The Evangelical Universalist Forum

Contradictions: OT V NT

I really appreciate that Paidion. Thank you.

Okay hereā€™s a new one. For some reason the NT author of Hebrews refers to Jeremiah 31 yet changes part of the verse. Which one is correct and why?

(ESV) Jeremiah 31: ā€œBehold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. 33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ā€˜Know the Lord,ā€™ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.ā€

(ESV) Hebrews 8:
8 For he finds fault with them when he says:
ā€œBehold, the days are coming, declares the Lord,
when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah,
9 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers
on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt.
For they did not continue in my covenant,
and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord.
10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
after those days, declares the Lord:
I will put my laws into their minds,
and write them on their hearts,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
11 And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor
and each one his brother, saying, ā€˜Know the Lord,ā€™
for they shall all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest.
12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities,
and I will remember their sins no more.ā€

The difference and no contradiction is this mikā€¦ the writer of Hebrews is quoting from the LXX which does read accordingly, whereas your Jeremiah quote is from the MT.

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Does this work in practice? Do you truly want the best for people whom you dislike?

Very good, qaz. I agree that this can be the case. The only reason I questioned it, is that it seems contrary to usual human emotion.

Obviously in my natural heart no but I believe Satan deceives many & I remind myself of that and it helps me let go of grudges so that I may wish the best for someone I dislike.

@davo The Septuagint is a translation of the OT scriptures which were in Hebrew. The words ā€œthough I was their husbandā€ are there for a purpose, so are all the other verses which havenā€™t been changed. I donā€™t think it matters at all if its from the Septuagint if the actual original language means something else. Shouldnā€™t we want a text that is original and correct?

There is a contradiction since it changes the meaning of the verse. In Hebrews 8, the text seems to disown the house of Israel, while in Jeremiah it does not. Those are completely different phrases.

We donā€™t so much as have any original ā€” everything we have are copies.

As for contradiction well no, IMO. Different is simply different, but not necessarily a contradiction. If I say the sky is blue you might say the shy is pinkā€¦ contradiction. If I say the sky is blue you might say the grass is greenā€¦ different for sure, but not a contradiction.

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@davo The Hebrew Bible doesnā€™t changeā€¦ period. If you go anywhere in the world and buy a Hebrew bible, they are all the same. No additions, no changes, no variations. Whereas with the NT we have a new one each week. Whatā€™s more reliable, the hebrew Bible or all of these NT texts based off the Septuagint?

I donā€™t see why you are defending changing a text from its original meaning.

Amazing!

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:neutral_face:

@davo Within the Dead Sea Scrolls the Hebrew does not include any vowels. The Masorites expanded on this text by adding the vowels (the dots either below or above the consonants) to make the written text (the Masoretic text) which had previously always been passed down orally. You would not have your beloved Septuagint if it werenā€™t for this. Since Jews believe that Gods word is holy above all else, changing the text is probably the worst crime you can ever commit. You are changing Gods word. Nothing is added to or taken away from what has been orally handed down in the Hebrew Scriptures.

Deuteronomy 4:2
2 You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you.

@qaz Iā€™ve added a different section If you would like to discuss that there.

This is too muchā€¦ I wonā€™t be the only one rolling my eyes mik.

You quote Jeremiah from the MT and then explain how the Masoretes ADDED to the text vowels, and then wax eloquent as to how changing the text is like the worst crime ever ā€” have you considered how your logic doesnā€™t stack up?

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The Masoretic text is them writing down exactly what was being said orally through all previous generations. They didnā€™t add anything or take anything away - just scribing what was said.

Well I was looking into it from the Jewish perspective and I believe thats exactly what they say.

FYIā€¦ Jesus and all the NT authors when quoting the OT predominately cite the LXX. Here is some homeworkā€¦ research the approximate dates of the extant LXX and Masoretic texts and see what you find. And hereā€™s something elseā€¦

Psa 47:10 of the MT readsā€¦ ā€œTo God are the shields of the earthā€. The LXX readsā€¦ ā€œTo God are the mighty ones of the earth.ā€ The metaphor ā€œshieldsā€ would have made little to no sense to those conversant with the Greek, as was the typical of dayā€¦ hence the words ā€œmighty onesā€ being substituted in order to retain the original meaning ā€” which the LXX translators understood.

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So learn what it says. There are many, many hebraisms that have not been translated, so you might as well change a whole lot more of the text if you go by that way of thinking. If you or anyone is trying to understand scripture, then we need to study it and not change it. I hope Im not being too rash with this whole thing, but I donā€™t think Im saying anything wrong.

Good video below.

And you know this (especially but not limited to the LXX) on what authority :question:

I donā€™t have any authority on Scripture, other than saying that I am a man of God looking for Truth from God. If you are honest and willing to search Scripture, you can find it.

Iā€™ve given quite a few examples of these in the subsection ā€œBiblical Hebrew Idioms.ā€