The Character of God’s Words [Septuagint is a Fraud]

The Dean Burgon Society ^ | July, 2005 | H. D. Williams, M.D.

[Titanites]

This is an excerpt from a lengthy presentation made at a Dean Burgon Society Meeting in 2005. I posted this as a separate thread because it has appeared on another thread as evidence that the Septuagint is a fraud. The original poster, Uncle Chip, has made the accusation a couple of times on various threads that the Septuagint is a fraud, and I suspect his main evidence is this one article.

I thought it would be fruitful to discuss the accusations made in the article, primarily that:

The other known fact about the misnomer, Septuagint, is that it is a non-entity. The name is adapted from a fraudulent document, Letter of Aristeas. The only extant Letter is an eleventh century document.

Today, the manuscript that is generally called the Septuagint is the Old Testament Greek translation constructed by Origin Adamantius, called Codex B (c.245 A.D.). This is the real recension as opposed to the theoretical recensions of the Received Greek and Hebrew Texts. Codex B is the 5th (fifth) column of Origin’s Hexapla, a six column parallel Bible. Origen labeled the 5th (fifth) column the LXX.

[Titanites]

The Header at the Dean Burgon Society webpage:

The Authorized King James Bible has been, and continues to be, the God honored, most accurate, and best English translation of the inspired, inerrant, infallible, and preserved original language words of God.

[Titanites]

About the author:

Dr. H. D. Williams was born in Ft. Pierce, FL where he was "born again" at the age of 14 at a conservative Baptist church. He was active in his youth group and was licensed to preach the gospel at the age of 16. After graduating from Dan McCarty High School with honors, he attended Stetson University in DeLand, FL, where he was a member of the Ministerial Association, preached in several local Baptist churches, and led several preaching revivals. He met his helpmeet of 43 years at Stetson University where they were married in 1961. After they graduated from Stetson with honors, Dr. Williams attended the University of Miami Medical School where he was inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honorary in his Junior year. After finishing his medical training, Dr. Williams and his wife, Patricia, settled in New Port Richey, FL, where he practiced as a board certified family practitioner. He and his wife were active in their community. He served on the board of Community Hospital for 20 years as the Vice-Chairman, and he was Chief of Staff for a few years as well as President of his medical society. Mrs Williams’ degree in music education enabled her to serve as chairman of the county’s Arts Council and she was assistant director of a woman’s community chorus. She also served as executive secretary of several medical facilities. Becoming active in their local Baptist church, Dr. Williams served as a teacher of middle aged men and his wife was a teacher of young women. They attended Moody Bible Institute (MBI) evening school for many years and were President and Secretary of the MBI Florida Advisory Board. They have two sons and five grandchildren.

[Titanites]

I’d appreciate you doing your Catholic ping thing. Thanks!

[Titanites]

Strong evidence that H. D. Williams is misinformed comes from the Dead Sea Scrolls. As can be found in the Jewish Virtual Library, the documents recovered from Qumran date “from the third century B.C.E. to 68 C.E.” when the site was destroyed by the Roman Legions.

Parts of the Septuagint were recovered from Qumran, so the Septuagint must date to 68 C.E. or before. The Septuagint, the Greek version of the Bible, is typically dated to have been translated in the third to second centuries B.C.E.

Origen lived from 185-232 C.E. so, it is impossible that the Septuagint could have originated from him.

[vladimir998]

Neat thread topic. I'm glad you're looking into this.

[kawaii]

If the Septuagint is a fraud then Christianity is since the Christ, the Apostles, and the Church Fathers all quote from it.

[Titanites]

If the Septuagint is a fraud then Christianity is since the Christ, the Apostles, and the Church Fathers all quote from it.

Good point.

Of the approximately 300 Old Testament quotes in the New Testament, approximately 2/3 of them came from the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) which included the deuterocanonical books that the Protestants later removed. This is additional evidence that Jesus and the apostles viewed the deuterocanonical books as part of canon of the Old Testament. Here are some examples:

Matt. 1:23 / Isaiah 7:14 - behold, a "virgin" shall conceive. Hebrew - behold, a "young woman" shall conceive.

Matt. 3:3; Mark 1:3; John 1:23 / Isaiah 40:3 - make "His paths straight." Hebrew - make "level in the desert a highway."

And many more here.

[Titanites]

Orthodox ping. A discussion about the Septuagint.

[Kolokotronis]

" The Authorized King James Bible has been, and continues to be, the God honored, most accurate, and best English translation of the inspired, inerrant, infallible, and preserved original language words of God."

God honored, eh? Well, by God, if the KJV is good enough for God, its good enough for me! :)

"and preserved original language words of God."

This group is crypto-Mohammedan, I take it.

[Titanites]

"and preserved original language words of God."

I wondered how they knew that.

[Kolokotronis]

"I wondered how they knew that."

Probably some spirit told them; not the Holy Spirit. Likely it was the zeitgeist and one guess who that is!

[tacticalogic]

The Ten Commandments are from the hand of God. The rest, divinely inspired or not, is from the hand of man.

[SuzyQue]

So, is Williams' point that Catholics use the Septuagint, the Septuagint is suspect, and therefore, Catholicism is suspect? Is that the crux of his argument?

Fascinating topic. I'm really uninformed here and appreciate any enlightenment you might offer.

[Titanites]

So, is Williams' point that Catholics use the Septuagint, the Septuagint is suspect, and therefore, Catholicism is suspect? Is that the crux of his argument?

I believe that is the bottom line, at least from some who post on FR.

[SuzyQue]

Ah. I'd never seen that argument before. I usually stay away from the "my version of Christianity is better than your version...", but I am very interested in Biblical scholarship. It helps to know that the author's motives may be less than pure.

[Invincibly Ignorant]

The Ten Commandments are from the hand of God. The rest, divinely inspired or not, is from the hand of man.

Double amen to that.

[Invincibly Ignorant]

I usually stay away from the "my version of Christianity is better than your version...",

Lol.

[SuzyQue]

Good point.