martin hengel the septuagint as christian scripture
TRANSCRIPT
-
8/17/2019 Martin Hengel the Septuagint as Christian Scripture
1/169
-
8/17/2019 Martin Hengel the Septuagint as Christian Scripture
2/169
-
8/17/2019 Martin Hengel the Septuagint as Christian Scripture
3/169
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
-
8/17/2019 Martin Hengel the Septuagint as Christian Scripture
4/169
-
8/17/2019 Martin Hengel the Septuagint as Christian Scripture
5/169
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
-
8/17/2019 Martin Hengel the Septuagint as Christian Scripture
6/169
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/
-
8/17/2019 Martin Hengel the Septuagint as Christian Scripture
7/169
In honour of my colleague
Luise Abramowski
-
8/17/2019 Martin Hengel the Septuagint as Christian Scripture
8/169
-
8/17/2019 Martin Hengel the Septuagint as Christian Scripture
9/169
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
-
8/17/2019 Martin Hengel the Septuagint as Christian Scripture
10/169
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
-
8/17/2019 Martin Hengel the Septuagint as Christian Scripture
11/169
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
-
8/17/2019 Martin Hengel the Septuagint as Christian Scripture
12/169
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
-
8/17/2019 Martin Hengel the Septuagint as Christian Scripture
13/169
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
-
8/17/2019 Martin Hengel the Septuagint as Christian Scripture
14/169
-
8/17/2019 Martin Hengel the Septuagint as Christian Scripture
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 .
-
8/17/2019 Martin Hengel the Septuagint as Christian Scripture
16/169
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 ) .
-
8/17/2019 Martin Hengel the Septuagint as Christian Scripture
17/169
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 .
-
8/17/2019 Martin Hengel the Septuagint as Christian Scripture
18/169
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 .
-
8/17/2019 Martin Hengel the Septuagint as Christian Scripture
19/169
-
8/17/2019 Martin Hengel the Septuagint as Christian Scripture
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.
-
8/17/2019 Martin Hengel the Septuagint as Christian Scripture
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 ) .
-
8/17/2019 Martin Hengel the Septuagint as Christian Scripture
22/169
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
-
8/17/2019 Martin Hengel the Septuagint as Christian Scripture
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
θ ά ν α τ ο 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
θ ά ν α τ ο ν
ε ι ς
τ έ λ ο ς
(Ζ Τ Ι ιΚ 81 [ 1 9 8 4 ] ,
4 0 4 - 5 ) . "
-
8/17/2019 Martin Hengel the Septuagint as Christian Scripture
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 .
-
8/17/2019 Martin Hengel the Septuagint as Christian Scripture
25/169
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 .
-
8/17/2019 Martin Hengel the Septuagint as Christian Scripture
26/169
-
8/17/2019 Martin Hengel the Septuagint as Christian Scripture
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 .
-
8/17/2019 Martin Hengel the Septuagint as Christian Scripture
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 ) .
-
8/17/2019 Martin Hengel the Septuagint as Christian Scripture
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 .
-
8/17/2019 Martin Hengel the Septuagint as Christian Scripture
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