THE PRINCIPLE UNDERLYING THE QUOTATIONS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT IN THE NEW

It is a fact that in quotations from the Old Testament the Greek text sometimes differs from the Hebrew.

The difficulties found in connection with this subject arise from our thinking and speaking only of the human agent as the writer, instead of having regard to the fact the the Word of God is the record of the words which He Himself employed when He spoke "at sundry times and in divers manners" (Heb 1.1, see Ap 95); and from not remembering (or believing) that "holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost" (II Pet 1:27, and cp Matt 15:4. Mark 12:36. Acts 1:16, 3:18; 28:25. Heb 3:7; 9:8; 10:15).

If we believe that throughout the Scriptures we have the words of God, and not of man, all difficulties vanish. The difficulties are created by first assuming that we are dealing with merely human documents, and then denying the Divine Speaker and Author the right that is claimed by every human writer for himself.

It thus seems that man may take any liberty he chooses in quoting, adapting, or repeating in a varied form his own previously written words; but that he denies the Divine Author of the Holy Scripture the right to deal in the same manner with His own words. This is the cause of all the so called "discrepancies" and "difficulties" arising from man's ignorance.

The Holy Spirit, in referring to words which He has before caused to be written in connection with the special circumstances of each particular case, frequently refers to them again in relation to different circumstances and other cases. He could have employed other words had He chosen to do so; but it has pleased Him to repeat His own words, introducing them in different connections, with other applications, and in new senses.

All these things are done, and words are even sometimes changed, in order to bring out some new truth for our learning. This is lost upon us when we charge upon God our own ignorance, and the supposed infirmities of human agencies.

There is surely, all the difference in the world between to rhethen = that which was spoken, and ho gegraptai = that which standeth written. If we deliberately substitute the one for the other, of course there is a discrepancy; but it is of our own creating. This at once disposes of two of the greatest and most serious of so called discrepancies, Matt 2:23 and 27:9 (see Ap 161).

One other consideration will help us when the quotations are prophecies. prophecies are the utterances of Jehovah; and Jehovah is He Who was, and is, and is to come - the Eternal. His words therefore partake of His attributes, and may often have a past and present as well as future reference and fulfillment (See Ap 103); and (1) a prophecy may refer to the then present circumstance under which it is spoken; (2) it may have a further and subsequent reference to some great crises, which does not exhaust it; and (3) it may require a final reference, which shall be the consummation, and which shall fill it full, and thus be said to fulfill it.

Certain prophecies may therefore have a preterite reference, as well as a future fulfillment; but these are too often separated, and the part is put for the whole, one truth being used to upset another truth, to the contempt of Divine utterances, and to the destruction of brotherly love.

The principles underlying the New Testament quotations were fully set out by SOLOMON GLASSIUS (A.D. 1623) in his great work (written in Latin) entitled, Philologia Sacra, chapter on "Gnomes"; and, as this has never been improved upon, we follow it here.

The notes on the N.T. passages must be consulted for further information, e.g. Luke 4:18 (II.1, below).

I. As to their INTERNAL form: i.e. the sense as distinct from the words: -

1. Where the sense originally intended by the Holy Spirit is preserved, though the words may vary.

Matt 1:23 (Isa 7:13,14), "spoken", see above. Matt 2:6 (Mic 5:2); 3:3 (Isa 40:3); 11:10 (*1) (Mal 3:1); 12:17 (Isa 42:1-4); 13:14, 15 (*s) (Isa 6:9,10); 21:16 (*s) (Ps 8:2); 21:42 (*s) (Ps 118:22,23); 22:44 (*s) (Ps 110:1); 26:31 (Zech 13:7); 27:35 (*s) (Ps 22:18); Mark 15:28 (Isa 53:12). Luke 4:18-21 (Isa 61:1,2). John 19:37 (Zech 12:10); Acts 3:22,23 (*s) (Deut 18:15- 19); 13:33 (*s) (Ps 2:7); 15:16,17 (Amos 9:11,12). Rom 14:11 (Isa 45:23); 15:3 (*s) (Ps 69:9); 15:12 (*s) (Isa 11:1,10). Eph 4:8 (Ps 68:18). Heb 1:8,9 (*s) (Ps 45:6,7); 1:10-13(*s) (Ps 102:25); 5:6 and 7:17,21 (Ps 110:4); 10:5,6 (*s) (Ps 40:6-9). See below, II 3a). I Pet 2:6 (*s) (Isa 28:16).

2. Where the original sense is modified, and used with a new and different application.

Matt 12:40 (Jonah 1:17). John 3:14,15 (Num 21:8,9); 19:36 (Ex 12:46). Eph 5:31,32 (Gen 2:23,24)

3. Where the sense is ACCOMMODATED, being different from its first use, and is adapted to quite a different event or circumstance.

Matt 2:15 (*h) (Hos 11:1); 2:17,18 (Jer 31:15); 8:17 (*h) (Isa 53:4); 13:35, "spoken" (Ps 78:2); 15:8,9 (Isa 29:13); 27:9,10 (*2) Acts 13:40,41 (*s) (Hab 1:5). Rom 9: 27,28 (*s*) (Isa 10:22,23); 9:29 (*s) (Isa 1:9); 10:6(*s),7,8(*s) (Deut 30:12-14). I Cor 1:19,20 (Isa 29:14; 33:18); 10:6 (Ex 32:6-25). Rev 1:7 (Zech 12:10); 1:17 (Isa 41:4); 11:4 (Zech 4:3,11,14).

II. As to their EXTERNAL form: i.e. the words, as distinct from the sense.

1. Where the words are from the Hebrew text or Septuagint version.

Matt 12:7 (Hos 6:6); 22:32 (*h) (Ex 3:6); Mark 12:26 (*h) (Ex 3:6); 11:17 (*h) (Isa 56:17) Jer 7:11). Luke 4:18 (Isa 61:1,2).

2. Where the words are varied by omission, addition, or transpostition.

Matt 4:10 (Deut 6:13; 10:20); 4:15,16 (Isa 9:1,2); 5:31 (Deut 24:1); 5:38 (Ex 21:24 Lev 24:20); 12:18-21 (Isa 42:1-4); 19:5 (*s) (Gen 2:24); 22:24 (Deut 25:5,6). Rom 11:3,4 (I Kings 19:10,14,18) I Cor 2:9 (Isa 64:4); 14:21 (Isa 28:11,12) I Pet 1:24,25 (Isa 40:6-8).

3. Where the words are changed, by a various reading, or by an inference, or in Number, Person,Mood or Tense.

The necessity for this is constantly experienced today in adapting a quotation for any special purpose beyond its original intention. It is no less authoritative as Scripture, nor does it alter the Word of God.

a. By a different reading.

Heb 10:5 (*s) (Ps 40:6; see the notes in both passages).

b. By an inference.

Matt 2:6 (Micah 5:2). See notes. Acts 7:43 (Amos 5:25-27) Rom 9:27 (*s) (Isa 10:22); 9:29 (Isa 1:9); 9:23 (Isa 28:16); Eph 4:8 (Ps 68:18).

c. In number.

Matt 4:7 (Deut 6:16), Rom 4:7 (Ps 32:1); Rom 10:15 (Isa 52:7).

4. Where two or more citations are combined. Composite quotations.

This is a common practice in all literature.

PLATO (429 - 347 B.C.) Ion, p.538, connects two lines from HOMER (about 850 B.C.), one from Iliad, xi.1.638, and the other from I. 630.

XENOPHON ( 430 - 357 B.C.) Memorabilia, Bk.I ch2, 58, gives as one quotation two passages from Homer (Iliad, ii.188, &c., and 198, &c.)

LUCIAN (A.D. 160) in his charon, 22, combines five lines together from HOMER from different passages (Iliad, ix 319, 320; and Odyssey, x.521 and xi 539).

PLUTARCH (about A.D.46) in his Progress in Virtue, combines in one sentence Homer (Odyssey, vi 187, and xxiv 402).

CICERO (106 - 43 B.C.) De Oratore, Bk II 80, combines in two lines parts of Terence's lines (Andria, 115, 116, Parry's Edn.).

PHILO (20 B.C. -A.D. 40) in Who is the Heir of Divine Things (5), quotes, as one address of Moses, parts of two others (Num 11:13 and 22). In the same treatise (46) he combines parts of Gen 17:19 and 18:14.

Illustrations could be given from English authors.

Man may make a mistake in doing this, but not so the Holy Spirit.

In Matt 21:5, Isa 62:11 is combined with Zech 9:9

In Matt 21:13, Isa 56:7 is combined with Jer 7:11

In Mark 1:2,3, Mal 3:1 is combined with Isa 40:3

In Luke 1:16,17, Mal 4:5,6 is combined with 3:1

In Luke 3:4,5, Mal 3:1 is combined with Isa 40:3

In Acts 1:20, Ps 69:25 is combined with 109:8

In Rom 3:10-12, Eccles. 7:20 is combined with Ps 14:2,3 and 53:2,3

In Rom 3:13-18, Ps 5:9 is combined with Isa 59:7,8 and Ps 36:1

In Rom 9:33, Isa 28:16 is combined with 8:14

In Rom 11:26,27 (*s) Isa 59:20,21 is combined with 27:9

In I Cor 15:54-56, Isa 25:8 is combined with Hos 13:14

In II Cor 6:16, Lev 26:11 is combined with Ezek 37:27

In Gal 3:8, Gen 12:3 is combined with 18:18

In I Pet 2:7,8, Ps 118:22 is combined with Isa 8:14.

5. Where quotations are made from secular writers.

See notes on Acts 17:22,23, and 28. I Cor 15:33. Col 2:21. Tit 1:12.

NOTES

(*1) And the parallel passages in the other Gospels, which can be easily found.

(*s) This denotes that it agrees with the Septuagint Version in these cases, and not with the Hebrew.

(*s*) it denotes that it is nearly, but not exactly, the same.

(*h) This denotes that it agrees with the Hebrew, but not with the Septuagint Version.

(*2) This was "spoken", not written, and is therefore not a quotation. See Ap 161.