The Septuagint: The Greek Bible the Apostles Read

Around 250 B.C., in Alexandria, Jewish scholars began translating the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek. The legend says seventy-two translators; history says generations of work. The result, the Septuagint, became the Bible of the Greek-speaking world: the text Paul quoted, the text the Gospels cite, the text that carried words like "Logos" and "parthenos" into the vocabulary of the New Testament. This documentary tells the story of the most consequential translation ever made. 📖 In this documentary: ✅ Alexandria, Ptolemy II, and the Letter of Aristeas: legend and history ✅ How the Torah became Greek, and why the Diaspora needed it ✅ Isaiah 7:14: almah, parthenos, and the oldest translation debate in the world ✅ The deuterocanonical books: why Bibles differ to this day ✅ Justin and Trypho: when Christians and Jews argued over the same text ✅ Aquila's retranslation, and the parting of the ways ✅ From the LXX to the Vulgate, Luther, and Trent: the long afterlife 📜 A NOTE ON APPROACH Christianity was not "created" by a translation: it was born reading one. Roughly two thirds of the Old Testament quotations in the New Testament follow the Septuagint. The famous debate over Isaiah 7:14, "almah" in Hebrew, "parthenos" in Greek, is presented here as what it is: a real and ancient discussion, older than Christianity itself, which Jewish and Christian readers still resolve differently. This documentary presents the history and both readings; the theology remains with the viewer. The "Council of Yavneh" is presented as modern scholarship sees it: an academy and a process, not a formal council vote. SOURCES & REFERENCES Primary Ancient Sources: The Letter of Aristeas (2nd century BC pseudepigraphical text describing the translation legend), Flavius Josephus (Jewish Antiquities, 1st century AD), Philo of Alexandria (1st century AD Jewish philosopher), Justin Martyr (Dialogue with Trypho, 2nd century AD), Irenaeus of Lyon, Clement of Alexandria, Origen of Alexandria, Jerome (Vulgate translation, 4th century AD), Augustine of Hippo, Eusebius of Caesarea. Ancient Translations: The Septuagint (LXX, 3rd-2nd century BC), Aquila of Sinope's Greek translation (2nd century AD), The Latin Vulgate (382 AD). Major Manuscripts: Codex Vaticanus (4th century AD), Codex Sinaiticus (4th century AD), Codex Alexandrinus (5th century AD), Dead Sea Scrolls discovered at Qumran in 1947, Masoretic Text. Church Councils: Council of Yavneh (c. 90 AD), Council of Hippo (393 AD), Council of Carthage (397 AD), Council of Trent (1546 AD). Deuterocanonical Books Discussed: Judith, Tobit, Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus (Sirach), Baruch, 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees. Key Biblical Passages Analyzed: Isaiah 7:14 (almah vs. parthenos), Psalm 22, Genesis 49:10, 2 Maccabees 12:46, Tobit 4:11, John 1:1 (logos). Historical Figures: Ptolemy II Philadelphus (King of Egypt, 3rd century BC), Alexander the Great, High Priest Eleazar, Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai, Rabbi Akiva, Martin Luther, Pope Damasus I. 📖 ABOUT THIS CHANNEL Every episode is grounded in primary sources and academic scholarship. I research and write each one myself; AI assists with narration and visuals. #septuagint #biblicalhistory #oldtestament #biblemanuscripts #churchhistory