Why the SEPTUAGINT Matters in Understanding Early Christianity

To purchase Dr. Gallagher's Book: https://amzn.to/3MyaOq9 (Affiliate link) What role did the Septuagint really play in Judaism and early Christianity—and how did it shape debates about the biblical text and canon? In this conversation, I’m joined by Dr. Edmon L. Gallagher, Professor of Christian Scripture at Heritage Christian University and author of Translation of the Seventy: History, Reception, and Contemporary Use. Dr. Gallagher is a leading scholar in Septuagint studies, and this discussion explores how Jews and Christians understood the Greek Old Testament during the Second Temple period and the early centuries of the church. We talk about how Jews used the Septuagint, whether it was ever considered inspired, why some Greek texts were revised toward the Hebrew, and how stable the Greek and Hebrew textual traditions were in the first century. We also explore why early Christians relied so heavily on the Greek Old Testament, how figures like Origen approached textual variation, and whether the Septuagint itself played a decisive role in shaping the Old Testament canon. This interview is especially relevant for anyone interested in: – the Septuagint and its history – the relationship between the Hebrew Bible and Greek translations – textual variation in the Second Temple period – the development of the Old Testament canon – early Jewish and Christian views of Scripture 📌 Chapters are included so you can easily jump to specific topics. If you make it to the end, let me know in the comments by typing “digging deep.” 00:00 – Why This Conversation Matters: Canon, Text, and the Septuagint 00:39 – Meet Dr. Ed Gallagher: A Leading Voice in Septuagint Studies 01:00 – From Hebrew Union College to Septuagint Scholarship 01:54 – Why Translation of the Seventy Matters for Modern Readers 02:34 – Two Major Contributions: Text and Canon in Early Christianity 05:31 – How Jews in the Second Temple Period Used the Septuagint 06:42 – Philo and the Claim of a Perfect, Inspired Greek Translation 08:07 – Did Jews Treat the Septuagint Like Scripture? 09:32 – Why Some Greek Texts Were Revised Toward the Hebrew 11:48 – How Stable Was the Greek Text Compared to the Hebrew? 13:00 – Were Pentateuch Texts Treated Differently Than Other Books? 15:35 – Multiple Hebrew Texts in the Second Temple Period Explained 17:26 – Was the Textual World of the First Century a “Wild West”? 20:34 – Why Jews Began Distancing Themselves from the Septuagint 23:20 – Aquila, Theodotion, and the Push for Literal Greek Translations 26:43 – Why Early Christians Embraced the Greek Old Testament 29:16 – Did the Apostles “Sanction” the Septuagint for the Church? 30:09 – Origen, the Hexapla, and Correcting the Greek by the Hebrew 32:10 – Did Origen Actually Know Hebrew? (A Surprising Answer) 33:16 – Proverbs 8:22, Arian Debates, and Translation Theology 35:00 – Did the Septuagint Determine the Old Testament Canon? 36:31 – Why Deuterocanonical Books Were Added After the Septuagint 37:27 – Final Reflections on Text, Canon, and the Early Church