The Septuagint and the Scriptures of the Early Church

1. Introduction

The Septuagint, the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, held a central place in the lives of Jews in the Hellenistic world and became the primary version of the Old Testament for the early Church. This article explores the origins, structure, theological use, and enduring impact of the Septuagint in shaping early Christian doctrine, liturgy, and scriptural interpretation. It also examines why the New Testament writers, including Paul and the Gospel authors, overwhelmingly preferred this version over the Hebrew Masoretic Text.

2. Origins and Formation of the Septuagint

The Septuagint (LXX) originated in the 3rd century BCE in Alexandria, Egypt, under the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus. According to the legend recorded in the Letter of Aristeas, seventy-two Jewish scholars translated the Torah (Pentateuch) from Hebrew into Greek for the Royal Library. Over time, other books of the Hebrew Bible were also translated, forming a growing Greek corpus of sacred texts used by Jews of the diaspora.

The Septuagint included:

  • All books of the Hebrew Bible (Law, Prophets, Writings),
  • Plus several additional books later known as the Deuterocanonical books or Apocrypha (e.g., Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach, Tobit, Judith, 1 & 2 Maccabees).

3. The Septuagint and Jewish Usage

For many Hellenistic Jews, particularly outside Palestine, the Septuagint became their primary Scripture:

  • It allowed Greek-speaking Jews to retain access to their ancestral texts.
  • In Philo of Alexandria’s writings (1st century CE), the Septuagint is treated with great reverence.
  • The Qumran community and Palestinian Jews likely maintained preference for Hebrew/Aramaic texts, but the diaspora relied on the Greek.

However, tensions grew between Palestinian Judaism and the Christian Church, especially as Christians increasingly used the Septuagint to argue for messianic fulfilment in Jesus. By the late 1st and 2nd centuries, Jewish authorities began to distance themselves from the LXX, leading to the codification of the Masoretic Text in Hebrew.

4. The Septuagint in the New Testament

The Septuagint was the dominant scriptural source for New Testament authors, evident in their:

  • Verbatim quotations matching the Greek LXX more than the Hebrew,
  • Christological interpretations of Old Testament prophecies (e.g., Isaiah 7:14),
  • Integration of Deuterocanonical texts in theological reasoning.

Examples:

  • Matthew 1:23 quotes Isaiah 7:14 using parthenos (“virgin”)—a Septuagint rendering, while the Hebrew ‘almah’ more ambiguously means “young woman”.
  • Hebrews 10:5 quotes Psalm 40:6 as “a body you have prepared for me” (LXX), instead of “my ears you have opened” (Hebrew).
  • Romans 3:10–18 strings together several LXX Psalms in a way not found in the Hebrew order.

This heavy dependence on the Septuagint reflects not only linguistic pragmatism (Greek was the lingua franca), but also theological preference—the LXX often provided clearer or more messianically resonant formulations.

5. Theological Implications of the Septuagint

The Septuagint had several theological effects in early Christian thought:

a. Messianic Expectation

The LXX wording of many prophecies supported the Christian claim that Jesus fulfilled the Scriptures. For instance, Isaiah 9:6 (“Mighty God, Everlasting Father”) and Daniel 7:13 (“Son of Man”) gained prominence through LXX clarity.

b. Doctrinal Vocabulary

Terms central to Christian theology—such as ekklesia (church), kyrios (Lord), and Christos (Christ)—were shaped through their usage in the Septuagint, preparing a theological bridge between Judaism and Christianity.

c. Scripture as a Living Word

The LXX was not merely a translation; for Christians, it became inspired Scripture in its own right. As early as 2 Timothy 3:16, all “Scripture” (graphē)—which likely included LXX texts—was seen as “God-breathed”.

6. Patristic Endorsement and Liturgical Use

Early Church Fathers such as:

  • Justin Martyr
  • Irenaeus
  • Origen
  • Athanasius

all used the Septuagint extensively and viewed it as divinely inspired. The LXX formed the liturgical foundation for Christian worship, homilies, and apologetics.

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Septuagint remains the official Old Testament to this day. In contrast, the Western Church—under Jerome’s Vulgate—moved toward a Hebrew-based canon, but still retained influence from the LXX via liturgical usage and older Latin translations.

7. The Septuagint’s Lasting Legacy

The Septuagint is:

  • The first Bible of the Church,
  • A bridge between Jewish tradition and Christian theology,
  • The textual foundation for many New Testament quotations and doctrinal formulations.

While the Hebrew Masoretic Text became dominant in post-rabbinic Judaism and later in Protestant translations, the Septuagint continues to reveal how early Christians interpreted, understood, and experienced the Scriptures.

8. Conclusion

The Septuagint was not a mere translation but a theological cornerstone for the early Church. It allowed the apostles and evangelists to preach Christ from the Scriptures to a Greek-speaking world and interpret the Old Testament in light of the Gospel. Its enduring influence shaped the canon, language, and theology of Christianity and remains a crucial witness to the formative relationship between Scripture and the Church.

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