Hebraica veritas versus Septuaginta auctoritatem
Does a Canonical Text of the Old Testament Exist?
- Biblical Studies & Commentaries
- Publisher: Pickwick Publications (Wipf and Stock)
- Published: 2024
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Publisher's Description
At the end of the fourth century, Jerome decided to translate the Old Testament into Latin from the Hebrew manuscripts that were available to him, and not from the "traditional" Greek text. This fact provoked a reaction from Augustine, who considered that the Greek translation of the LXX must be the starting point of every translation, since it had the authority of the apostles. The two great figures of the Latin West engaged in a dialectical battle in which we find clearly delineated the two principles which are in tension and which have determined the reception of the biblical text down to our time: the value of the "original" text (hebraica veritas) and the authority of the text received by the church (Septuaginta auctoritas). In facing this "battle," we are dealing with some very up-to-date questions: Is it possible to speak of a canonical text of the Old Testament? In what language is that text? On what text should our liturgical translations be based? Is there an "original" text of the Bible? Can an ancient version be superior to the text it is translating? What is the value of the LXX?
Endorsements (5)
“Ignacio Carbajosa provides an excellent introduction into ancient church controversies around the need for a Scripture translation into Latin by Jerome and into its subsequent canonicity and the modern repercussions. The ancient documents have been thoroughly researched, are presented in a lively fashion, and give the reader, expert, and layman alike, much food for thought.”
“Taking as his starting point the rivalry between Jerome’s hebraica veritas and Augustine’s Septuaginta auctoritas, Ignacio Carbajosa skillfully illustrates how, mutatis mutandis, the tension between the two positions still exists in modern biblical scholarship. The synthesis which he suggests happens also to be of particular relevance for biblical translations used in liturgical worship. This is a highly illuminating and most welcome discussion.”
“Modern Christians face many options for a Bible. Which is the right one? The same question confronted Jerome and Augustine, two giants of early Christian theology who discussed this matter and came to different conclusions. This slender volume enables us to listen in on their conversation. Approaching the matter from a Roman Catholic perspective, Ignacio Carbajosa provides expert guidance through the maze of issues posed by this wonderful book’s title.”
“For the church, does scriptural authority lie in the Hebrew text of the Old Testament, or in the ancient Greek Septuagint translation? This is a wonderfully clear and accessible exposition of the debate first initiated by St. Augustine and St. Jerome, and why it mattered both then and now. Aimed at an educated readership in Catholic circles, the book will also be of interest to anyone involved in biblical studies.”
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