Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Rev. Bryant J. Williams III" <bjwvmw AT com-pair.net>]

Dear Doug,

1.    LXX: KURIOS; NT: KURIOS; Vulgate: Deus. Remember, the LXX is important, 
but it is the Hebrew-Aramaic Text of the Old Testament that is important for 
this issue. The Greek NT would have used the LXX in most of the quotes, but 
not all. To argue that kurios would have replaced the Tetragrammaton in the 
Greek text is an argument from silence; and a poor one at that.

2.    I doubt it very much; although it is possible, but not probable.

Contstantine had 50 copies of the Bible to be copied ca. 420 AD. Of those 
copies, Alexandrinus, Vaticanus, Sinaiticus and Washingtonensis are the 
survivors. The compiled the LXX: Greek OT, Apocryphas and NT.

Jerome, died in 419-420 AD, wrote the Vulgate ca. 380-400 AD. He knew of 
3different recensions of the LXX in his day, in Egypt (Hesychius), Syria 
(Lucian), and Palestine (Origen). In fact, Origen's Hexapla presented a 
proto-MT text with 6 columns of the Greek transliteration of the Hebrew, 
Aquila, Symmachus, the LXX, and Theodotion was completed between 240-245 AD. 
Column 5 was the LXX. He did not know of any recension of the LXX before he 
started work. He thought that the differences between the LXX and the 
proto-MT were due to the corruption of the LXX and the purity of the Hebrew. 
Thus, he noted differences between his sources and the LXX in the 5th column. 
He indicated the sources from which he made omissions and additions in 
relation to the proto-MT. Unfortunately, only the 5th column was copied over 
and over, the notes were lost and, eventually, the Hexapla was lost as well 
(a portion of the Psalms was recently discovered). Thus, there is not Greek 
manuscripts available that preserve his careful work.

There are Greek mss available, but the quality and quantity of the work is 
definitely in question. Most of this is due to the accidents of history both 
for and against the preservation of the mss. Wars, heat, moisture, bad 
scribal habits, etc. have contributed to this decline or absence. I would 
reserve judgement until the entire process is worked out. Frequently, claims 
are made that when brought out into the full light of day are found to be 
wanting; they aren't there. You and I could name legions of claims that when 
later looked at were false claims.

En Xristwi,

Rev. Bryant J. Williams III