Does the Catholic Church Consider the LXX Divinely Inspired?

[Dave_Noonan]

Varietates Legitimae (1994), paragraph 9, in part, states the following:

“The encounter between the Jewish world and Greek wisdom gave rise to a new form of inculturation: the translation of the Bible into Greek introduced the word of God into a world that had been closed to it and caused, under divine inspiration, an enrichment of the Scriptures.”

So then am I interpreting this correctly, that Catholics consider the translation of the OT into Greek an event of divine inspiration? (This would be similar, I think, to the way the Greek Orthodox think about the Septuagint, but perhaps someone would be kind enough to weigh in here.)

I’m curious then as to why an English translation such as the NAB/RNAB follows the Hebrew text (Massoretic Text), except, of course, when certain critical differences arise or in the same vein, in the translation of texts where there is no Hebrew original. Are there officially approved Catholic translations of the Septuagint into English? If so, does anyone know which version of the Septuagint is used?

Thanks!

 

[MarcoPolo]

I’m not aware of an explicit statement on the inspiration of the translation per se, however, it does seem that Christ and the Apostles quoted the Septuagint as God’s word.

 

[Dave_Noonan]

I’m not aware of an explicit statement on the inspiration of the translation per se, however, it does seem that Christ and the Apostles quoted the Septuagint as God’s word.

The statement I was quoting seems pretty explicit, at least to me, although I don’t know how authoritative Catholics would consider it to be. How do you interpret it?

 

[MarcoPolo]

The statement I was quoting seems pretty explicit, at least to me, although I don’t know how authoritative Catholics would consider it to be. How do you interpret it?

Even as you worded it, the statement could be read that the act of translation was a divinely inspired event - not necessarily that the translation itself was divinely inspired. That seems to be the meaning of the text you quote - although what you quoted was probably itself translated from Latin.

What exactly is the Orthodox position you mention?

 

[Dave_Noonan]

Even as you worded it, the statement could be read that the act of translation was a divinely inspired event - not necessarily that the translation itself was divinely inspired. That seems to be the meaning of the text you quote - although what you quoted was probably itself translated from Latin.

What exactly is the Orthodox position you mention?

OK, I guess that makes some sense…maybe

The way I understand it, the Greek Orthodox consider the Septuagint to be a divinely inspired translation–although I was actually hoping someone would weigh in on that too.

I find belief in divinely inspired translations to be a pretty interesting way of compensating for lack of any “originals” of biblical texts. As you may know, some groups consider the King James Version to be a divinely inspired translation.

 

[Dave_Noonan]

Even as you worded it, the statement could be read that the act of translation was a divinely inspired event - not necessarily that the translation itself was divinely inspired. That seems to be the meaning of the text you quote - although what you quoted was probably itself translated from Latin.

What exactly is the Orthodox position you mention?

I guess I’m also wondering what the Catholic Church means by the Septuagint being an “enrichment of Scripture.”

 

[MarcoPolo]

OK, I guess that makes some sense…maybe

The way I understand it, the Greek Orthodox consider the Septuagint to be a divinely inspired translation–although I was actually hoping someone would weigh in on that too.

I find belief in divinely inspired translations to be a pretty interesting way of compensating for lack of any “originals” of biblical texts. As you may know, some groups consider the King James Version to be a divinely inspired translation.

I don’t have a problem with that Orthodox sentiment (if it is their sentiment). I say that because of Christ’s and the Apostles “certification” so to speak of those Greek texts.

I guess I’m also wondering what the Catholic Church means by the Septuagint being an “enrichment of Scripture.”

I would think at the least it meant making it easier to understand, making it something closer to the hearts of the largely Greek speaking community.