There is evidence in the New Testament that Jesus and the apostles used the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures). Here are some examples:
1. Jesus' Quotation in Luke 4:18-19:
In Luke 4:18-19, Jesus reads from the book of Isaiah in the synagogue. The passage He reads is closer to the Septuagint version than the Masoretic Text (the standard Hebrew text).
Luke 4:18-19: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor."
2. Quotations in the Gospels:
Several quotations in the Gospels align more closely with the Septuagint than with the Hebrew text. Here are a few notable examples:
Matthew 1:23: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). This is a quotation from Isaiah 7:14, and the wording matches the Septuagint.
Matthew 21:16: “From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise.” This is a quotation from Psalm 8:2, aligning with the Septuagint.
3. Apostolic Usage:
The apostles, especially Paul, often quoted the Old Testament in their writings, and these quotations frequently align with the Septuagint. For example:
Romans 3:10-18: Paul quotes several Old Testament passages in a sequence that aligns with the Septuagint version.
These examples show that Jesus and the early Christians were familiar with and utilized the Septuagint. This usage highlights the acceptance and influence of the Septuagint in the early Christian community.
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