https://youtu.be/5GCQ8rH2eXc
Septuagint or Masoretic
– Mark 1-11
Post-Apostolic Church
INTRO
Let’s continue comparing the Hebrew Masoretic with the
Greek Septuagint by going through the New Testament and seeing which manuscript
family the writers used when quoting from the Old Testament. In this video, we will be looking at Mark chapters
1 to 11. The running count of verses will continue from the last
video.
MARK 1:2-3
Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who shall
prepare your way. The voice of one
crying in the wilderness, make you ready the way of the Lord, make his paths
straight. (Mark 1:2-3 (ASV))
Verse 2 is a quotation from Malachi 3:1, and verse 3 is a quotation from Isaiah 40:3. Both of these quotations are also found in Matthew. Verse 2 is quoted in Matthew 11:10, and verse 3 is quoted in Matthew 3:3. There are two verses being quoted here, and Mark’s reading is the same as Matthew’s. So the conclusion is the same for both quotations. They more closely follow the Septuagint.
[Verses: 52. Both: 27.
LXX: 13. MT: 10.]
MARK 4:12
Mark 4:12 is about why
Jesus taught in parables. It reads,
That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing
they may hear, and not understand; lest haply they should turn again, and it
should be forgiven them. (Mark 4:12 (ASV))
This was also quoted in
Matthew 13:14-15, but the reading in Mark is different. This is a quotation from Isaiah 6:9-10. The Masoretic reads,
Hear you indeed, but understand not; and
see you indeed, but perceive not...; lest they… turn again, and be healed. (Is 6:9-10 (ASV))
The Septuagint reads,
You shall hear indeed, but you shall not
understand; and you shall see indeed, but you shall not perceive…. Lest they… be converted, and I should heal
them. (Is 6:9-10 (Brenton))
This is not a direct quotation. We see that Mark switches the phrases about seeing and hearing. Mark also does not say “heal,” as both the Masoretic and the Septuagint say. Instead, Mark says “forgive.” In this quotation, twice does Mark not directly quote from the Old Testament. Yet, the Masoretic and Septuagint read the same. In this case, Mark follows neither.
[Verses: 53. Both: 27.
LXX: 13. MT: 10.]
MARK 7:6-7
Mark 7:6-7 is about Jesus
sharing Isaiah’s prophecy about hypocrites.
It reads,
Well did Isaiah prophecy of you hypocrites, as it is
written: “This people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from
me. But in vain do they worship me,
teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men.” (Mark 7:6-7 (ASV))
This is a quotation from Isaiah 29:13. This quotation is also found in Matthew 15:8-9. Mark’s reading is the same as Matthew’s. [3.3] As before, it is clearly seen that Mark is following the Septuagint.
[Verses: 54. Both: 27.
LXX: 14. MT: 10.]
MARK 7:10
Mark 7:10 is when
Jesus accuses the Pharisees and scribes for violating the Fifth Commandment. It reads,
For Moses said, “Honor your father and your mother,” and, “He
that speaks evil of father or mother, let him die the death.” (Mark 7:10 (ASV))
Jesus is quoting two passages. The first is from Exodus 20:12 (as well as the parallel passage in Deuteronomy 5:16). The second is from Exodus 21:17. This quotation is also found in Matthew 15:4. Mark’s reading is the same as Matthew’s. Mark is following both.
[Verses: 55. Both: 28.
LXX: 14. MT: 10.]
MARK 9:44, 46, 48
Mark 9:48 is when
Jesus is describing Hell. In the Byzantine
family of manuscripts (also called the Majority Text), Jesus says this verse
three times: in verses 44 and 46 and 48.
It reads,
Where their worm dies not, and the fire is not
quenched. (Mark 9:48 (ASV))
This is a quotation
from Isaiah 66:24. The
Masoretic reads,
They shall go forth, and look upon the dead bodies of the
men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither
shall their fire be quenched. And they
shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.
(Is 66:24 (ASV))
The Septuagint reads,
They shall go forth, and see the carcasses of the men that
have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, and their fire
shall not be quenched. And they shall be
a spectacle to all flesh. (Is 66:24
(Brenton))
All readings perfectly agree exact that Mark drops the pronoun “their” which would appear right before “fire.” Mark is following both.
[Verses: 56. Both: 29.
LXX: 14. MT: 10.]
MARK 10:6-8
Mark 10:6-8 is when
Jesus was teaching on marriage and divorce.
It reads,
Male and female made he them.
For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and
shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh. (Mark 10:6-8 (ASV))
This is a quotation
from Genesis 1:27 (and Gen 5:2) and 2:24. The Masoretic reads,
Male and female created he them. (Gen 1:27 (ASV))
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and
shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. (Gen 2:24 (ASV))
The Septuagint reads,
Male and female he made them. (Gen 1:27 (Brenton))
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and
shall cleave to his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. (Gen 2:24 (Brenton))
All readings agree. Mark is following both.
As a side note, Mark
quotes from the Septuagint EXACTLY except that Jesus adds one word: toward. Literally, Jesus said, “and shall cleave
toward his wife.” The word for “toward”
does not appear in the Septuagint. In
English, “toward” and “to” mean the same thing in this case. But the translation of Mark would be slightly
more accurate to if it said “toward” or “unto.”
[Verses: 57. Both: 30.
LXX: 14. MT: 10.]
MARK 10:19
Mark 10:19 is when Jesus
speaks to the Rich Young Ruler about the commandments. It reads,
You know the commandments: do not kill, do not commit
adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honor your
father and mother. (Mark 10:19 (ASV))
This is a quotation
from Exodus 20:12-16. [7.2] The
Masoretic reads,
Honor your father and your mother.... You shall not kill. You shall not
commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false
witness. (Ex 20:12-16 (ASV))
The Septuagint reads,
Honor your father and your mother.... You shall not commit adultery. You
shall not steal. You shall not kill.
You shall not bear false witness.
(Ex 20:12-16 (ASV))
Between all three readings, the order of the commandments is different. For example, Jesus places honoring father and mother at the end. And the Masoretic and the Septuagint places do not kill in different places. Since all three have a different order, this shows that the order does not matter.
What are some other differences? Jesus leaves out the pronoun before mother, which appear in both the Masoretic and the Septuagint.
But the big difference is an additional commandment that Jesus adds to his list for the Rich Young Ruler, “Do not defraud.” Though this is very similar to “do not steal,” this is not one of the Ten Commandments. Because Jesus did not quote this from the Ten Commandments, it should not be considered as we compare the Greek and the Hebrew. Either Jesus is referring to another commandment in the Law or Jesus is adding it to the list of commandments that this Rich Young Ruler needs to hear. The Greek word is used twice in the Old Testament (Ex 21:10, Mal 3:5) and six times in the New Testament (Mark 10:19, 1Cor 6:7, 6:8, 7:5, 1Tim 6:5, Jam 5:4). The word means to deprive; that is, to promise something and then withhold it. In context, the Bible refers to employers not paying due wages to their employees or spouses withholding sex from their spouse.
These differences we see are very minor when it comes to comparing the Greek and the Hebrew. All readings agree. Mark is following both.
[Verses: 58. Both: 31.
LXX: 14. MT: 10.]
MARK 11:9
Mark 11:9 is when the
people are celebrating Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. It reads,
Hosanna! Blessed is
he that comes in the name of the Lord!
(Mark 11:9 (ASV))
This is a quotation
from Psalm 118:25-26. The
Masoretic reads,
Save now, we beseech you, O Jehovah: O Jehovah, we beseech
you, send now prosperity. Blessed be he
that comes in the name of Jehovah. (Ps
118:25-26 (ASV))
The Septuagint reads,
O Lord, save now: O Lord, send now prosperity. Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord. (Ps 118:25-26 (Brenton))
The only major difference between the Masoretic and Septuagint is how the Masoretic has the tetragrammaton and the Septuagint has “the Lord.” This was addressed in a previous video when this quotation was given in Matthew. Click here if you would like to revisit that discussion.
All readings agree. Mark is following both.
[Verses: 59. Both: 32.
LXX: 14. MT: 10.]
MARK 11:17
Mark 11:17 is when
Jesus was cleansing the temple. It
reads,
He taught, and said unto them, “Is it not written, ‘My
house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations?’ But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’ “ (Mark 11:17 (ASV))
This is a quotation
from Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11. The Masoretic reads,
For my house shall be called a house of prayer for all
peoples. (Is 56:7 (ASV))
Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of
robbers in your eyes? (Jer 7:11 (ASV))
The Septuagint reads,
For my house shall be called a house of prayer for all
nations. (Is 56:7 (Brenton))
Is my house, whereon my name is called, a den of robbers in
your eyes? (Jer 7:11 (Brenton))
This quotation was also found in Matthew 21:13. There, all readings agreed. Here, there is one difference. Jesus added the other part of Isaiah 56:7 and said, “for all the nations.” Jesus uses the Greek word “ethnos,” which is translated nations or Gentiles. The same Greek word is found in the Septuagint. In the Masoretic, the Hebrew word is not the word for nations (goy) but the word for people (am). By saying ethnos (nations, Gentiles), Jesus was saying that the temple is not only for Jews but also for non-Jews. This has a greater significance than just saying “peoples” which is more general. Jesus is following the Septuagint.
[Verses: 60. Both: 32.
LXX: 15. MT: 10.]
CREDITS
That is enough for now. But we will continue looking at New Testament quotations from the Old Testament next year.
Blessings and so forth.
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