martin hengel the septuagint as christian scripture

8/17/2019 Martin Hengel the Septuagint as Christian Scripture

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T H E S E P T U A G I N T

A S C H R I S T IA N S C R I P T U R E


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THE SEPTUAGINT

AS CH RISTIAN SCRIPTURE

Its Prehistory and the Problem of Its Canon

Martin Hengel

with the assistance of R o l a n d D e i n e s

Introduction

by

R o b e r t H a n h a r t

Translated by

M a r k E . B i d d l e

T & T C L A R K

E D I N B U R G H N E W Y O R K


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T & T C L A R K L T D

5 9 G e o r g e S t r e e t

E d i n b u r g h E H 2 2 L Q

S c o t l a n d

w w w . t a n d t c l a r k . c o . u k

A Continuum imprint

3 7 0 L e x i n g t o n A v e n u e

N e w Y o r k 1 0 0 1 7 - 6 5 0 3

U S A

w w w . c o n t i n u u m b o o k s . c o m

C o p y r i g h t © T & T C l a r k L t d , 2 0 0 2

A l l r i g h t s r e s e r v e d . N o p a rt o f t h i s p u b l i c a t i o n m a y b e r e p r o d u c e d ,

s t o r e d i n a r e t r i e v a l s y s t e m , or t r a n s m i t t e d , i n a n y f o r m o r b y a n y m e a n s ,

e l e c t r o n i c , m e c h a n i c a l , p h o t o c o p y i n g , r e c o r d i n g or o t h e r w i s e ,

w i t h o u t t h e p r i o r p e r m i s s i o n o f T & T C l a r k L t d .

F i r st p u b l i s h e d 2 0 0 2

I S B N 0 5 6 7 0 8 7 3 7 9

B r i t is h L i b r ar y C a t a l o g u i n g - i n - P u b l i c a t i o n D a t a

A c a t a l o g u e r e c o r d fo r t h i s b o o k i s a v a i l a b l e f r o m t h e B r i t i s h L i b r a r y

T y p e s e t b y W a v e r l e y T y p e s e t t e r s , G a l a s h i e l s

P r i n t e d a n d b o u n d in G r e a t B r it a i n b y M P G B o o k s L t d , B o d m i n , C o r n w a l l

http://www.continuumbooks.com/http://www.tandtclark.co.uk/


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In honour of my colleague

Luise Abramowski


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C O N T E N T S

P r e f a c e x i

S e l e c t B i b l i o g r a p h y x v

I n t r o d u c t i o n : P r o b l e m s i n t h e H i s t o r y o f t h e L X X T e x t f r o m

I ts B e g i n n i n g s t o O r i g e n 1

b y R o b e r t H a n h a r t

I . A D i f f i c u l t S u b j e c t 19

I I . T h e L X X a s a C o l l e c t i o n o f W r i t i n g s C l a i m e d b y

C h r i s t i a n s

2 5

1. T h e T r a n s l a t i o n L e g e n d in J u d a i s m a n d t h e N u m b e r

o f t h e T r a n s l a t o r s 2 5

2 .

J u s t i n 2 6

(a) The Legend in the

A p o l o g y

and

D i a l o g u e 2 6

(b) Justin's Old Testament Library' 2 8

(c) The Dispute about the Translation of Isaiah 7:14 2 9

(d) The Appeal to the Seventy and the Charge of

Falsifying Scripture

3 1

(e) The 'Generous' Treatment of Minor V ariants

3 3

if) Justin's App eal to the Seven ty in his Discussion

with Jews in Rom e 3 4

3 . T h e S e v e n t y in L a t e r ' D i a l o g u e s ' 3 5

4 . T h e T r a n s l a t i o n L e g e n d i n t h e E a r l y F a t h e r s a f te r J u s t i n 3 6

(a) Persistent Problems

3 6

(b) Pseudo-Justin's

C o h o r t a t i o a d G r a e c o s 3 7

(c) Irenaeus

3 8

(d) Clement and Tertullian

4 0

(e) Summary 4 0

5 . T h e F o r m o f t h e C h r i s t i a n L X X 4 1

6 . T h e J e w i s h R e a c t i o n 4 3

7 . T h e Q u e s t i o n o f t h e H e b r e w O r i g i n a l s ' 4 7

8 . A u g u s t i n e ' s A t t e m p t a t C o m p r o m i s e 5 1

9 . T h e P r o b l e m o f t h e

Book of Enoch

5 4


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I I I .

T h e L a t e r C o n s o l i d a t i o n o f t h e C h r i s t i a n ' S e p t u a g i n t

C a n o n '

5 7

1. T h e F ir s t C o d i c e s : T h e W r i t i n g s C o n t a i n e d in T h e m

a n d T h e i r O r d e r 5 7

2 . T h e E a r l i e s t C a n o n L i s t s 6 0

3 .

T h e ' S e c o n d C l a s s ' C h a r a c t e r o f t h e W r i t i n g s N o t

C o n t a i n e d in t h e ' H e b r e w C a n o n ' 6 6

4 . T h e R e j e c t i o n o f A u t h e n t i c ' A p o c r y p h a ' 7 0

I V . T h e O r i g i n o f t h e J e w i s h L X X

7 5

1. T h e T r a n s l a t i o n o f t h e T o r a h a n d I ts E n d u r i n g

S i g n i f i c a n c e 7 5

2 . T h e T r a n s l a t i o n o f O t h e r W r i t i n g s 8 0

(a) Dependen ce on Palestinian Judaism 8 0

(b) The Translation and Origin of Individual

Writings

8 3

(c) The Writings Not Found in the 'Hebrew Canon' 9 1

3 . T h e C a n o n i n t h e J e w i s h D i a s p o r a 9 6

(a) The Prologue of Jesus ben Sirach 9 6

(b) Philo 's

T h e r a p e u t a e 9 8

(c) Josephus: A p :37^3 9 9

V . T h e O r i g i n o f t h e ' C h r i s t i a n S e p t u a g i n t ' a n d I ts

A d d i t i o n a l W r i t i n g s 105

1. E a r l y C h r i s t i a n i t y 1 0 5

2 . T h e P r o b l e m o f t h e I n c l u s i o n of t h e W r i t i n g s N o t

C o n t a i n e d i n t h e ' H e b r e w C a n o n ' 1 1 2

(a) Writings Outside the 'Hebrew Canon' 113

(b) Independent Docum ents outside the 'Hebrew

Canon' 114

(c) The Dissemination and Prevalence of These Writings

in the Church 122

I n d e x o f B i b l i c a l a n d E x t r a - B i b l i c a l C i t a t i o n s 1 2 9

I n d e x o f A u t h o r s 1 4 3

I n d e x o f S u b j e c t s 1 4 7


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P R E F A C E

W i t h t h e S e p t u a g i n t , i t i s t h e s a m e a s i n G o e t h e ' s l i n e s :

Poems a r e pa i n t ed w i ndow panes

From the marke t one looks in to the church ,

Where al l i s dark and sombre . . .

A c o n s i d e r a b l e n u m b e r o f t h e o l o g i a n s r e g a r d t h e S e p t u a g i n t a s G o e t h e

v i e w s t h e p o e m s i n ' d e r H e r r P h i l i s t e r ' : t h e y k n o w i t , i f a t a l l , m e r e l y

f r o m t h e o u t s i d e , a n d a r e t h e r e f o r e a b l e t o d o l i t t l e w i t h i t . A t b e s t , i t h a s

a s u b s e r v i e n t f u n c t i o n , f o r e x a m p l e i n a i d i n g t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f t h e

t e x t o f t h e H e b r e w B i b l e , a s p r o o f o f q u o t a t i o n s a n d a l l u s i o n s , a n d a l s o

f or N e w T e s t a m e n t l e x i c o g r a p h y . D u e to t h e o v e r w h e l m i n g o r i e n t a t io n

t o w a r d t h e o r i g i n a l H e b r e w t e x t o f t h e O l d T e s t a m e n t a n d t h e G r e e k t e x t

o f t h e N e w T e s t a m e n t , l a r g e r r e l a t e d p a s s a g e s i n t h e S e p t u a g i n t , l e t

a l o n e o n e o r m o r e b o o k s , a r e s e l d o m r e a d w i t h t h e a i m o f a s c e r t a i n

i n g t h e i r s t y l e , t r a n s l a t i o n t e c h n i q u e a n d h i s t o r i c a l l o c u s . R a t h e r , t h e

S e p t u a g i n t is u s e d a s a r e f e r e n c e w o r k f o r i n d i v i d u a l v e r s e s a n d s e c t i o n s .

T h i s v i e w ' f r o m t h e m a r k e t i n t o t h e c h u r c h ' w h e r e ' a l l [ s e e m s ] d a r k a n d

s o m b r e ' d i s t o r t s o u r u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f i t s i n t r i n s i c h i s t o r i c a l a n d t h e o

l o g i c a l v a l u e . T h e S e p t u a g i n t i s n o t o n l y a u n i q u e l i n g u i s t i c m o n u m e n t

w i t h o u t a n a l o g y i n t h e G r e e k l i t e r a t u r e o f a n t i q u i t y ( n o o t h e r w o r k o f

t h i s s c a l e w a s t r a n s l a t e d i n t o G r e e k f r o m a f o r e i g n l a n g u a g e ) , b u t i t a l s o

c o n s t i t u t e s t h e f i r s t c o m p l e t e a n d p r e - C h r i s t i a n ' c o m m e n t a r y ' t o t h e

O l d T e s t a m e n t . F o r e v e r y t r a n s l a t i o n i s a n i n t e r p r e t a t i o n , a n d t h e L X X ,

a s t h e f i r s t r e n d e r i n g o f t h e w r i t i n g s o f t h e H e b r e w B i b l e i n t o t h e G r e e k

l i n g u a f r a n c a , i s t h i s i n a n e s p e c i a l w a y . I t w a s b o t h t h e b i b l e o f p r i m i t i v e

C h r i s t i a n i t y a n d t h e e a r l y c h u r c h u n t i l w e l l i n t o t h e s e c o n d c e n t u r y , a n d

l a t e r i t w a s t h e ' O l d T e s t a m e n t ' o f t h e G r e e k c h u r c h . A l s o , i t f u n d a

m e n t a l l y f o r m e d t h e t h e o l o g i c a l l a n g u a g e o f o l d e s t C h r i s t i a n i t y a n d ,

m o r e o v e r , a s s i s t e d i n c h a n g i n g a n d l e a v i n g i t s m a r k o n t h e s p i r i t u a l

w o r l d o f l a t e A n t i q u i t y .

T h i s r e l a t i v e n e g l e c t o f t h e S e p t u a g i n t h a s m a n y d i f f e r e n t c a u s e s .

F i r s t o f a l l , s o m e a r e e x t e r n a l , i n t h a t t h e r e i s s t i l l n o h a n d y b i l i n g u a l

H e b r e w - G r e e k v e r s i o n w h i c h w o u l d m a k e c o n s t a n t c o m p a r i s o n p o s s i b l e ,

i n v i t i n g i n t e n s i v e a n d c o n t i n u o u s r e a d i n g . F u r t h e r , t h e e x c e l l e n t

G ö t t i n g e n e d i t i o n i s s t i l l u n f i n i s h e d ( a n d t h e p r i c e v i r t u a l l y p r o h i b i t i v e ) ,

w h i l e R a h l f s ' s w i d e l y d i s s e m i n a t e d e d i t i o n is s c a r c e l y su f f ic i e n t f o r

a c a d e m i c p u r p o s e s b e c a u s e o f i t s t o o n a r r o w t e x t u a l b a s i s , a l l t o o l i m i t e d

c r i t ic a l a p p a r a t u s , a n d , in p a r t i c u l a r , b e c a u s e t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t


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r e f e r e n c e s t o v a r i a n t s o f t h e l a t e r r e v i s i o n s a n d r e w o r k i n g o f t h e t e x t a r e

v i r t u a l l y c o m p l e t e l y a b s e n t . T h u s , t h e r e v i s i o n of R a h l f s ' s P s a l m

e d i t i o n i n t h e G ö t t i n g e n S e p t u a g i n t i s a n u r g e n t d e s i d e r a t u m . S e c o n d ,

t h e S e p t u a g i n t is s e e n a s a ' m e r e ' ( a n d th u s s e c o n d - c l a s s ) ' t r a n s l a t i o n ' ,

o f i n t e r e s t t o o n l y a f e w s p e c i a l i s t s o f t h e i n t e r t e s t a m e n t a l p e r i o d —

a l t h o u g h p a r t i c u l a r l y i n i ts l a t e s t w r i t i n g s i t s h o w s t h a t t h e ' O l d

T e s t a m e n t ' l a s t e d i n t o t h e f i r s t c e n t u r y AD, t ha t i s , un t i l t he t i me o f J e s us

a n d e a r l y C h r i s t i a n i t y . I t i s t h u s e a s i l y o v e r l o o k e d t h a t t h e S e p t u a g i n t

r e p r e s e n t s a n y t h i n g b u t a u n i t y . R a t h e r i t s t e m s f r o m 3 5 0 y e a r s o f

t u r b u l e n t h i s t o r y a n d r e p r e s e n t s t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t s e l f - w i t n e s s t o

G r e e k - s p e a k i n g J u d a i s m . T h e b a s i c s t u d y o f s o - c a l l e d ' H e l l e n i s t i c

J u d a i s m ' o f t h e u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f e a r l y C h r i s t i a n i t y i n t h e t r u e s t s e n s e o f

t h e w o r d , s h o u l d b e g i n w i t h t h e S e p t u a g i n t a n d n o t w i t h P h i l o o f

A l e x a n d r i a . F o r P h i l o , b e i n g a J e w i s h r e l i g i o u s p h i l o s o p h e r , w a s r a t h e r

a n o u t s i d e r ; h i s a c t u a l t h e o l o g i c a l a c h i e v e m e n t l a y i n t h e f a c t t h a t h e , a s

a P l a t o n i z i n g p h i l o s o p h e r , e x t e n s i v e l y i n t e r p r e t e d , i n s e v e r a l s t a g e s , t h e

t r a n s l a t i o n o f t h e P e n t a t e u c h b y t h e S e v e n t y .

H o w e v e r , w h e n o n e d o e s a c t u a l l y e n t e r t h e ' h o l y c h a p e l ' a n d ' i s

g r e e t e d ' , o n e c a n n o t e s c a p e a s t o n i s h m e n t :

There a t once i t ' s co loured br igh t ,

History and ornament f lashing l ight,

Por tentous ef fect of a gent le glow;

This to God ' s ch i ldren appl ies ,

F lour i sh and feas t your eyes

T h i s t r a n s l a t i o n c o n t a i n s a n i m m e n s e r i c h n e s s o f p h i l o l o g i c a l , h i s t o r i c a l

a n d t h e o l o g i c a l p o i n t s o f v i e w , a n d o n e c a n c o n t i n u a l l y m a k e n e w

d i s c o v e r i e s b o t h i n i t a n d i n t h e h i s t o r y o f i t s i n f l u e n c e o n J e w s a n d

C h r i s t i a n s . F u r t h e r , t h e S e p t u a g i n t i s a n e c u m e n i c a l w o r k , e v e n t h o u g h

t h e o b j e c t o f J u d a e o - C h r i s t i a n c o n t r o v e r s y f o r t w o c e n t u r i e s ( u n t i l t h e

C h r i s t i a n s s n a t c h e d it a w a y f r o m t h e J e w s , w h o r e p l a c e d i t w i t h A q u i l a ' s

' G r e e k T a r g u m ' ) , n o t o n l y b e c a u s e i t i s s t i l l t h e B i b l e o f t h e O r t h o d o x

C h u r c h t o d a y b u t a l s o m u c h m o r e b e c a u s e t h r o u g h t h e s o - c a l l e d

a p o c r y p h a l b o o k s it c o n s t a n t l y r e m i n d s t h e C h r i s t i a n c h u r c h o f i ts J e w i s h

r o o t s .

U n l i k e t h e N e w T e s t a m e n t , i ts f if ty - th r e e d o c u m e n t s ( w i t h o u t t h e

Psalms of Solomon)

s t i ll o f f e r a f a l l ow f ie ld in w h i c h n e w d i s c ov e r i e s

c a n b e m a d e i n d i v e r s e w a y s , b o t h f r o m t h e p o i n t o f v i e w o f t h e

f o r m a t i o n o f t h e t e x t s a t v a r i o u s t i m e s , p l a c e s a n d u n d e r d i f f e r e n t

i n f l u e n c e s , a n d f r o m t h e p o i n t o f v i e w o f t h e h i s t o r y o f i t s c o n t r o v e r s i a l

i m p a c t , w h i c h i s a b a s i c c o m p o n e n t o f c h u r c h h i s t o r y .

T h e i m p o r t a n t i n t r o d u c t o r y e s s a y w h i c h Prof. D r R o b e r t H a n h a r t ,

t h e g r e a t S e p t u a g i n t s c h o l a r , c o n t r i b u t e d t o t h i s v o l u m e g o e s b a c k t o

a T ü b i n g e n O b e r s e m i n a r d u r i n g t h e w i n t e r t e r m

1 9 9 0 / 1 .

A t t h i s

O b e r s e m i n a r I d e l i v e r e d a s h o r t v e r s i o n of m y b o o k w h i c h o n t h e


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P R E F A C E

xi i i

w h o l e h a s a l o n g a n d c o m p l i c a t e d h i s t o r y . H i s o p i n i o n d e v i a t e d f r o m

m i n e o n s e v e r a l p o i n t s , a n d t h i s m a k e s h is c o n t r i b u t i o n e s p e c i a l l y

v a l u a b l e . T h e p r o b l e m s o f t h e S e p t u a g i n t n e e d o p e n d i s c u s s i o n .

A f i r s t , m u c h b r i e f e r v e r s i o n w a s p r e s e n t e d i n 1 9 8 7 i n a s e r i e s o f

p a p e r s c o n c e r n i n g t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f t h e c a n o n a n d t h e i n t e r -

c o n f e s s i o n a l d i f f e r e n c e s p e r t i n e n t t o t h e s c o p e o f i ts O l d T e s t a m e n t

p o r t i o n a t a n a n n u a l m e e t i n g o f t h e E c u m e n i c a l W o r k i n g G r o u p o f

P r o t e s t a n t a n d C a t h o l i c t h e o l o g i a n s . A f t e r t h o r o u g h e d i t i n g a n d

e x p a n s i o n , s e c t i o n 1 1 : 1 - 4 ( p p . 2 5 - 4 1 ) o f t h e s a m e p a p e r c o m p r i s e d t h e

b a s i s f or a p a p e r a t t h e s e c o n d D u r h a m - T ü b i n g e n R e s e a r c h S y m p o s i u m

o n E a r l i e s t C h r i s t i a n i t y a n d J u d a i s m i n D u r h a m , E n g l a n d , i n S e p t e m b e r

1 9 8 9 .

T h e le a d i n g t h e m e o f t h e s y m p o s i u m w a s t h e d i v i s i o n b e t w e e n

J e w s a n d C h r i s t i a n s i n t h e f i r s t a n d s e c o n d c e n t u r i e s . I t a p p e a r e d i n

1 9 9 2 i n t h e s y m p o s i u m v o l u m e e d i t e d b y J . D . G . D u n n (Jews and

Christians: The Parting of the Ways A.D. 70 to 135

[ W U N T 1 / 6 6 ;

T ü b i n g e n , 1 9 9 2 ] , 3 9 - 8 4 ) u n d e r t h e t it le ' D i e S e p t u a g i n t a a ls v o n d e n

C h r i s t e n b e a n s p r u c h t e S c h r i f t e n s a m m l u n g b e i J u s t i n u n d d e n V ä t e r n v o r

O r i g e n e s ' . S i n c e t h e p a p e r s o f t h e E c u m e n i c a l W o r k i n g G r o u p a r e a l s o

n o w b e i n g p u b l i s h e d , I p r e p a r e d t h e w h o l e p a p e r f o r p u b l i c a t i o n w i t h

t h e a s s i s t a n c e o f D r R o l a n d D e i n e s . D r D e i n e s h a s b e e n v e r y h e l p f u l i n

e d i t i n g t h e n o t e s a n d t w i c e p r e p a r i n g t h e m a n u s c r i p t i n v a r i o u s v e r s i o n s .

T h e g r e a t l y a b b r e v i a t e d s u m m a r y o f m y c o n t r i b u t i o n to t h e c o l l e c t e d

v o l u m e o f t h e s e c o n d D u r h a m - T ü b i n g e n S y m p o s i u m i s a l s o h i s w o r k . I

o f f e r h i m c o r d i a l t h a n k s h e r e f o r h i s e n e r g e t i c a s s i s t a n c e . I n t h e

m e a n w h i l e , t h e p a p e r s o f t h e T h e o l o g i c a l W o r k i n g G r o u p h a v e a l s o

a p p e a r e d in p r i n t u n d e r t h e t i t l e

Verbindliches Zeugnis 1:

Kanon-Schrift-Tradition, W . P a n n e n b e r g a n d T . S c h n e i d e r , e d s

( D i a l o g u e d e r K i r c h e n V I I ; F r e i b u r g a n d G ö t t i n g e n , 1 9 9 2 ) . M y

c o n t r i b u t i o n i s p r i n t e d th e r e o n p p . 3 4 - 1 2 7 . S i n c e t h e n , I h a v e r e w o r k e d

a n d s u p p l e m e n t e d i t. F o r t h e i r v a l u a b l e a d v i c e , I t h a n k m y c o l l e a g u e s

R o b e r t H a n h a r t , A n n a M a r i a S c h w e m e r a n d C h r i s t o p h M a r k s c h i e s .

MARTIN HENGEL


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15/169

S E L E C T B I B L I O G R A P H Y

A n e x t e n s i v e b i b l i o g r a p h y u p t o a n d i n c l u d i n g 1 9 6 9 a p p e a r s in : S . P .

B r o c k , C . T . F r i s c h a n d S . J e l l i c o e , A Classified Bibliography of the

Septuagint

( L e i d e n , 1 9 7 3 ) . I t i s s u p p l e m e n t e d i n t h e

Bulletin of the

International Organization of Septuagint and Cognate Studies ( a b b r e

v i a t e d B I O S C S ) w h i c h h a s a p p e a r e d s i n c e 1 9 6 8 . Ε . Τ ο ν a s s e m b l e d a

s p e c i a l i z e d b i b l i o g r a p h y c o v e r i n g l e x i c a l a n d g r a m m a t i c a l p r o b l e m s : A

Classified Bibliography of Lexical and Gram matical Studies on the

Language of the Septuagint ( J e r u s a l e m , 1 9 8 2 ) . T h e f o l l o w i n g a l s o o f f er

o v e r v i e w s w i t h r i c h b i b l i o g r a p h i e s : Ε . Τ ο ν , ' D i e g r i e c h i s c h e n

B i b e l ü b e r s e t z u n g e n ' , ANRW II 2 0 / 1 ( B e r l i n a n d N e w Y o r k , 1 9 8 7 ) : 1 2 1 -

89 ; S . P . B r o c k , ' B i b e l ü b e r s e t z u n g e n I 2 : D i e Ü b e r s e t z u n g e n d e s A l t e n

T e s t a m e n t s i n s G r i e c h i s c h e ' ,

TRE

V I ( 1 9 8 0 ) , 1 6 3 - 7 2 .

T h e f u n d a m e n t a l l i t e r a tu r e m e n t i o n e d b e l o w (i n a l p h a b e t i c a l o r d e r )

w i l l b e c i t e d i n t h e f o o t n o t e s o n l y b y t h e a u t h o r ' s n a m e . I n a l l o t h e r

r e f e r e n c e s t o l i t e r a t u r e , t h e b i b l i o g r a p h i c a l i n f o r m a t i o n w i l l b e s t a t e d a t

t h e f i r s t o c c u r r e n c e a n d t h e r e a f t e r w i l l b e i n d i c a t e d o n l y b y a u t h o r ' s

n a m e a n d , i f n e c e s s a r y , s h o r t t i t l e :

D . B A R T H É L É M Y ,

Etudes d histoire du texte de l Ancien Testament

( O B O 2 1 ; F r e i b u r g a n d G ö t t i n g e n , 1 9 7 8 ) , a c o l l e c t i o n o f e s s a y s w i t h

m a n y i m p o r t a n t w o r k s o n t h e L X X .

R . BECKWITH, The Old Testament Canon o f the New Testament Church

and Its Background in Early Judaism

( L o n d o n , 1 9 8 5 ) .

G . J . B R OOKE a n d B . L I NDAR S, e d s ,

Septuagint, Scrolls and Cognate

Writings ( S B L . S C S S 3 3 ; A t l a n t a , 1 9 9 2 ) , a c o l l e c t i o n o f e s s a y s .

O . EISSFELDT, Einleitung in das Alte Testament ( 4 t h e d n ; T ü b i n g e n ,

1 9 7 6 ) .

M . H A R L ,

G .

DOR I VAL

a n d O .

M U N N I C H ,

La Bible Grecque des Septante

( P a r i s ,

1 9 8 8 ) , a n e x t e n s i v e s u m m a r y o f r e s e a r c h w i t h a c o m p r e

h e n s i v e b i b l i o g r a p h y .

S . JELLICOE,

The Septuagint and Mod ern Study

( O x f o r d , 1 9 6 8 ) .

S . JELLICOE a n d H . M . ORLINSKY, e d s , Studies in the Septua gint: Origins,

Recensions, and Interpretation: Selected Essays with a Prolegomenon

by S. Jellicoe

( N e w Y o r k , 1 9 7 4 ) , c i t e d a s

Studies.

J.-D. KAESTLI

a n d O .

WERMELINGER,

e d s ,

Le Canon de Γ Ancien Testament

( G e n e v a , 1 9 8 4 ) , a c o l l e c t i o n o f e s s a y s .


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F . G. K E N Y O N and A . W. A D A M S , Der Text der griechischen Bibel

(Göttingen,

1 9 6 1 ) .

Ε .

S C H Ü R E R ,

G.

V E R M E S ,

F .

M I L L A R

and M .

G O O D M A N ,

The

History

of the

Jewish People in the Age of Jesus Christ Vols I - I I I / 2 (Edinburgh,

1 9 7 3 - 8 7 ) ,

cited as Schürer [ r e v . ] .

A .

C.

S U N D B E R G ,

The Old Testament in the Early Church (HT S 2 0 ;

Cambridge, Mass., and London, 1 9 6 4 ) .

H. B.

S W E T E ,

An Introduction to the Old Testament in Greek (Cambridge,

1 9 0 2

= N ew York,

1 9 6 8 ) .

J.

Z I E G L E R ,

Sylloge: Gesammelte Aufsätze zur Septuaginta (M SU 1 0 ;

Göttingen,

1 9 7 1 ) .


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I N T R O D U C T I O N

Problems in the History of the LXX Text

from Its Beginnings to Origen

R O B E R T H A N H A R T

T o a p p e a r s u d d e n l y i n a n a d v a n c e d s e m i n a r , u n f a m i l i a r w i t h i ts p r e v i o u s

p r o c e e d i n g s , c a n e a s i l y a w a k e n f e a r — f e a r o f e x p l i c a t i n g w h a t i s a l r e a d y

w e l l k n o w n , b u t e v e n m o r e o f c o n t r a d i c t i n g t h e s h a r e d c o n c l u s i o n s o f

s e m i n a r m e m b e r s , s o t h a t , a f t e r w a r d , t h e y f a c e t h e t a s k o f r e c o n s i d e r i n g

e v e r y t h i n g . M y c o l l e a g u e , Prof. D r H e n g e l , w h o h a s i n f o r m e d m e o f t h e

g e n e r a l t h e m e o f y o u r s e m i n a r a n d h a s p r e p a r e d m e i n t e ll e c t u a l l y w i t h

h i s e x t r e m e l y r i c h s t u d y o f ' T h e S e p t u a g i n t a s C h r i s t i a n S c r i p t u r e

a n d t h e D e v e l o p m e n t o f I ts C a n o n ' , h a s s o m e w h a t m i t i g a t e d t h i s

s e c o n d f e a r w i t h h i s g r a c i o u s s t a t e m e n t t h a t h e d e s i r e d m y p a r t i c i p a t i o n

p r e c i s e l y ' b e c a u s e ' — I q u o t e — ' y o u s e e m a n y t h i n g s d i f f er e n t ly ' ( le t te r

o f 3 S e p t e m b e r 1 9 9 0 ) . O n e t h e s i s u n d e r l y i n g m y p r e s e n t a t i o n , e n t i t l e d

' P r o b l e m s i n t h e H i s t o r y o f t h e L X X T e x t f r o m I t s B e g i n n i n g s t o

O r i g e n ' , w i l l p r o b a b l y v e r y q u i c k l y b e c o m e a p p a r e n t t o y o u a s s u c h a

' d i f f e r e n t p e r s p e c t i v e ' . N o w t h e d e f e n c e o f a t h e s i s i s n o t e a s y i n a n y

c a s e — r e c e n t l y I r e a d t h e f o l l o w i n g s t a t e m e n t i n a n e w s p a p e r : ' W h o

e v e r d e f e n d s a t h e s i s m u s t l e a v e g a p s . ' T h e g a p s m a y o f t e n b e f il le d

b y th a t w h i c h q u e s t i o n s o r e v e n c o n t r a d i c t s t h e t h e s i s . W i t h t h i s r e s e r

v a t i o n a n d in t h e h o p e t h a t , if n o t t h e t h e s i s , t h e n a f e w o f t h e d e t a i l e d

o b s e r v a t i o n s m a y b e v a l u a b l e to y o u , I d a r e a p p e a r b e f o r e y o u ; I

h o p e n o t l i k e a w i l d b o a r i n t h e v i n e y a r d o f t h e L o r d ( P s . 8 0 [ L X X

7 9 ] : 1 4 ) .

A s b e f it s m y d i s c i p l i n e , I w o u l d l i k e t o p r e s e n t a f e w t h o u g h t s c o n

c e r n i n g t h e h i s t o r y o f t h e L X X t e x t f r o m t h e t i m e o f it s o r i g i n t o t h e

t i m e o f i ts f in a l e s t a b l i s h m e n t a s ' H o l y S c r i p t u r e ' i n t h e C h r i s t i a n c h u r c h .

T h e b e g i n n i n g i s d o c u m e n t e d b y t h e l e g e n d of t h e p s e u d e p i g r a p h a l

Letter

of Aristeas, t h e e n d b y t h e p h i l o l o g i c a l w o r k o f O r i g e n .

B e f o r e w e t u r n o u r a t t e n t i o n t o w h a t s e e m t o m e s o m e o f t h e i m p o r t a n t

a s p e c t s o f t h e t e x t ' s h i s t o r y d u r i n g t h i s p e r i o d , p e r m i t m e b r i e f l y t o

p r e s e n t w h e r e I b e l i e v e t h e e s s e n c e o f t h i s p e r i o d c a n b e s e e n i n l i g h t

o f t h e ' G r e e k H o l y S c r i p t u r e s ' . T h i s a t t e m p t m a y a p p e a r a s a ' t e r r i b l e

s i m p l i f i c a t i o n ' , n o t o n l y b e c a u s e o f t h e s i m p l i f i c a t i o n o c c a s i o n e d b y

b r e v i t y , b u t a l s o b e c a u s e o f i ts o b v i o u s t h e o l o g i c a l p r e m i s e s . I t m a y ,

h o w e v e r , o c c a s i o n d i s c u s s i o n .


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T o e x p r e s s t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e o f t h e G r e e k O l d T e s t a m e n t f o r t h e

J u d a i s m o f t h e H e l l e n i s t i c p e r i o d a n d f o r t h e p r i m i t i v e C h r i s t i a n

c h u r c h — I f o l l o w th e d e f i n i t i o n o f F r a n z O v e r b e c k , a l t h o u g h a l s o

i n c l u d i n g t h e J u d a i s m o f t h e p e r i o d — i t m a y e s s e n t i a l l y b e d e f i n e d a s

t h e ' U r g e s c h i c h t e ' ( p r i m a l h i s t o r y ) . T h i s m e a n s t h a t t h e l i te r a r y f o r m s o f

t h e t w o c o m m u n i t i e s — r e g a r d l e s s o f w h e t h e r ' c a n o n i z e d ' o r ' e x t r a -

c a n o n i c a l ' — a r e f u n d a m e n t a l l y t h e g e n r e s o f c a n o n i z e d w i t n e s s e s . W i t h

r e f e r e n c e t o t h e O l d T e s t a m e n t , t h e s e g e n r e s a r e h i s t o r i o g r a p h y ,

p r o p h e c y - a p o c a l y p t i c a n d w i s d o m . E x c e p t i o n s , s u c h a s n a s c e n t l i te r a ry

c o m m e n t a r i e s , c o n f i r m t h e r u l e . F o r m s o f e x p r e s s i o n t h a t d o , i n d e e d ,

o r i g i n a t e i n t h e c a n o n i z e d w i t n e s s , b u t t h a t a r e n o t c h a r a c t e r i s t i c — s u c h

a s t h e l e t t e r a n d a p o l o g e t i c s — a r e n o t l i t e r a r y g e n r e s i n t h e p r e c i s e s e n s e ,

b u t c a m e t o b e r e c o r d e d l i t e r a r i l y a s t h e r e s u l t o f t h e p r e s s u r e s o f

c i r c u m s t a n c e . F r o m t h e p e r s p e c t i v e o f l i t e r a r y form a d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n

c a n o n i c a l a n d e x t r a - c a n o n i c a l c a n n o t b e e s t a b l i s h e d .

T h e p r o b l e m o f t h e t e x t ' s h i s t o r y , t h e s u b j e c t o f m y p r e s e n t a t i o n ,

r e l a t e s t o canonical S c r i p t u r e , c a n o n i c a l f o r b o t h t h e J e w i s h a n d t h e

C h r i s t i a n c o m m u n i t i e s . A t t h i s p o i n t I c a n d o n o m o r e th a n o u t l i n e t h e

c o n c e p t u a l b a s i s f o r t h e v i e w o f t h e p r o b l e m s o f t h e h i s t o r y , i n t e l l e c t u a l

h i s t o r y a n d t h e o l o g y o f t h e c a n o n i t s e l f — i n t h e s e n s e o f t h o s e s u b t l e

p e r c e p t i o n s f o r w h i c h w e a r e g r a t e f u l t o o u r c o l l e a g u e H a n s P e t e r R ü g e r

( w h o u n f o r t u n a t e l y p a s s e d a w a y s o y o u n g ) — w h i c h a r e r e p r e s e n t e d h e r e .

W e c a n s e e t h a t H e l l e n i s t i c J u d a i s m h a d a r e l a t i v e l y w e l l d e f i n e d

c a n o n o f ' H o l y S c r i p t u r e ' a l r e a d y i n t h e s e c o n d c e n t u r y BC , w h i c h t h u s

p r e c e d e d t h e w i t n e s s e s o f t h e N e w T e s t a m e n t w r i t i n g s ; i n t h e d e f i n i t i o n

o f w h a t w a s t o b e r e g a r d e d a s ' c a n o n i c a l ' t h e f o u n d a t i o n i s b e i n g l a i d f o r

t h e l a t e r d i f f e r e n t ia t i o n b e t w e e n ' c a n o n i c a l ' a n d ' a p o c r y p h a l ' .

I s e e e v i d e n c e f o r t h i s p o s i t i o n i n t h e p r o l o g u e o f J e s u s b e n S i r a c h

f r o m t h e s e c o n d h a l f o f t h e s e c o n d p r e - C h r i s t i a n c e n t u r y : h e a s s u m e s

a s c a n o n i c a l S c r i p t u r e n o t o n l y t h e t h r e e d i v i s i o n s t r a n s m i t t e d b y

t h e M a s o r e t e s c o m p r i s i n g t h e ν ό μ ο ς ( t h e m m ) , t h e π ρ ο φ ή τ α ι

( t h e c x - 3 : ) a n d t h e ά λ λ α π ά τ ρ ι α β ι β λ ί α ( 1 0 ; cf. 1) o r t h e λ ο ι π ά τ ω ν

β ι β λ ί ω ν ( 2 5 ; t h e c m r c ) , w h i c h , i n c l u d i n g t h e a l r e a d y c o m p o s e d

Dodekapropheton ( 4 9 : 1 0 ) , w e r e a v a i l a b l e t o t h e g r a n d s o n a n d t r a n s

l a t o r i n t h e P r a i s e o f t h e F a t h e r s in h i s g r a n d f a t h e r ' s b o o k o f p r o v e r b s

( C h a p . 4 4 - 5 0 ) . H e a l s o d i s t i n g u i s h e s t h is l i t e ra t u r e f r o m t h e o n e b a s e d

o n it a s c o m m e n t a r y , b e g i n n i n g w i t h t h e w o r k o f h i s g r a n d f a t h e r , b e c a u s e

o f t h e ά ν ά γ ν ω σ ι ς a n d t h e r e s u l t i n g ι κ α ν ή ε ξ ι ς ( 1 0 - 1 2 ) . H e r e p e a t s t h e

s a m e d i s t i n c t i o n i n r e f e r e n c e t o t h e p r o b l e m o f translation b y

b a s i n g h i s e x c u s e fo r t h e o b s c u r i t y o f h i s o w n t r a n s l a t i o n ( ο ύ γ α ρ

ι σ ο δ υ ν α μ ε ί α υ τ ά ε ν έ α υ τ ο ΐ ς Έ β ρ α ϊ σ τ ί λ ε γ ό μ ε ν α κ α ι ό τ α ν μ ε τ α χ θ η

ε ι ς έ τ έ ρ α ν γ λ ώ σ σ α ν , 2 2 ) o n t h e fa c t t h at ' e v e n t h e l a w , t h e p r o p h e t s ,

a nd t h e o th e r b o o k s r e a d in t h e o r i g in a l ( ε ν έ α υ τ ο ΐ ς λ ε γ ό μ ε ν α ) m a n i fe s t

a s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e ( ο ύ μ ι κ ρ ά ν έ χ ε ι τ η ν ό ι α φ ο ρ ά ν , 2 6 ) ' w h e n

c o m p a r e d w i t h t h e t r a n s l a t i o n .


19/169


20/169

t ra nsm it t ed in the Ale xa nd ria n only. Fur th er gra dat ion s with in the

complex so demarcated, especially the special status of the Torah within

the canon (which also has particular significance for the history of LXX

origins since it constitutes the basis in terms of lexicography and trans

lation technique for the translation of the other Scriptures), cannot be

den ied . But, since a reci proc al po le mic betw een vario us theo logi cal

streams may not, in my opinion, be deduced from the evidence, the fact

that Hellenistic Judaism around that time (i.e. in the second half of the

second pre-Christian century) possessed documents confirming both the

special status of the Torah (the pseudepigraphical Letter of AristeasY

and the existence of the Alexandrian canon in its full scope (the Prologue

of Jesus ben Sirach)

2

remains for me proof that differentiation within a

body of literature recognized as canonical, apart from the dividing lines

mentioned, signifies, at most, difference in degree but not in substance.

Beside quotat ions in wri t ings belonging only to the Alexandrian

canon, I believe that the reference to prophetic word as Scripture in the

Damascus Scroll (to na me onl y on e ex amp le ) sup plie s the best evid en ce

in the realm of pre Christian Judaism of the Hel len is tic pe ri od that all

the writ i ngs of the 'Pal esti nian can on ' tran smitte d in the Maso reti c tradi

tion already possessed the canonical significance of 'Holy Scripture'.

According to current historical-crit ical evidence, this word originated

in the Hellenistic period. Deutero-Zechariah's call for the sword to

arise against the good shepherd (Zech. 13:7) is linked to the reference to

the 's he ph er d all ego ry' (ch ap. 11): ' . . . wh en the wo rd tran spi res that

was writ ten by the prophet Zechariah: (Γ Π Ό Τ τ η m r o Ί Ο Χ Ί Ζ Π Π sinn

N ' D i n ) , ' A w a k e Ο s wo rd a ga in st m y s he ph er ds ( τ ι τ ^ υ m a D i n ) ' . But

thos e w h o ob ey hi m are 't he po or of the flock' (]X^n ]y c n —1 1: 11 ).

3

The fact that this document reflects the awareness of a particular trend

within Hellenistic Judaism is, with reference to the question of the

canonicity of the Palestinian canon, much more likely an argument for

an ear ly fixation of ac kn ow le dg ed Scri ptu re than an ar gu me nt for an

isolated recogni t ion.

4

For the realm of the primitive Christian church

1

Acc ord ing to the stylistic arg uments of E. Bic kerm ann ( Zur Datierung des Pse udo -

Aris teas , Z N W 29 [1 930 ] = Studies in Jewi sh and Christian History I [Leide n, 197 6],

10 9- 36 ) bet wee n 145 and 125

B C E .

:

After 117 B C E : (Pto lemy Physkon 17 0- 16 4 , 145- 117) —arr i va l in the th ir ty-e ighth

y ea r ( = 1 32 ), t rans lat ion ε π ί τ ο υ Ε υ ε ρ γ έ τ ο υ ( 27 )— af te r h is de at h.

C D (Text Β ) XIX : 7- 9; cf. Die Bed eut ung der Septuagin ta in neutes tamentl icher

Zeit , ZThK. 81 (198 4): 39 5- 41 6; esp . 407 η . 32 .

4

The fact that appeal can be ma de —i n a doc ume nt to be define d as a con fes si ona l

writi ng that cou ld by form eas il y be Hol y Scripture and bel on gi ng to a remo te Jew is h

com mu ni ty in the Hell enis tic pe rio d—t o an extant wit nes s as written word

2TC

sp ea ks in de ed for the fact that the Ju dai sm of this per iod as a wh ol e kn ew the Ho ly

Scrip tures as an objec t of refe rence , and that onl y the sc op e of the writ ings r eco gni zed as

Hol y Script ures remai ns an op en quest ion , as is clear ly the cas e for the Samar ita ns and

the Sa dd uc ee s wi th resp ect to their restr icti on to the Tora h.


21/169

a n d it s S c r i p t u r e , I c o n t i n u e t o s e e s i m i l a r e v i d e n c e i n t h e m a n n e r a n d

f a s h i o n i n w h i c h t h e N e w T e s t a m e n t w i t n e s s e s t a k e u p t h e l i t e r a t u r e

o f t h e P a l e s t i n i a n c a n o n a s S c r i p t u r e . B u t f o r t h i s I m u s t r e f e r t o o b s e r

v a t i o n s c o n c e r n i n g t h e ' S i g n i f i c a n c e o f t h e S e p t u a g i n t i n t h e N e w

T e s t a m e n t P e r i o d ' w h i c h I w a s a b l e t o p r e s e n t s e v e n y e a r s a g o — a l s o i n

T ü b i n g e n .

5

E v i d e n c e c o n c e r n i n g t h e h i s t o r y o f t h e t e x t m u s t n o w b e c o n s i d e r e d

i n t h e l i g h t o f t h e s e t h e o r e t i c a l p r e m i s e s c o n c e r n i n g t h e c a n o n . T h i s

e v i d e n c e , v a l i d b o t h f o r t h e J e w i s h t r a d i t i o n o f c a n o n i z e d w i t n e s s e s a n d

f o r t h e C h r i s t i a n t r a d i t i o n b a s e d u p o n it , h a s b e e n a s c e r t a i n e d o n l y

r e c e n t l y b y d i s c o v e r i e s o f t h e l a s t d e c a d e s , e s p e c i a l l y w i t h r e s p e c t t o t h e

J e w i s h t r a d i t i o n . A s fa r a s I c a n s e e , t h i s e v i d e n c e p l a c e s t h e h i s t o r y o f

t h e b i b l i c a l t e x t d u r i n g t h e p e r i o d o f t h e ' U r g e s c h i c h t e ' , b o t h i n t h e

J e w i s h a n d i n t h e C h r i s t i a n r e a l m s , i n a n e w l i g h t . A s a t r a n s l a t i o n o f

a l r e a d y c a n o n i z e d w r i t i n g s , t h e L X X t r a n s l a t i o n i t s e l f h a s c a n o n i c a l

s i g n i f i c a n c e b o t h f o r J u d a i s m a n d f o r t h e C h r i s t i a n c h u r c h . I t d e r i v e s t h i s

s i g n i f i c a n c e , h o w e v e r , o n l y f r o m t h e s t r e n g t h o f t h e c a n o n i c a l a u t h o r i t y

o f i t s H e b r e w o r i g i n a l . I t w a s f o r t h i s r e a s o n t h a t t h e G r e e k t r a n s l a t i o n

w a s f r o m t h e m o m e n t o f i ts o r i g i n o n w a r d c o n t i n u o u s l y s u b j e c t e d t o

v e r i f i c a t i o n a g a i n s t t h e o r i g i n a l H e b r e w t e x t a n d t o r e c e n s i o n a l c o r r e c t i o n

a c c o r d i n g to t h i s c r i t e r i o n , a s d e m o n s t r a t e d b y r e c e n t l y d i s c o v e r e d

t r a n s l a t i o n s o f J e w i s h o r i g i n f r o m p r e - C h r i s t i a n a n d e a r l y C h r i s t i a n

t i m e s . T h e d e f i n i t i o n o f t h i s r e l a t i o n s h i p as ' o r i g i n a l ' a n d ' c o p y ' i s

c o m p l e t e l y j u s t i f i e d i n t h i s c a s e . W h a t w e a l r e a d y k n e w , t h r o u g h O r i g e n ,

c o n c e r n i n g t h e C h r i s t i a n c h u r c h o f t h e l a t e s e c o n d a n d t h i r d c e n t u r i e s ,

a n d t h r o u g h t h e t r a n s l a t i o n s o r n e w e d i t i o n s o f A q u i l a , T h e o d o t i o n a n d

S y m m a c h u s i n t h e s e c o n d c e n t u r y , i n r e g a r d t o J u d a i s m o f C h r i s t i a n

t i m e , h a s n o w b e e n d e m o n s t r a t e d t o b e e q u a l l y t r u e f o r t h e J u d a i s m o f

t h e p r e - C h r i s t i a n a n d p r e - A q u i l a n p e r i o d . I n 1 9 0 3 , E d u a r d S c h w a r t z

s a w ' t h e b e g i n n i n g o f a n e w e r a o f H e x a p l a r e s e a r c h , h o p e f u l l y i n t h e

n o t t o o d i s t a n t f u t u r e '

6

b a s e d o n C a r d i n a l M e r c a t i ' s d i s c o v e r y o f f r a g

m e n t s o f a P s a l t e r H e x a p l a f r o m t h e t e n t h c e n t u r y

E

i n t h e B i b l i o t h e c a

A m b r o s i a n a — t h e first a n d o n l y d i s c o v e r y o f e x t e n s i v e p o r t i o n s o f

O r i g e n ' s H e x a p l a i n t h e o r i g i n a l c o l u m n a r f o r m a t ; t h e s a m e i s t r u e t o a n

e v e n g r e a t e r d e g r e e f o r r e s e a r c h o n t h e S e p t u a g i n t i n t h e p e r i o d b e f o r e

O r i g e n a n d A q u i l a b a s e d o n t h e d i s c o v e r y o f t h e G r e e k M i n o r P r o p h e t s

s c r o l l f r o m N a h a l H e v e r .

7

T h e f o r m e r c a s e c o n c e r n s o n l y t h e c l a r i f i c a t i o n

a n d d e e p e r u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f a n a l r e a d y k n o w n t e x t u a l h i s t o r y , b u t t h e

l a t t e r c o n c e r n s t h e c o n f i r m a t i o n o f a s t a t e o f a f f a i r s w i t h o u t p r e v i o u s

s

C f . a b o v e , p . 4 n . 3 .

b

E . S c h w a r t z , ' Z u r G e s c h i c h t e d e r H e x a p l a ' , Nachrichten

v.d.k.

Gesellschaft der Wiss.

Zu Göttingen, phil.-hist. Klasse

( G ö t t i n g e n , 1 9 0 3 f 1 9 0 4 1 ). 6 9 3 - 7 0 0 ( =

Gesammelte

Schriften 5 [ B e r l i n , 1 9 6 3 | . 1 8 3 - 9 1 ) . T h e c i t a t i o n is f r o m p . 1 9 0 ( = p . 6 9 9 ) .

7

D . B a r t h é l é m y ,

Les devanciers d'Aquila,

V T S u p 1 0 ( L e i d e n , 1 9 6 3 ) ;

Ε . Τ ο ν , e d . ,

The

Greek Minor Prophets Scroll from Nahal Hever,

D J D V I I I ( O x f o r d . 1 9 9 0 ) .


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d o c u m e n t a r y a t t e s t a t io n , b u t at b e s t h y p o t h e t i c a l l y p o s t u l a t e d : t h e p r e

d e c e s s o r s o f A q u i l a .

T h e fin al e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f t h e S c r i p t u r e a s u n i m p e a c h a b l e w i t n e s s o f

r e v e l a t i o n w a s r e a l i z e d i n p r e - C h r i s t i a n J u d a i s m t h r o u g h t h e c o n t i n u o u s

c o m p a r i s o n o f t h e G r e e k tr a n s l a t i o n t o t h e H e b r e w o r i g i n a l , t h e c o p y t o

t he p r o t o t y p e . T h e d i s p u t e d ά φ ό μ ο ι ο ν in t h e P r o l o g u e o f J e s u s b e n

S i r a c h m a y b e e x p l a i n e d i n t h i s w a y . T h e f ir st C h r i s t i a n w i t n e s s e s

a d o p t e d i t i n t h i s f o r m . F r o m t h i s p e r s p e c t i v e , in l i g h t o f t h e t e x t f o r m

o f t h e M i n o r P r o p h e t s sc r o l l f r o m N a h a l H e v e r , I w o u l d e x p l a i n t h e

d i v e r g e n c e s t r a n s m i t t e d in N e w T e s t a m e n t m a t e r i a l f r o m th e L X X f o r m

o f t h e t e x t , w h i c h s t a n d s c l o s e r t o t h e H e b r e w o r i g i n a l , a s g i v e n i n

J u d a i s m a n d n o t as t h e r e s u l t o f i n d i v i d u a l i n i t i a t i v e . V i a t h e i n t e r

m e d i a r y o f t h e s e c o n d - c e n t u r y J e w i s h t r a n s l a t o r s , it w a s ta k e n u p a g a i n

i n t h e s a m e w a y i n t h e p h i l o l o g i c a l w o r k o f O r i g e n — a t t h e p o i n t o f

t r a n s i t i o n f r o m a p o l o g e t i c t o p o s t - a p o l o g e t i c C h r i s t i a n l i t e r a t u r e , f ro m

' U r g e s c h i c h t e ' t o ' G e s c h i c h t e ' , f r o m c a n o n i c a l S c r i p t u r e a s a f o r m o f

e x p r e s s i o n t o c o m m e n t a r y — t o t es t a g r e e m e n t w i t h t h e H e b r e w o r i g i n a l

a s a c o n t r o l fo r t h e L X X t e x t , n o w c a n o n i c a l l y e s t a b l i s h e d i n t h e

C h r i s t i a n c h u r c h .

S o f a r a s i t s o b j e c t i s c o n c e r n e d , t h e p e r i o d i z a t i o n r e s u l t i n g f r o m t h e s e

c a e s u r a e r e l a t e s t o a n i d e n t i c a l p h e n o m e n o n : t h e u n a d u l t e r a t e d p r e s e r

v a t i o n o f t h e w i t n e s s e s e s t a b l i s h e d a s H o l y S c r i p t u r e in v i e w o f t h e

r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n o r i g i n a l a n d t r a n s l a t i o n . I n o t h e r r e s p e c t s , h o w e v e r ,

s u c h a s t h e i r b a c k g r o u n d o f i n t e l l e c t u a l h i s t o r y a n d o f t h e o l o g y , e a c h

p e r i o d d i f f e r s .

F o r p r e - C h r i s t i a n J u d a i s m , t h i s i s a t h e o l o g i c a l a n d t e x t - h i s t o r i c a l

p r o b l e m w i t h i n th e c o m m u n i t y a s a w h o l e a n d i s d o c u m e n t e d a s

a g r e e m e n t r a t h e r t h a n c o n f l i c t b e t w e e n P a l e s t i n i a n a n d H e l l e n i s t i c

J u d a i s m .

T h e p r i m i t i v e C h r i s t i a n c h u r c h , h o w e v e r , s e e s i t s e l f a s c o n c e r n e d

w i t h a n e x t a n t t h e o l o g u m e n o n t h a t , a s s u c h , r e p r e s e n t s a n o b j e c t o p e n

n e i t h e r to d i s p u t e n o r d i s c u s s i o n . T h e q u e s t i o n o f t h e o r i g i n a l f o r m o f

a n O l d T e s t a m e n t w i t n e s s a d o p t e d a s s c r i p t u r a l e v i d e n c e c o m e s u p

n o w h e r e i n t h e N e w T e s t a m e n t w i t n e s s e s . S u b s e q u e n t l y , in O r i g e n at

t h e e n d of t h e ' U r g e s c h i c h t e ' , it i s t h e o b j e c t o f d i s c u s s i o n a l o n g t w o

l i n e s .

( 1 ) F r o m a n a p o l o g e t i c / p o l e m i c a l p e r s p e c t i v e it is a d i s p u t e w i t h

c o n t e m p o r a r y J u d a i s m c o n c e r n i n g a J e w i s h - C h r i s t i a n b a t t l e o v e r th e

f a l s i fi c a t i o n o f S c r i p t u r e t h a t e r u p t e d i n t h e p e r i o d o f t h e A p o l o g i s t s ,

p r i m a r i l y i n J u s t i n . ( 2 ) W i t h i n t h e C h r i s t i a n c o m m u n i t y i t s e l f t h e

q u e s t i o n c o n c e r n s c a n o n i c i t y in t h e t r a n s l a t i o n o f s t a t e m e n t s t r a n s m i t t e d

b y t h e L X X t h a t d o n o t a g r e e w i t h t h e H e b r e w o r i g i n a l .

W i t h r e s p e c t t o t h e f ir st p e r i o d , c h a r a c t e r i z e d b y t h e c o n t i n u o u s

c o r r e c t i o n o f t h e G r e e k t r a n s l a t i o n o f t h e L X X a g a i n s t t h e H e b r e w

o r i g i n a l , it m a y b e d i f f i c u lt t o d e d u c e t h e o l o g i c a l i s s u e s o r c o n t r o

v e r s i e s f r o m c u r r e n t l y k n o w n r e c e n s i o n a l e l e m e n t s r e f l e c t i n g t h e


23/169

H e b r e w o r i g i n a l . The t r a d i t i o n is too f r a g m e n t a r y . W i t h r e s p e c t to the

a m o u n t of s u c h r e c e n s i o n a l w o r k r ef l e ct i n g the H e b r e w t e x t, the s t e p

f r o m the r e c e n s i o n p e r c e p t i b l e in the few p r e - C h r i s t i a n f r a g m e n t s

( P a p y r u s F o u a d 266 [ D e u t . ] ) to t h a t a p p e a r i n g in the M i n o r P r o p h e t s

s c r o l l , the w o r k , a l t h o u g h s i g n i fi c a n t, a l s o s e e m s to be o n l y q u a n t i t a t i v e ,

a n d not q u a l i t a t i v e . It is o n l y in the M i n o r P r o p h e t s s c r o ll t h a t one

m i g h t h a v e f o u n d c l e a r e v i d e n c e

for

c o r r e c t i o n s

of the old

L X X - t e x t

a g a i n s t the H e b r e w o r i g i n a l , w h i c h are not m e r e l y f o r m a l , but i n v o l v

i n g c o n t e n t as w e l l . T h e s e p a r t s , h o w e v e r , are l o s t ; but b a s e d on the

r e c e n s i o n p r i n c i p l e it may be a s s u m e d th a t t h e s e c o r r e c t i o n s w e r e

f o u n d t h e r e . S e v e n y e a r s ago I p o i n t e d out, w i t h r e f e r e n c e to c a s e s

s i g n i f i c a n t

for Ne w

T e s t a m e n t s c r i p t u r a l e v i d e n c e , t h a t , a c c o r d i n g

to

t h e p r i n c i p l e of r e c en s i o n o b s e r v a b l e in the p r e s e r v e d f r a g m e n t s , Old

T e s t a m e n t s t a t e m e n t s s u c h as Z e c h a r i a h 12:10 Onpy-ups nx icrarn,

' T h e y w i l l l o o k on me w h o m t h e y h a v e p i e r c e d ' ) may h a v e b e e n

t r a n s m i t t e d in the M i n o r P r o p h e t s s c r o l l not in the s e n s e of the old

L X X έ π ι β λ έ ψ ο ν τ α ι π ρ ο ς

μ ε ά ν θ ' ώ ν

κ α τ ω ρ χ ή σ α ν τ ο , ' T h e y w i l l

l o o k u p o n me so t h a t t h e y may d a n c e [ j o y o u s l y ] ' ) , but in the f o r m

c o r r e s p o n d i n g to the H e b r e w o r i g i n a l t r an s m i t t e d in J o h n 19 :3 7 ( ο ψ ο ν τ α ι

ε ι ς

öv

έ ξ ε κ έ ν τ η σ α ν ,

cf. Rev. 1:7).

S i m i l a r l y ,

the

s t a t e m e n t

in

I s a i a h

2 5 : 8 ( n s î

1

? rnan ub2 H e [ Y H W H , v. 6] d e v o u r e d d e a t h for e v e r ' )

m a y h a v e b e e n t r a n s m i t t e d in a h y p o t h e t i c a l G r e e k ' I s a i a h s c ro l l ' not

i n

the

f o r m

of the L XX

t e x t ( κ α τ έ π ι ε ν ό θ ά ν α τ ο ς Ί σ χ ύ σ α ς , 'he,

d e a t h , b e c o m e m i g h t y , has d e v o u r e d ' ) , but in the s e n s e of a f o r m of

t h e t e x t r e s e m b l i n g t h a t c i t e d by P a u l as λ ό γ ο ς γ ε γ ρ α μ μ έ ν ο ς in

1 C o r i n t h i a n s 1 5 : 5 4 - 5 5 in c o m b i n a t i o n w i t h H o s e a 13:10 (jo κ ύ ρ ι ο ς ]

κ α τ έ π ι ε ν

τ ό ν

θ ά ν α τ ο ν

ε ι ς

ν ΐ κ ο ς ) ,

8

or

w i t h P a u l

and

T h e o d o t i o n

( κ α τ ε π ό θ η ό θ ά ν α τ ο ς ε ι ς ν ΐ κ ο ς ) . T h e s e are t r u l y ' s u b s t a n t i v e

c o r r e c t i o n s '

I n t h i s c o n n e c t i o n I w a n t to c a l l a t t e n t i o n to a p h e n o m e n o n t h at I can

e x p l a i n o n l y as the r e s u l t of the i n t e n t i o n of the J e w i s h t r a d e n t s of the

L X X , now d o c u m e n t a r i l y a t te s t ed , to r e v i s e the t r a n s l a t i o n as the c o p y

a g a i n s t the H e b r e w o r i g i n a l . I r e f e r to the m u c h d i s c u s s e d f a c t t h a t all

G r e e k b i b l i c a l t e x t s of J e w i s h o r i g i n f o u n d to d a t e , w h e t h e r f r o m pre-

C h r i s t i a n or C h r i s t i a n t i m e s , t r a n s m i t the n a m e mrr not in the f o r m

κ ύ ρ ι ο ς e n c o u n t e r e d

in all the LXX

m a n u s c r i p t s

of

C h r i s t i a n o r i g i n ,

but

i n s o m e f o r m of the T e t r a g r a m m a t o n . I e x p l a i n t h i s , as I did b e f o r e , in

t e r m s of t h e c o n s i s t e n t r e c e n s i o n a l p r i n c i p l e of the t r a n s l a t i o n as c o p y to

t h e o r i g i n a l , not in t e r m s of the t r a n s l a t o r s ' i n t e n t i o n — i n o t h e r w o r d s , in

a s e c o n d a r y p h a s e in the h i s t o r y of the t e x t , not in the o r i g i n of the

G r e e k e d i t i o n of I s r a e l ' s H o l y S c r i p t u r e . The r e p l a c e m e n t of the

s a c r e d n a m e w i t h

Ή Κ

, u n d o u b t e d l y first t r a n s m i t t e d m a s o r e t i c a l l y , but

8

Cf . α

κ α τ α π ο ν τ ί σ ε ι

τ ό ν


ε ι ς

ν ΐ κ ο ς ;

σ

κ α τ α π ο θ ή ν α ι π ο ι ή σ ε ι

τ ό ν


ε ι ς

τ έ λ ο ς

(Ζ Τ Ι ιΚ 81 [ 1 9 8 4 ] ,

4 0 4 - 5 ) . "


24/169

a l r e a d y p r e s u m e d i n t h e Dam ascus Scroll,

9

i s t h e p r e c u r s o r a n d o r i g i n

o f t h e t r a n s la t i o n o f t h e n a m e m rr in t h e L X X as κ ύ ρ ι ο ς , n o t (contra

G r a f B a u d i s s i n ) t h e c o n s e q u e n c e d r a w n f r o m it b y t h e M a s o r e t e s .

1 0

T h e f a c t t h a t , i n a s e c o n d a r y p h a s e in t h e t e x t ' s h i s t o r y , J e w i s h L X X

m a n u s c r i p t s c o n s i s t e n t ly r e p l a c e κ ύ ρ ι ο ς w i t h t h e T e t r a g r a m m a t o n

r e n d e r s e v e n m o r e i m p r o b a b l e B a u d i s s i n ' s t h e s i s o f a l a te r r a b b i n i c

r e p l a c e m e n t o f t h e n a m e m r r - w i t h t h e h o n o r i f i c " ~ x o n t h e b a s i s o f

t h e r e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f t h e n a m e w i t h κ ύ ρ ι ο ς in t h e L X X — a r a t h e r

u n l i k e l y t h e s i s t o b e g i n w i t h ; f o r w h e n in t h e p o s t - a p o l o g e t i c p e r i o d

c o u l d th e L X X h a v e s ti ll p o s s e s s e d s u c h a u t h o r i t y f o r J u d a i s m ? T h e

T e t r a g r a m m a t o n i n L X X m a n u s c r i p t s c o u l d n o t g i v e r i s e t o t h e e q u a t i o n

o f m rr w i t h " n x . T h e r a b b i n i c t h e o l o g u m e n o n w o u l d t h e n d e p e n d o n

C h r i s t i a n m a n u s c r i p t s

T h e o r i g i n a l a s s o c i a t i o n , w i t h i n J u d a i s m , o f t h e e p i t h e t " : i x w i t h t h e

n a m e m rr i s t o o c l o s e — a l r e a d y i n t h e b o o k s o f t h e T o r a h — t o h a v e

o r i g i n a t e d w i t h i n H e b r e w t r a d i t i o n i n t h e t h e o l o g u m e n o n of t h e

i n e f f a b i l i t y o f t h e s a c r e d n a m e . T h e e x i s t i n g , o r i g i n a l a s s o c i a t i o n i s t h e

s o u r c e o f t h e t h e o l o g u m e n o n . F u r t h e r m o r e , t h e d e s i g n a t i o n o f I s r a e l ' s

G o d a s κ ύ ρ ι ο ς , w h i c h is a t te s te d in H e l l e n i st i c J u d a i s m , t h e ' a p o c r y p h a l '

w r i t i n g s o f t h e A l e x a n d r i a n c a n o n : t h e b o o k o f 2 M a c c a b e e s , t h e W i s d o m

o f S o l o m o n , a n d P h i l o , is t o o t h o r o u g h l y a c c e p t e d a n d w i d e s p r e a d f o r i ts

l e g i t i m a t i o n t o h a v e b e e n b a s e d o n a n y t h i n g o t h e r t h a n th e c a n o n i z e d

w r i t i n g s o f t h e L X X .

T h i s r e c o g n i t io n ( th a t t h e O l d T e s t a m e n t d i v i n e n a m e o f κ ύ ρ ι ο ς w a s

a ' g i v e n ' f o r t h e f i r s t C h r i s t i a n w i t n e s s e s t h r o u g h t h e s c r i p t u r a l w i t n e s s

o f J u d a i s m a n d w a s n o t c r e a t e d b y C h r i s t i a n w i t n e s s e s ) is o f d e c i s i v e

s i g n i f i c a n c e fo r t h e u n d e r s t a n d i n g th e N e w T e s t a m e n t S c r i p t u r e s . T h i s

i s a s o b v i o u s a s i t i s w e i g h t y f o r q u e s t i o n s ( c o n c e r n i n g w h i c h I c a n

o n l y l e a r n f r o m t h e N e w T e s t a m e n t s c h o l a r s ) a r i s i n g f r o m i t . W h a t i s

i m p o r t a n t f o r o u r p r e s e n t p u r p o s e is t h e c o n c l u s i o n t h a t f r o m t h e v e r y

b e g i n n i n g o n t h e r e h a s b e e n n o c o n f l i c t i n t h e e a r l y C h r i s t i a n c h u r c h

t o a c c e p t t h e G r e e k O l d T e s t a m e n t in t h e f o r m i n w h i c h it a l r e a d y

e x i s t e d in J u d a i s m : a s κ ύ ρ ι ο ς t h e G o d of t h e O l d T e s t a m e n t is t h e G o d

o f t h e C h r i s t i a n c h u r c h a n d — t o u s e a p h r a s e I o f t e n h e a r d f r o m H a n s

C o n z e l m a n n — t h e F a t h e r o f J e s u s C h r i s t .

A J e w i s h - C h r i s t i a n c o n f r o n t a t i o n c o n c e r n i n g t h e t r u t h a n d f a l s i

f i ca t io n o f t h e c o m m o n ' H o l y S c r i p t u r e ' d i d , i n d e e d , a r i s e a t a c e r t a i n

p o i n t i n t h e p e r i o d w e c h a r a c t e r i z e a s ' U r g e s c h i c h t e ' . T h e b a s i s f or

t h e c o n f l i c t is n o t , h o w e v e r , t h e t r a n s l a t i o n p h e n o m e n o n , e i t h e r in

t h e s e n s e o f w h e t h e r t h e c h o i c e of t h e G r e e k e q u i v a l e n t c o r r e s p o n d s

t o t h e s e m a n t i c s o f t h e H e b r e w w o r d i n q u e s t i o n , a s i s t h e c a s e f o r

" p .

1 5 :1 ( c h a p . 1 9 : 1 ) . L . R o s t .

Die Dam askusschrift

( L i e t z m a n n s k l e i n e T e x t e 1 6 7 :

B e r l in , 1 9 3 3 ) , 2 6 . Ε . L o h s e ,

Die Texte aus Qum ran

( M u n i c h , 1 9 6 4 ) , 9 7 .

1(1

Kyrios,

1 9 2 9 .


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t h e d i v i n e e p i t h e t κ ύ ρ ι ο ς ; o r in t h e s e n s e , a l r e a d y e n u n c i a t e d in t h e

P r o l o g u e o f J e s u s b e n S i r a c h , th a t a t r a n s l a t i o n c a n n e v e r b e t o t a l l y

f a i th f u l t o i ts o r i g i n a l . T h e p o i n t at i s s u e i s t h e b i l a t e r a l c h a r g e o f

f a l s if i c a ti o n o f S c r i p t u r e b y m e a n s o f t e n d e n t i o u s a d d i t i o n s o r o m i s s i o n s

i n e i t h e r t h e o r i g i n a l o r t h e t r a n s l a t i o n . T h e p r o c e s s o f t r a n s l a t i o n a t

m o s t o f f e r s n e w p o s s i b i l i t i e s f o r s u c h f a l s i fi c a t i o n , i n t h a t a t r a n s l a t i o n

e q u i v a l e n t m a y i n t e n t i o n a l l y a l te r t h e m e a n i n g o f t h e o r i g i n a l — a s t h e

C h r i s t i a n s s u p p o s e d t h a t t h e J e w i s h t r a n s l a t o r s i n t h e s e c o n d C h r i s t i a n

c en tu r y r e p l a c e d π α ρ θ έ ν ο ς ' v i r g i n ' w i t h ν ε ά ν ι ς ' y o u n g w o m a n ' in

I s a i a h 7 : 1 4 in r e f e r e n c e t o t h e m o t h e r o f I m m a n u e l , n c b a . " T h e c a u s e

o f t h e J e w i s h - C h r i s t i a n c o n f l i c t a b o u t a u t h e n t i c i t y a n d f a l s if i c a ti o n o f

S c r i p t u r e i s n o t t o b e s e e n i n t h e e x i s t i n g m u l t i p l i c i t y o f f o r m s o f t h e

t e x t . T h e c o n t i n u i n g c o m p a r i s o n o f t h e t r a n s l a t i o n a s c o p y w i t h t h e

o r i g i n a l , r e c o g n i z e d b y b o t h s i d e s , a l l o w e d f o r t h i s m u l t i p l i c i t y , a s t h e

M i n o r P r o p h e t s s c r o l l f r o m t h e t i m e o f P a u l i n d i c a t e s . O n t h e b a s i s

o f t h i s e v i d e n c e , t h e w i d e l y h e l d t h e s i s t h a t t h e t r a n s l a t i o n e f f o r t s o f

A q u i l a , t o b e d a t e d a f e w d e c a d e s la t e r , w e r e p r o m p t e d b y th e J e w i s h -

C h r i s t i a n d i s p u t e c o n c e r n i n g f a l s if i c a ti o n o f S c r i p t u r e m u s t b e n e w l y

r e c o n s i d e r e d . T h e c a u s e l i e s d e e p e r , a n d t h e m u l t i p l i c i t y o f S c r i p t u r e ,

o f w h i c h t h e G r e e k tr a n s l a t i o n is t h e m o s t s i g n i f i c a n t p h e n o m e n o n ,

w a s a t m o s t t h e s e c o n d a r y c a u s e , a m e a n s a n d t o o l in t h e J e w i s h -

C h r i s t i a n d i s p u t e . T h e c a u s e w a s n o t a m a t t e r o f t e x t u a l h i s t o r y , b u t

t h e q u e s t i o n o f w h a t t h e t e x t i n i ts e x i s t i n g m u l t i p l i c i t y m e a n t . T h i s

q u e s t i o n m u s t h a v e b e c o m e a b u r n i n g i s s u e a t t h e p o i n t w h i c h — t o

u s e t h e t e r m i n o l o g y o f F r a n z O v e r b e c k — m a r k e d t h e t r an s i t io n f r o m

' U r g e s c h i c h t e ' t o h i s t o r y , f r o m p r i m i t i v e C h r i s t i a n t o C h r i s t i a n l it e r

a t u r e : n a m e l y a t t h a t p o i n t at w h i c h t h e a p o l o g e t i c / p o l e m i c a l d i s p u t e

b e t w e e n J e w i s h a n d C h r i s t i a n c o m m u n i t i e s b e c o m e s a n a c k n o w

l e d g e m e n t — o n e w h i c h c o n t i n u e d , f ro m o u r p e r s p e c t i v e u n f o r t u n a t e l y ,

t o b e l a r g e l y p o l e m i c a l l y m o t i v a t e d — o f t h e c o e x i s t e n c e o f t h e t w o

c o m m u n i t i e s .

O r i g e n s t a n d s a t t h i s d i v i d i n g li n e . H i s w o r k p o i n t s b o t h b a c k w a r d

a n d f o r w a r d : b a c k w a r d t h r o u g h it s a p o l o g e t i c m a t e r i a l — t h e final f o r m

o f e x p r e s s i o n o f t h e ' U r l i t e r a t u r ' a n d a s s u c h t h e l i n k c o n n e c t i n g t o

C h r i s t i a n l i t e r a t u r e in t h e p r o p e r s e n s e ; f o r w a r d t h r o u g h i ts e x e g e t i c a l

m a t e r i a l a n d it s s y s t e m a t i c . T h e e s s e n t i a l p r e r e q u i s i t e f o r t h e c o m p l e t i o n

of t h i s t r a ns i t i on i s t h e u l t im a t e c l a r i f i c a t i o n o f t h e q u e s t i o n o f t he final

f o r m o f t h e ' H o l y S c r i p t u r e s ' c o m m o n t o J e w s a n d C h r i s t i a n s . T h i s p a r t

o f O r i g e n ' s w o r k , c o m p l e t e d in t h e m o n u m e n t a l w o r k o f t h e H e x a p l a

a n d t h e T e t r a p l a , p o i n t s , a c c o r d i n g to a u t h e n t i c s t a t e m e n t s f r o m

O r i g e n

himself,

f r o m t h i s d i v i d i n g li n e b a c k w a r d t o t h e a p o l o g i s t p a s t

a n d f o r w a r d t o t h e C h r i s t i a n l i t e r a t u r e o f t h e f u t u r e . F o r O r i g e n b o t h

d i r e c t i o n s a r e e q u a l l y s i g n i f i c a n t . T h e a p o l o g e t i c a s p e c t o f t h e d i s p u t e

1 1

J u s t . Dial. 4 3 : 8 , e t c .


26/169


27/169

H e r e , a n d o n l y h e r e , a t t h e d i v i d i n g l i n e w h i c h c a n b e d i s c e r n e d a s

u n a m b i g u o u s l y a s t h is o n l y i n O r i g e n ' s w o r k — s t i l l o p e n in i ts c o n n e c

t io n b a c k t o t h e a p o l o g e t i c - p o l e m i c a l c o n t r o v e r s y w i t h c o n t e m p o r a r y

J u d a i s m o v e r t h e t r u t h a n d f a l s if i c a t io n o f t h e w o r d o f S c r i p t u r e , a n d

f o r w a r d t o t h e f inal e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f t h e t e x t a s H o l y S c r i p t u r e , i n t h e

C h r i s t i a n c h u r c h n o w i n t h e L X X f o r m a n d i n c l u d i n g p o r t i o n s d i f f e r e n t

f r o m t h e H e b r e w o r i g i n a l — c a n I b e y o n d a n y d o u b t m a k e o u t t h e i n t e l

l e c t u a l a n d t h e o l o g i c a l c o n d i t i o n w h i c h w a s t o l e a d t o t h e r i f t i n t h e

J e w i s h a n d C h r i s t i a n c o m m u n i t y o v e r t h e O l d T e s t a m e n t t e x t i n t h e

o r i g i n a l a n d i ts G r e e k t r a n s l a t i o n , w h i c h u p t o t h a t t i m e h a d b e e n

a c c e p t e d a s t h e i r c o m m o n b i b l e . T h i s r if t, o n t h e J e w i s h s i d e , r e s u l t e d i n

t h e c o n d e m n a t i o n o f t h e G r e e k t r a n s l a t i o n per se,

]5

a n d o n t h e C h r i s t i a n

s i d e — b y m e a n s o f t h e P h i l o n i c in t e r p r e t a t i o n o f t h e Letter of Aristeas—

i n t h e t h e o r y o f t h e d i v i n e i n s p i r a t i o n o f t h e t r a n s l a t i o n , a t h e o r y t h a t

j u s t if i e s t h e d i f f e r e n c e s .

1 6

H e r e a g a i n , w e c a n n o t b e c o n c e r n e d w i t h t h e q u e s t i o n o f t h e

' c a n o n i c a l - a p o c r y p h a l ' , i .e . , w i t h th e d e f i n it i o n o f w h a t w a s r e c o g n i z e d

b y b o t h s i d e s a t t h e t i m e a s c a n o n i c a l . T h i s q u e s t i o n i s f r e i g h t e d w i t h

i n s o l u b l e p r o b l e m s i n O r i g e n p a r t i c u l a r l y . H i s c a n o n c a t a l o g u e t r a n s

m i t t e d i n E u s e b i u s {Hist Eccl V I , 2 5 : 2 ) r e a c h e s h i s i n t e n d e d n u m b e r o f

t w e n t y - t w o b o o k s w i t h o u t t h e M i n o r P r o p h e t s a n d l i st s a s a p o c r y p h a l

w ri t i n g s , έ ' ξ ω δ έ τ ο ύ τ ω ν , o n l y τ α Μ α κ κ α β α ϊ κ ά ( w i t h t h e i n e x p l i c a b l e

H e b r e w d e s i g n a t i o n Σ α ρ β η θ σ α β α ν α ι ε λ ) . Y e t , r e s e a r c h i n t o t h e h is t o ry

o f t h e t e x t , t a k i n g i n t o a c c o u n t t h e f r e q u e n t r e f e r e n c e s t o a p o c r y p h a l

w i t n e s s e s in t h e w r i t i n g s o f O r i g e n , h a s a l s o y i e l d e d w i t h r e l a t i v e

c e r t a i n t y a h e x a p l a r i c o r ' O r i g e n i c ' r e c e n s i o n o f J e s u s b e n S i r a c h ,

1 7

o f

t h e W i s d o m o f S o l o m o n ( w r i t t e n o r i g i n a l ly in G r e e k ) ,

1 8

a n d p r o b a b l y

e v e n o f t h e B o o k o f J u d i t h ( a h e x a p l a r i c s c h o o l ? ) .

1 9

W e a r e i n t e r e s t e d

n o w i n t h e f u n d a m e n t a l d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n o r i g i n a l a n d t r a n s l a t i o n i n

w h a t i s r e c o g n i z e d a s c a n o n i c a l .

W i t h r e s p e c t to O r i g e n ' s w o r k , w e a re c o n c e r n e d h e r e o n l y w i t h t h e

v i e w t o t h e p a s t t h a t r e v e a l s h o w f a r , i n v i e w o f t h i s n e w l y a r i s e n d i v i s i o n ,

h e t o o k s e r i o u s l y t h e ( C h r i s t i a n ) d u t y t o e l u c i d a t e in d e t a i l t h e d i f f e r e n c e s

i n t h e t e x t u a l t r a d i t i o n t h a t w e r e t h e p o i n t o f c o n t e n t i o n . H e

himself,

l i ke

t h e A p o l o g i s t s , w a s n o t y e t a b l e t o s e e t h e s e d i f f e r e n c e s i n t e r m s o f t h e

a l t e r n a t i v e b e t w e e n o r i g i n a l o r t r a n s l a t i o n . I t i s r e v e a l i n g t h a t t h e Letter

1 5

F o r c i t a t i o n s s e e V T 1 2 ( 1 9 6 2 ) : 1 3 9 - 6 3 . h e r e 1 4 4 a n d 1 4 7 - 9 .

1 6

T h e c i t a t i o n s a r e t h e s a m e a s i n n . 1 5 .

1 7

J . Z i e g l e r ,

Septuaginta

X I I / 2 ( G ö t t i n g e n , 1 9 6 5 ) , 5 7 - 6 3 ; c f. idem, ' D i e h e x a p l a r i s c h e

B e a r b e i t u n g d e s g r i e c h i s c h e n S i r a c h " , BZNF 4 ( 1 9 6 9 ) : 1 7 4 - 8 5 ( = ' S y l l o g e ' , M SU 1 0

[ 1 9 7 1 ] ,

5 1 0 - 2 8 ) ; a n d idem, ' D i e V o k a b e l - V a r i a n t e n d e r 0 - R e z e n s i o n i m g r i e c h i s c h e n

S i r a c h ' , FS G. R. Driver ( O x f o rd . 1 9 6 3 ) : 1 7 2 - 1 9 0 ( = ' S y l l o g e \ 6 1 5 - 3 3 ) .

1 8

J . Z i e g l e r , Septuaginta X I I / 1 ( G ö t t i n g e n , 1 9 6 2 ) . 5 0 - 6 .

1 9

R . H a n h a r t ,

Septuaginta

V I I I / 4 ( G ö t t i n g e n , 1 9 7 9 ) : 2 3 - 5 ;

idem,

' T e x t u n d T e x t

g e s c h i c h t e d e s B u c h e s J u d i t h " . M SU 1 4 ( 1 9 7 9 ) : 1 4 - 4 5 .


28/169

ofAristeas

i s i n t e r p r e t e d a s i n s p i r a t i o n o f t h e S e v e n t y b y C l e m e n t o f

A l e x a n d r i a , b u t n o t b y O r i g e n .

T h e t h o r o u g h e l u c i d a t i o n o f t h e p r e c o n d i t i o n s o f t h e t e x t ' s h i s t o r y

b a s e d o n t h e b a c k g r o u n d of C h r i s t i a n - J e w i s h a p o l o g e t i c s s e e m e d t o

O r i g e n to b e t h e o n l y p o s s i b l e — a n d , f ro m t h e C h r i s t i a n s t a n d p o i n t , t h e

o n l y j u s t i f i a b l e — b a s i s f o r d i a l o g u e a n d a c c o r d b e t w e e n t h e C h r i s t i a n

c h u r c h o f h i s t i m e a n d c o n t e m p o r a r y J u d a i s m . A c c o r d i n g t o t h i s e l u c i

d a t i o n , t h e m u l t i p l i c i t y o f t h e o l d L X X t r a d i t i o n — b o t h w i t h r e s p e c t t o

d i s c r e p a n c i e s i n r e l a t i o n t o t h e H e b r e w o r i g i n a l fi n al ly e s t a b l i s h e d a s

c a n o n i c a l , a s w e l l a s i n r e l a t i o n to c h a n g e s in t h e G r e e k r e s u l t i n g f r o m

t h e p r o c e s s o f c o p y i n g f r o m o n e m a n u s c r i p t t o t h e n e x t — i s c o u n t e r

b a l a n c e d b y t h e a t t e m p t t o i d e n t i f y t h e t r a n s l a t i o n w i t h t h e o r i g i n a l i n

J e w i s h t r a n s l a t i o n s o f t h e s e c o n d C h r i s t i a n c e n t u r y .

2 0

W e h a v e s o u r c e m a t e r i a l r e v e a l i n g t h e t h o r o u g h n e s s a n d i n t e n s i t y o f

t h i s w o r k ; it i s r a r e in t h e h i s t o r y o f t h o u g h t t h a t , a f t e r c e n t u r i e s h a v e

p a s s e d , a h i s t o r i o g r a p h i c a l t r a d i t i o n f r o m L a t e A n t i q u i t y n o t o n l y

c o n f i r m s b u t a l s o e x p l a i n s p r e v i o u s l y i n e x p l i c a b l e s t a t e m e n t s t h r o u g h

n e w l y d i s c o v e r e d s o u r c e s .

I a m s p e a k i n g o f t h e f r a g m e n t s o f t h e t e n t h - c e n t u r y P s a l t e r H e x a p l a ,

d i s c o v e r e d in 1 8 9 6 b y c a r d i n a l G i o v a n n i M e r c a t i in t h e B i b l i o t e c a

A m b r o s i a n a in M i l a n a n d p u b l i s h e d i n 1 9 5 8 , o n e y e a r a f te r h i s d e a t h ,

w h i c h h a v e t h r o w n n e w l ig h t o n O r i g e n ' s t e x t u a l w o r k a s r e p o r t e d b y

E u s e b i u s .

2 1

Origen was gr ipped by such a power fu l de te rm ina t ion to inves t iga te me t icu

lously the d iv ine w ord ( τ ο σ α ΰ τ η δ έ ε ί σ ή γ ε τ ο τ ω Ώ ρ ι γ έ ν ε ι τ ω ν θ ε ί ω ν

λ ό γ ω ν ή κ ρ ι β ω μ έ ν η έ ξ έ τ α σ ι ς ) tha t he (even ) lea rn ed the H eb re w l a n g u a g e

and famil ia r ized himself wi th the wri t ings t ransmit ted among the Jews in

the ir o r ig in a l in the H eb rew scrip t ( ώ ς κ α ι τ η ν Έ β ρ α ΐ δ α γ λ ώ τ τ α ν έ κ μ α Ο ε ΐ ν

τ ά ς τ ε π α ρ ά τ ο ι ς Ί ο υ δ α ί ο ι ς φ ε ρ ο μ έ ν α ς π ρ ω τ ο τ ύ π ο υ ς α ύ τ ο ΐ ς Ε β ρ α ί ω ν

σ τ ο ι χ ε ί ο ι ς γ ρ α φ α ς κ τ ή μ α ί δ ι ο ν π ο ι ή σ α σ θ α ι ) and tha t he ev en so u g h t out

and s tudied the vers ions of others bes ide the Seventy who t rans la ted the Holy

2 , 1

T h e w e i g h t l i e s o n th e a g r e e m e n t t o b e a t t a i n e d b y th e c o m p a r i s o n w i t h t h e o r i g i n a l

v i a t h e m i d d l e t e r m o f t h e n e w J e w i s h t r a n s l a t i o n s . I t i s n o t c l e a r h o w f a r h e b e l i e v e d

it p o s s i b l e t o i d e n t i f y a n o r i g i n a l t e x t a l o n g t h i s p a t h o n w h i c h t h e t r a n s f o r m a t i o n s o f

t h e o l d L X X t r a d it io n a r o s e t h r o u g h th e n e g l i g e n c e o r a u d a c i t y o f t h e c o p y i s t s ή τ ω ν

α ν τ ι γ ρ ά φ ο υ ν δ ι α φ ο ρ ά , ε ί τ ε ά π ύ ρ α θ υ μ ί α ς τ ι ν ώ ν γ ρ α φ έ ω ν , ε ϊ τ ε τ ό λ μ η ς τ ι ν ώ ν

μ ο χ θ η ρ ό ς , in M at t . X V : 1 4 ) .

21

Psalterii Hexapli Reliquiae cura et studio Johannis

Card.

Mercati editae,

in B i b l i o -

t h e c a V a t i c a n a ( V a t i c a n C i t y , 1 9 5 8 ) ;

idem,

' O s s e r v a z i o n i ' ( 1 9 6 5 ) ; c f. A d r i a n S c h e n k e r ,

Hexaplarische

Psalmenbruchstücke

( O B O 8 ; F r e i b u r g / G ö t t i n g e n , 1 9 7 5 ) ;

idem, Psalmen

in den Hexapla ( S t u d i e T e s t i 2 9 5 ; V a t i c a n C i t y , 1 9 8 2 ) . M e r c a t i ' s f ir st r e p o r t w a s ' D ' u n

p a l i m p s e s t o A m b r o s i a n o c o n t e n e n t e i S a l m i e s a p l i e d i u n ' a n t i c a v e r s i o n e l a t in a d e l

c o m m e n t a r i o p e r d u t o d i T e o d o r o d i M o p s u e s t i a a l S a l t e r i o ' , Atti delta Reale Accadem ia

delle Scienze di Torino

3 1 ( 1 8 9 6 ) : 6 5 5 - 7 6 ( =

Opere minor!

I , S t u d i e t e s t i 7 6 [ V a t i c a n

C i t y . 1 9 3 7 J : 3 1 8 - 3 8 ) .


29/169

S cr ip tu re s ( ά ν ι χ ν ε ϋ σ α ί τ ε τ ά ς τ ω ν έ τ έ ρ ο τ ν π α ρ ά τ ο υ ς έ β δ ο μ ή κ ο ν τ α τ ά ς

ι ε ρ ά ς γ ρ α φ ά ς έ ρ μ η ν ε υ κ ό τ ω ν ε κ δ ό σ ε ι ς ) . In add ition he loca ted a few m o re ,

d i f f e ri ng f r om the w e l l - kn ow n t r a ns l a t i ons of A q u i l a , Sy m m a c h us a nd

T h e o d o t io n ( κ α ι τ ι ν α ς ε τ έ ρ α ς π α ρ ά τ ά ς κ α τ η μ α ξ ε υ μ έ ν α ς ε ρ μ η ν ε ί α ς

έ ν α λ λ α τ τ ο ύ σ α ς , τ η ν ' Α κ ύ λ ο υ κ α ί Σ υ μ μ ά χ ο υ κ α ι Θ ε ο δ ο τ ί ω ν ο ς ,

έ φ ε υ ρ ε ΐ ν ) . I d o n o t k n o w w h e re h e f ou n d th e m , in w h a t e v e r no o k th e

p r e v i o u s e r a h a d h i d de n t h e m , a n d b r o u g h t t h em to l ig h t ( α ς ο υ κ ο ί δ '

ό θ ε ν έ κ τ ί ν ω ν μ υ χ ώ ν τ ό ν π ά λ α ι λ α ν θ ά ν ο υ σ α ς χ ρ ό ν ο ν ά ν ι χ ν ε ύ σ α ς

π ρ ο ή γ α γ ε ν ε ι ς φ ω ς ) . S in ce , b ec au se th ey w ere u n -k no w n, he co uld say

nothing about authorship, he repor ted tha t he had found one of them in

N i k op o li s n e ar A c t iu m , a nd th e o t he r in a n o th e r s uc h p l ac e ( έ φ ' ώ ν δ ι α τ η ν

ά δ η λ ό τ η τ α , τ ί ν ο ς ά ρ ' ε ί ε ν , ο υ κ ε ί δ ώ ς , α υ τ ό τ ο ϋ τ ο μ ό ν ο ν έ π ε σ η μ ή ν α τ ο

ώ ς ά ρ α τ η ν μ έ ν ε ύ ρ ο ι έ ν τ ή π ρ ό ς Ά κ τ ί ο ι ς Ν ι κ ο π ό λ ε ι , τ η ν δ έ έ ν ε τ έ ρ α )

τ ο ι ω δ ε τ ό π ω ) .

N ow , in the Hex apla of the Ps a lm s, wh ere , in add i t ion to the know n four

ed i t ion s , he ju x t ap os ed not on ly a fifth , bu t a l so a s ix th and a se venth

trans la t ion, he repor ts once again tha t one of them was found in Jer icho in a

c la y j a r fr om t he t im e o f A n t o n i n u s , t h e s on o f S e v e ru s (έ ν γ ε μ η ν τ ο ι ς

Έ ξ α π λ ο ΐ ς τ ώ ν Ψ α λ μ ώ ν μ ε τ ά τ ά ς ε π ι σ ή μ ο υ ς τ ε σ σ ά ρ α ς ε κ δ ό σ ε ι ς ο ύ

μ ό ν ο ν π έ μ π τ η ν , α λ λ ά κ α ί έ ' κ τ η ν κ α ί έ β δ ό μ η ν π α ρ α θ ε ί ς έ ρ μ η ν ε ί α ν , έ π ί

μ ι α ς α ύ θ ι ς σ ε σ η μ ε ί ω τ α ι ώ ς έ ν Ί ε ρ ι χ ο ΐ ε ύ ρ η μ έ ν η ς έ ν π ί θ ω κ α τ ά τ ο ύ ς

χ ρ ό ν ο υ ς Ά ν τ ω ν ί ν ο υ τ ο υ υ ί ο ϋ Σ ε υ ή ρ ο υ ) .

By assembling a l l the t rans la t ions and arranging them s ide by s ide in

columns, together wi th the Hebrew wording, he le f t us the manuscr ipt of the

so -ca lled H e x a p la ( τ α ύ τ α ς δ έ ά π ά σ α ς έ π ί τ α ύ τ ό ν σ υ ν α γ α γ ώ ν δ ι ε λ ώ ν

τ ε π ρ ό ς κ ώ λ ο ν κ α ί ά ν τ ι π α ρ α θ ε ί ς ά λ λ ή λ α ι ς μ ε τ ά κ α ί α υ τ ή ς τ η ς

Ε β ρ α ί ω ν σ η μ ε ι ώ σ ε ω ς τ α τ ώ ν λ ε γ ο μ έ ν ω ν Έ ξ α π λ ώ ν ή μ ΐ ν α ν τ ί γ ρ α φ α

κ α τ α λ έ λ ο ι π ε ν ) . A p a rt fro m t ha t, h e a rr an g ed th e e d it io n s o f A q u il a,

S y m m a c h u s an d T h e o d o t i o n to g e t h e r w i th th e L X X in t h e T e t ra p l a ( ι δ ί ω ς

τ η ν ' Α κ ύ λ ο υ κ α ί Σ υ μ μ ά χ ο υ κ α ί Θ ε ο δ ο τ ί ο ί ν ο ς έ κ δ ο σ ι ν ά μ α τ ή τ ώ ν

έ β δ ο μ ή κ ο ν τ α έ ν τ ο ι ς Τ ε τ ρ α σ σ ο ΐ ς έ π ι σ κ ε υ ά σ α ς ) ( E u s e b iu s , Hist Eccl

VI:16) .

E u s e b i u s ' t e s t i m o n y r e q u i r e s c a u t i o u s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n . F r o m h is m e n

t i o n i n g o f t h e s e t w o m a n u s c r i p t s i n h i s b i o g r a p h y o f O r i g e n , i m m e d i a t e l y

a f t e r t h e a c c o u n t o f h i s R o m e t r i p o f AD 2 1 2 , it c a n n o t b e d e d u c e d t h a t

t h o s e m a n u s c r i p t s w e r e f o u n d a t t h a t t i m e ; t h i s i s b a s e d n o t o n a

c h r o n o l o g i c a l b u t a t h e m a t i c a r r a n g e m e n t .

2 2

W h e n , a t t h e v e r y e n d o f h i s

r e p o r t , h e r e l a t e s t h e p r o d u c t i o n o f t h e T e t r a p l a i n a p a r t i c i p i a l c l a u s e i n

t h e a or i s t , i n t e r m s o f ' a n d a d d i t io n a l l y m a d e ' — έ π ι σ κ ε υ ά ζ ε ι ν — t h i s

s h o u l d n o t , b e c a u s e o f t h e p r e p o s i t i o n έ π ί in t h e v e r b , b e u n d e r s t o o d a s a

s u c c e s s i o n i n t i m e

2 3

n o r , b e c a u s e o f t h e a o r i s t , b e p l a c e d i n t h e p a s t

2 2

C f . Ε . S c h w a r t z .

GCS

9 / 3 . 3 3 .

2 3

C f . Ε . S c h w a r t z , 'H e x a p l a ' . 6 9 4 .


30/169

p e r f e c t . A l l t h a t r e m a i n s c e r t a i n i s t h e t e m p o r a l p o i n t o f t h e d i s c o v e r y o f

t h e S e x t a u n d e r C a r a c a l l a (AD 2 1 1 - 1 8 ) , w h i c h e s ta b l i s h e s a terminus post

quern

f o r t h e c o m p l e t i o n o f t h e w h o l e w o r k . W e n e e d n o t d o u b t t h a t t h e

s i x c o l u m n s th a t g i v e t h e w o r k i ts n a m e c o n s i s t o f t h e H e b r e w t e x t , t h e

G r e e k t r a n s c r i p t i o n o f t h e H e b r e w t e x t , A q u i l a , S y m m a c h u s , t h e r e s t o r e d

L X X , a n d T h e o d o t i o n , a s R u f i n u s ' L a t i n t r a n s l a t i o n o f E u s e b i u s ' r e p o r t

a l r e a d y a t t e s t s .

2 4

T h e M e r c a t i f r a g m e n t s s u p p o r t t h i s a r r a n g e m e n t r a t h e r

t h a n c o n t r a d i c t i n g i t. W h a t i s i m p o r t a n t i s t h e e v i d e n c e o f t h e t r a n s c r i p

t i o n , w h i l e t h e a b s e n c e o f t h e H e b r e w i s n o t s u r p r i s i n g .

T h e c o m p a r i s o n o f E u s e b i u s ' r e p o r t w i t h M e r c a t i ' s P s a l te r f r a g m e n t s

s h o w s th a t t h i s i s a n e x c e p t i o n a l c a s e , r e l a t i n g , a s E u s e b i u s a l r e a d y

m a d e e x p l i c i t , t o t h e t r a n s m i s s i o n o f t h e P s a l t e r . It i s o f s i n g u l a r

s i g n i f i c

martin hengel the septuagint as christian scripture

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