A Quest for the Assumed LXX Vorlage of the Explicit Quotations in Hebrews by Gert J Steyn Dissertation presented for the degree of Doctor Litterarum (Biblical Languages) at Stellenbosch University Department of Ancient Studies Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Promoter: Prof. Dr. Johann Cook Co-promoter: Prof. Dr. Johan Thom March 2009 DECLARATION I, the undersigned, hereby declare that the work contained in this dissertation is my own original work and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it at any university for a degree. Signature: ___________________________ Date: 30 January 2009 Copyright © 2009 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved ii Abstract The Vorlage of the explicit quotations in Hebrews remains an unresolved matter to date – despite the fact that it is an important pre-requisite before one can attempt to investigate the function of the quotations within their NT context. The selection, origin and version of the explicit quotations is a neglected aspect of previous studies. This Quest attempted to address these matters mainly from a tradition historical and a text critical angle. It follows the ground plan of Hebrews‘ own presentation of two sets of quotations in pairs – the first set consisting of hymnic texts and the second a quotation from the Torah, which is alternated between quotations from the Psalms and from the Prophets. The investigation considers each quotation in the light of possible alternative Vorlage(n) to those of the printed versions and interacts with previously proposed hypotheses – such as the ―Testimony Book‖ hypothesis, liturgy-, homily-, and midrash hypotheses. It became clear during the course of the investigation that, although Hebrews might have known a large number of quotations from the early Jewish (DSS; Philo) and early Christian (Paul, Gospels) traditions, he also expanded on some of those and added some other (mainly the longer) quotations. The latter include, for instance, Pss 40(39), 95(94), and Jer 31(38) – often accompanied by the author‘s reworking and own midrash on the passage with ring compositional features. The quotations are almost always introduced with a verb of saying and with a large number of them being presented in combination with a reference to an existing promise of God. Regarding the Dead Sea Scrolls, there are a number of similarities between particularly 4QMidrEschat, the Hodayot and the Pesharim – documents that are representative of a hermeneutic tradition of creatively working with and interpreting OT passages. Almost all of the Torah quotations are brief and (including the quotation from Prov 3) occurred already in the works of Philo of Alexandria, mainly in his Legum allegoriae 3. Their readings agree with each other – both of them often against the LXX and MT versions, which might be an indication of another version (the ―Old Greek?‖) that was used by both. Quotations that show an overlap with the then existing NT literature at the time that Hebrews wrote, are almost exclusively to be found in Romans and 1 Corinthians. The early Christian liturgical formula of the institution of the Eucharist seemed to have played a role in at least the quotation pair Exod 24:8 (―blood‖) and Ps 40:7-9 (―body‖). iii There is sufficient evidence that the author himself was responsible for the majority of the combinations of the quotations, though there are traces of the existence of exegetical traditions that combined particular passages prior to his time. An interesting inclination towards hymnic tendencies was discovered. The use of Psalms, Odes, hymnic reworkings and compositions of his quoted texts all testify to this. The study concludes that so-called ―differences‖ between Hebrews and ―the‖ LXX could be explained, on the one hand, in the light of an alternative Vorlage where the readings of the quotations seem to be closer to an Egyptian text tradition, based on P46, Codex B and others, and on the other hand, in the light of the author‘s own creative hand. iv Opsomming Die Vorlage van die eksplisiete sitate in Hebreërs bly tot op hede ‘n onopgeloste aangeleentheid – ten spyte van die feit dat dit ‗n belangrike voorvereiste is alvorens daar gepoog kan word om die funksie van die aanhalings binne hulle NT konteks te ondersoek. Die seleksie, oorsprong en weergawe van die eksplisiete aanhalings is ‘n leemte in vorige ondersoeke. Hierdie Soektog poog om hierdie aspekte hoofsaaklik vanuit ‘n tradisie-historiese en ‘n tekskritiese hoek aan te spreek. Dit volg die matriks van Hebreërs se eie aanbieding met twee stelle sitate wat in pare aangebied word. Die eerste stel bestaan uit himniese tekste, die tweede bied ‘n aanhaling uit die Tora, wat telkens afgewissel word deur ‘n aanhaling uit die Psalms en die Profete. Die ondersoek oorweeg elke aanhaling in die lig van ‘n moontlike alternatiewe Vorlage en tree in interaksie met vorige voorgestelde hipoteses – soos die ―Testimonium Boek‖ hipotese, liturgiese-, homiletiese-, en midrash hipoteses. Dit het duidelik geword tydens die ondersoek dat, alhoewel Hebreërs bekend was met ‘n groot aantal aanhalings vanuit vroeg-Joodse (Dooie See Rolle; Filo) en vroeg-Christelike (Paulus, Evangelies) tradisies, dat hy ook enkele hiervan uitgebrei het en andere weer toegevoeg het (veral die langer sitate). Laasgenoemde sluit byvoorbeeld Pss 40(39), 95(94), en Jer 31(38) in – wat dikwels vergesel word van die outeur se eie herwerkings en kommentaar op die passasie by wyse van ringskomposisionele eienskappe. Die sitate word bykans altyd ingelui met ‘n werkwoord van sê. ‘n Groot deel hiervan word ook aangebied in kombinasie met ‘n bestaande ―belofte van God.‖ Aangaande die Dooie See Rolle is daar heelwat ooreenkomste te merk met veral 4QMidrEschat, die Hodayot en die Pesharim – almal dokumente wat ‘n hermeneutiese tradisie van kreatiewe interaksie en interpretasie van OT passasies verteenwoordig. Feitlik al die aanhalings uit die Tora is kort en kom voor by Filo van Aleksandrië (insluitende die sitaat van Spreuke 3), hoofsaaklik in sy Legum allegoriae 3. Beide se tekslesings stem ook ooreen – dikwels teen die MT en die LXX weergawes, wat moontlik mag dui op ‘n ander LXX weergawe (die ―Ou Grieks?‖) wat deur beide benut was. Aanhalings wat ‘n ooreenkoms vertoon met bestaande NT literatuur word grotendeels gevind in Romeine en 1 Korintiërs. Dit blyk ook asof die vroeg-Christelike liturgiese formule wat die Eugaristie inlui ‘n rol gespeel het – minstens by die sitaat-paar van Exod 24:8 (―bloed‖) en Ps 40:7-9 (―liggaam‖). Daar is voldoende bewys dat die outeur self verantwoordelik was vir meeste van die sitaatkombinasies, alhoewel daar ook spore van die bestaan van enkeles vanuit die eksegetiese v tradisie voor Hebreërs te bespeur is. ‘n Interessante neiging tot himniese tekste was ontdek. Die gebruik van Psalms, Odes, himniese verwerkings en komposisies van die skrywer se gesiteerde tekste ondersteun hierdie aspek. Die studie konkludeer dat die sogenaamde ―verskille‖ tussen Hebreërs en ―die‖ LXX enersyds verklaar kan word aan die hand van ‗n alternatiewe Vorlage waar die lesings van die sitate nader blyk te wees aan P46, kodeks B, en andere, asook andersyds aan die hand van die skrywer se eie kreatiewe insette. vi Acknowledgment I am indebted to a number of colleagues and institutions mainly from Germany, Belgium, Scotland and South Africa for their assistance and support during the different stages of this Quest. Gratitude is hereby expressed to: The Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung for grants that assisted me to stay a total of twelve months in Germany during 2002-2003 and 2007-2008. Prof. Dr. Dietrich-Alex Koch (to whom this work is dedicated) a highly respected colleague and friend, who was of immense help – especially during the initial and the final stages of the investigation – always supportive with wisdom, meticulousness, critical thinking and practical advise. His hospitality and that of the Evangelisch-Theologische Fakultät of the Westfälische-Wilhelms Universität Münster (Westf.), Germany, which provided office space and resources during my research visits, enabled me to concentrate on this quest. Prof. Dr. Hans Ausloos from the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium, who kindly provided an opportunity during the summer of 2005 to expand my base of needed secondary literature. The opportunities and financial assistance that were made available by the Universities of Louvain and Pretoria as part of their staff co-operation programme, is deeply appreciated. It certainly helped a great deal in getting closer to relevant resources and initial answers to the quest for the Vorlage. Prof. Dr. Timothy Lim and the School of Divinity at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, who graciously invited me as Research Fellow and accommodated me to further my research in this direction – after having discovered some similarities between the Dead Sea Scrolls and the quotations in Hebrews – providing opportunities to test some further results during my stay in the summer of 2006. Access to the library and staff facilities enabled me to make progress on the myriad of loose ends during these critical stages in my quest for the Vorlage. Prof. Dr. Johann Cook and Prof. Dr. Johan Thom from the Department of Ancient Studies within the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Stellenbosch University who were prepared to consider this project for my second doctorate and to walk with me during the last two years of my quest. They should be thanked for their valuable comments, support and assistance. Since I was introduced to the technicalities of the Septuagint by Johann Cook in 1987, and given the fact that he is a leading specialist and one of the world vii authorities on the Septuagint, it was not only a natural choice to choose him as supervisor, but also a great honour. Specific opportunities created during my research stays in Germany in order to assist me in testing some of the initial results during conferences and colloquia, assisted further in setting the parameters of this quest.