Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Schmuel <schmuel AT nyc.rr.com>]

Hi Folks,

> c) The apostles and Jesus used the Hebrew Bible, and the Greek OT was 
> changed
>     in many ways from the 2nd through 5th-6th centuries. ("smoothed") to be 
> closer 
>     to the NT.

  Let me add to this that in this view there is absolutely nothing amiss with 
the 
Greek NT quotes varying from the Hebrew Tanach.  In some cases verses are
combined (Mark 1:2, Romans 3, Jesus quoting the Isaiah scroll), in other cases
the speaker or writer is adding insight while referencing the Tanach, as under
the Hebraic concept of midrash, or is sharing a Messianic revelation 
fulfillment.  
In other cases they might have been using a different language version (the 
Ethiopian in Acts).   Each citation is a fascinating study on its own, which 
is
one reason why statistical methodologies have to be approached with caution.

    In another case the claim that there is a straight difference 
(almah/parthenos -
sometimes given as the most important example of how the apostles used the 
Greek OT) is itself dubious or at least subject to lots of counterpoint.  And 
it 
actually only transfers the question of Greek/Hebrew-Tanach word 
compatibility 
from  the Greek NT to the Greek OT anyway (unless one makes the strange 
claim of putting the Greek over the Hebrew, a view for Isaiah which the DSS
has essentially nailed the coffin). 

Shalom,
Steven Avery
Queens, NY
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Messianic_Apologetic