The Passion, The Message, The Book of Mormon?
Dive into the fascinating world of biblical texts where the Scriptures quoted by Jesus and the apostles come to life. Discover how the ancient Greek Septuagint (LXX) and the Hebrew Masoretic Text (MT) have molded Christian beliefs and interpretation.
The Septuagint and the New Testament
The Septuagint (LXX) is one of the oldest and most influential biblical translations, serving as the Scripture of choice for early Greek-speaking Jews and early Christians. Quoted extensively in the New Testament—around 300 times—this Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures was the most widely used version of the Old Testament during the time of Jesus and the apostles. The New Testament writers often relied on the Septuagint because it was the text familiar to their audience. This translation made the Jewish faith accessible to the Hellenistic world and paved the way for the spread of Christianity.
In contrast, the Hebrew Masoretic Text (MT), which is foundational to Jewish tradition today, was referenced far less frequently in the New Testament, with only around 33 quotes or references. This disparity highlights the significance of the Septuagint’s widespread use during the formative years of the Christian church.
The Masoretic Text: A Later Development
The Masoretic Text, finalized between the 6th and 10th centuries CE, was the result of painstaking efforts by Jewish scribes known as the Masoretes. These scholars, based in Tiberias and Babylon, worked to preserve the Hebrew text by standardizing it and adding vowel markings and cantillation notes for correct pronunciation. While earlier versions of the Hebrew Bible existed, the work of the Masoretes ensured that the Hebrew Scriptures were preserved in their most authoritative form, as recognized in modern Jewish tradition.
The Masoretic Text represents a much later stage in the history of the Hebrew Scriptures, far removed from the time of Jesus and the apostles. Its finalization came centuries after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, an event that significantly altered the course of Jewish history and theology. While it’s clear that the Pharisees and Sadducees had an influence on early Jewish thought, they were not directly involved in the assembly of the Masoretic Text. Instead, their debates and differing interpretations shaped earlier textual traditions, which later influenced the development of the MT.
The Relationship Between the Masoretic Text and Christianity
One of the most debated aspects of the Masoretic Text’s development is the possibility that Jewish scribes might have intentionally downplayed or removed references to Jesus as the Messiah. After the destruction of the Second Temple and the rise of Christianity, Jewish leaders may have sought to distance their faith from Christian teachings, which often interpreted certain Old Testament prophecies as foreshadowing Jesus. The Masoretes’ work, however, was primarily focused on preserving the text they inherited, not altering it to reflect a theological stance.
While the Masoretes did not intentionally remove Messianic prophecies, the differences between the Septuagint and the Masoretic Text show how early Christians and Jews understood the Scriptures differently. For example, the Septuagint includes books like the Wisdom of Solomon and 1 Maccabees, which are absent from the Masoretic Text and were often quoted by early Christians. The exclusion of these books, along with the Messianic passages in the LXX, reflects the early divide between Judaism and Christianity.
The Age of the Septuagint vs. the Masoretic Text
One of the most crucial points of understanding these two textual traditions is their relative age. The Septuagint is over 1,000 years older than the finalized Masoretic Text. Translated in the 3rd to 2nd centuries BCE in Alexandria, Egypt, the Septuagint was created to make the Hebrew Scriptures accessible to the Greek-speaking Jewish diaspora. It predates Christianity and was the Bible of choice for early Christians, who viewed its phrasing as evidence of the coming Messiah.
The Masoretic Text, on the other hand, was not finalized until the 6th to 10th centuries CE, representing a post-Temple Jewish perspective shaped by centuries of theological development. By this time, Christianity had already become a separate faith, and debates over Messianic prophecies were at the forefront of Jewish-Christian relations.
The Miracle of the Septuagint
The creation of the Septuagint is often regarded as a miraculous event, as it was a feat of both scholarly rigor and divine providence. According to the Letter of Aristeas, King Ptolemy II Philadelphus of Egypt sought to complete his famous library by including the Jewish Scriptures in Greek. He called upon 72 Jewish elders to translate the Torah into Greek, and when their work was compared, every word was identical—down to the smallest detail. This alignment was viewed by the scholars as a divine sign, confirming that God had guided the translation.
This translation of the Torah, which later expanded to include the rest of the Old Testament, became the version of Scripture most widely used by Jews and early Christians in the Hellenistic world. The Septuagint was more than just a translation—it became a bridge between cultures, bringing the Jewish faith to the Greek-speaking world and setting the stage for the early Christian church to spread its message across the Roman Empire.
The Modern 66-Book Bible:
The modern 66-book Bible, as we know it today, wasn’t even printed until the early 1800s—a mere two centuries ago. In fact, it wasn’t until 1804 when the first widely distributed printed Bible featuring the full 66 books of the Protestant canon became available. This was the same period when significant historical events, like the Louisiana Purchase and the beginning of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, were unfolding.
Consider this: at the same time the United States was expanding its borders westward, the Bible we now take for granted was still a relatively recent development. The Louisiana Purchase in 1803, which doubled the size of the nation, was a momentous event in American history, yet the Bible we hold today was only just beginning to be printed and widely distributed around that time.
So, how can we trust the Bible in its modern form as being the “correct” version of God’s word, when its final printed form, containing exactly 66 books, came about during such a modern era—just over two hundred years ago? The very fact that the Bible wasn’t fully printed until this relatively recent historical moment raises important questions about its authenticity, preservation, and the accuracy of its contents over the millennia.
The Codex Sinaiticus and the Scriptures of Jesus
The Codex Sinaiticus, one of the oldest complete manuscripts of the Bible, offers insight into the Scriptures available to the early church. This manuscript includes much of the Old and New Testaments, with a particular focus on the Septuagint. In addition to the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments, the Codex Sinaiticus contains books that were later excluded from the Protestant canon, such as the Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach, and Baruch.
The inclusion of these books in the Codex Sinaiticus reveals that, during the time of Jesus and the apostles, there was no formal distinction between canonical and non-canonical texts. Early Christians did not view books like Tobit, Judith, and Wisdom of Solomon as separate from the Scriptures; they were all part of the sacred text used by the early church.
Bible Translations Tailored to Belief Systems
Throughout history, various Bible translations have been created to reflect particular doctrinal beliefs or theological agendas. Some notable examples include:
- New World Translation (Jehovah’s Witnesses) – This translation alters key doctrines such as the nature of Christ, denying His divinity.
- Book of Mormon (Mormonism) – While not a translation of the Bible, it reworks Scripture to align with Mormon theology.
- The Inclusive Bible – This translation uses gender-neutral language to reflect a more modern, egalitarian view, including changes to the definition of Homosexuality.
- The Passion Translation – A controversial translation that critics argue introduces theological biases to align with the beliefs of the Word of Faith movement.
- The Tree of Life Version (TLV) – A controversial translation that combines Jewish tradition with evangelical Christian beliefs. It redefines and alters Scripture for theological reasons, for Torah-observant Christians.
Conclusion: Returning to the Scriptures Jesus Used
In light of the rich history of Scripture and the translations that have shaped Christian theology, one must ask: What authority do we, as humans, have to overrule the texts that Jesus Himself quoted from? If we claim to follow sola scriptura, how can we justify using different texts than the ones Jesus Himself relied upon?
The Scriptures that Jesus and the apostles used—the Septuagint—are crucial to understanding the roots of our faith. In a world where Bible translations are tailored to suit various belief systems, it’s important to remember that the Scriptures should not be altered to fit our preferences. The texts that Jesus quoted from—the Septuagint—are the ones that should guide our understanding, as they were divinely inspired and serve as the foundation of Christian faith.
As Christians, we must be cautious about the direction of modern translations and the temptation to modify the text to align with contemporary agendas. The Scriptures that Jesus used were not fragmented or tailored to fit a particular theology—they were a unified expression of God’s word to His people, then and now.
Further Reading
Here’s a short list of Bibles that closely align with the texts found in the Septuagint (LXX), including a link to the digital version of Codex Sinaiticus:
- Codex Sinaiticus: One of the oldest complete Bibles, featuring a version of the Septuagint for the Old Testament and the Greek New Testament. View Codex Sinaiticus
- Codex Vaticanus: Another ancient manuscript with a Greek Old Testament closely related to the LXX. Though it’s not fully digitized online like Sinaiticus, it’s well-known for its LXX content.
- Codex Alexandrinus: Contains a near-complete Greek Old Testament, including the deuterocanonical books, similar to the LXX. While not as comprehensive as Sinaiticus online, parts are accessible.
- Ancient Church Study Bible: An English translation based on the LXX for the Old Testament, offering a modern way to engage with these ancient texts.
- Brenton’s English Septuagint: A translation of the LXX which is quite faithful to the original Greek texts, including apocryphal books.
- Lexham English Septuagint: Another modern English translation of the LXX, focusing on readability while maintaining the essence of the Greek.
This list focuses on those versions that are closely tied to the LXX, either through direct translation or by being significant manuscripts of the Greek Old Testament. Remember, the Codex Sinaiticus is available for free digital viewing at the provided link, giving you direct access to one of the oldest Bibles in existence.
NOTE: Only one Church’s bible is included. That was not planned; it is the only church’s bible that closely resembles the text Jesus quoted from.
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