Here is a link I recommend for all who want a concise reference on the issue of what books belong in the Bible:

http://www.tektonics.org/uz/zindler02.html

This one article does an excellent job of listing common objections to the standard Bible as we know it today, then dismantling them with history and logic. Christians can rest on the assurance that the Bible we have today really is the Word of God, not the result of any conspiracy or arbitrary opinions. Rather than confuse the issue of what the Bible really should contain, attempts to add, change, or delete the scriptures have actually served to support it, as the article explains.

The article contains a link to http://www.christian-thinktank.com/baduseot.html, which makes this conclusion about the controversy between the Masoretic Text (MT) and the Septuagint (LXX), near the end of the document:

2. There is no fixed MT or proto-MT at the time.

3. There are some revisions to the LXX, but none apparently agreed upon by Diaspora Judaism.

4. Quotes from the LXX as being "scripture" by non-Christian Jews abound in the various classes of Jewish literature (in Greek) of the period.

5. The rabbinic data indicates a continuing allowance (even preferential treatment) for Greek translations of Torah. These would have FULL 'inspired' status (i.e., defiling the hands).

Therefore, not only is your scholar friend's statement correct, but the behavior of the NT Jewish authors were very much in line with the culture and standards of the day.

The author, Glenn Miller, is no white supremist, so for him to promote the LXX as probably more accurate than the MT is significant.

Add This Entry To Your CureZone Favorites!