe God wants to encourage us all in this regard.

11 Thus you shall say to them: “The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens.” 12 He has made the earth by His power, He has established the world by His wisdom, And has stretched out the heavens at His discretion. 13 When He utters His voice, There is a multitude of waters in the heavens: “And He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, He brings the wind out of His treasuries.” Jeremiah 10:11–13 (NKJV) 

11 This is what you will say to them, “Let gods who have not made the sky and the land be destroyed from the land and from beneath this sky. 12 It is the Lord who made the earth with his power, who set up the inhabited world with his wisdom. And he has stretched out the sky with his insight, 13 and a quantity of water was in the sky, and he brought up clouds from the end of the earth. He turned lightning into rain and brought light out from his treasuries. Jeremiah 10:11–13 (LES2) 

14 Everyone is dull-hearted, without knowledge; Every metalsmith is put to shame by an image; For his molded image is falsehood, And there is no breath in them. 15 They are futile, a work of errors; In the time of their punishment they shall perish. Jeremiah 10:14–15 (NKJV) 

14 Every person was foolish, without knowledge; every goldsmith was put to shame with respect to his carved images, because he cast false things; there is no breath in them. 15 They are worthless, works of mockery. At the time of their visitation, they will be utterly destroyed. Jeremiah 10:14–15 (LES2) 

16 The Portion of Jacob is not like them, For He is the Maker of all things, And Israel is the tribe of His inheritance; The LORD of hosts is His name. Jeremiah 10:16 (NKJV) 

16 Such is not the portion [meris] of Jacob, because he who formed all things, he is his inheritance; the Lord is his name.” Jeremiah 10:16 (LES2) 

Here is where it gets interesting or infuriating, depending how you view it. I have already established that I am convinced the MT was produced to counter the claims of Christianity. It deliberately hides or omits clear references to Christ that the church used to prove Jesus is the Messiah. By altering these texts, the MT seeks to eliminate the church from using them and to cast doubt on the trustworthiness of the LXX. It also attempts to elevate Israel, usurping what belongs to Christ. 

In this passage, it is apparent that the translators of the MT altered the text to make it look like what really points to Jesus points to Israel, a favorite tactic.

The MT says, “The portion of Jacob is not like them.” The LXX words it, “Such is not the portion of Jacob.” The Greek word for “portion” is meris, the same word used in Psalm 16:5, which shows us how to interpret this. 

5 The Lord is the portion [meris] of my inheritance and of my cup. You are the one who restores my inheritance to me. Psalm 15:5 (LES2) 

The Lord Jesus is Jacob’s portion (John 5:39), not destruction. Of course, this only applies to those who put their faith in Jesus.

The MT says that “Israel is the tribe of his inheritance.” The LXX, however, says that “he is his inheritance,” referring to the Creator of all things, who we already established is Jesus [John 1:3].

The New Testament specifically calls Jesus the heir of all things (Hebrews 1:2) and names the church as Christ’s inheritance (Ephesians 1:18). Whatever the church possesses, it has because of being one with Christ, similar to how a bride comes into possession of all her husband owns. In this sense, Christ is both heir and the inheritance. Christ will turn over everything to his Heavenly Father (1 Corinthians 15:28), who by that act will inherit the church because it is in his Son. As I see it, this will make Jesus part of the Father’s inheritance. We who believe have nothing that is outside of Christ. (Ephesians 1:3)

Next, the MT calls this one the “Lord of hosts,” but the LXX simply calls him “Lord,” a title firmly associated with Jesus. 

23 Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; 24 But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the LORD. Jeremiah 9:23–24 (NKJV) 

23 Thus says the Lord: “Let the wise not boast in his wisdom, and let the strong not boast in his strength, and let the wealthy not boast in his riches. 24 Rather let the one who boasts boast in this: that he understands and knows that I am the Lord, the one who deals in mercy and judgment and righteousness upon the earth. For my will is in this,” says the Lord. Jeremiah 9:23–24 (LES2) 

This passage is paraphrased by Paul.

31 that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.” 1 Corinthians 1:31 (NKJV) 

Interestingly, Paul says the same thing in another verse in Galatians, where he connects it to circumcision.

14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. Galatians 6:14–15 (NKJV) 

The Jews boasted in circumcision being the sign of their special relationship with God, but both Jeremiah and Paul negate this claim.

25 “Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “that I will punish all who are circumcised with the uncircumcised—26 Egypt, Judah, Edom, the people of Ammon, Moab, and all who are in the farthest corners, who dwell in the wilderness. For all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.” Jeremiah 9:25–26 (NKJV) 

25 “Look! The day is coming,” says the Lord, “and I will visit upon all the circumcised their foreskins, 26 upon Egypt and upon Idumea and upon Edom and upon the sons of Ammon and upon the sons of Moab and upon everyone who shaves the things along his face, those who dwell in the desert, because every nation is uncircumcised in flesh, and the whole house of Israel is uncircumcised in their heart.” Jeremiah 9:25–26 (LES2) 

The central point in both the MT and LXX is that disobedient and unbelieving Israel is no different from the Gentiles because God looks at the heart, not upon outward things like circumcision. This is why Paul wrote what he did in the quote from Galatians above. In Romans, Paul stated it even more clearly.

25 For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? 27 And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law? 28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God. Romans 2:25–29 (NKJV) 

As we study the prophets, we see from where Paul derived his doctrine. In God’s eyes, circumcision is simply an outward sign that was meant to accompany an inward reality.

9 Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised. Romans 4:9–12 (NKJV) 

The inward reality is what really matters to God, whether or not accompanied by outward circumcision. Confessing that Jesus is Lord reveals whether there is a circumcision of the heart that produces a new creation – the born-again person. This applies to all people, both Jew and Gentile, which is the glorious reality of the New Covenant.