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One of the tenants of the KJV English Translation only position is the non-existence of the Greek translation of the OT (the Septuagint "LXX"). This line of defense is focused toward KJV only advocates who at least attempt an academic position based on the underlying Greek and Hebrew text. At face value this might not make sense to the normal reader. Here's the issue many (if not most) of the KJV only adherents believe that God providentially preserved the Hebrew manuscripts underlying the Old Testament. It is this OT text that the NT writers and speakers quote. This includes writers such as the Matthew, Luke, Paul, etc.... This would also extend to include Christ's own quotation of the OT.
Of course, it goes without saying the KJV English only position has no value for the underlying Hebrew and Greek text and won't be bothered by this position anyway. Their position is an English text only position. This position is even farther from the historic position of Christianity for both inspiration and preservation. This position seems to foster a following in churches where academics are discouraged and local church pastors just don't address this issue (exegetically or historically).
Just by way of reminder many of the KJV only advocates who actually use the Greek and Hebrew texts deny the existence of the Septuagint. It must be said (to be academically honest) not all adherents who believe God preserved the underlying Traditional Greek Texts deny the existence of the Septuagint. For example, the very study Bible I use every day for reading, study and memorizing was published by a company that is strongly KJV in their position (both underlying Greek and Hebrew texts also). At the same time they acknowledge the existence of the LXX and their notes on occasion point out the fact that the NT verses are quoting from the Septuagint and not the underlying Hebrew text. So this is obviously something they are not ashamed of or threatened by in being academically honest.
So let's begin with some examples. Just for sake of time (don't forget there are roughly 350 OT quotations) in the NT, we'll limit our discussion to the epistle of Romans. But to be fair this same process could be repeated in any of the NT gospels or epistles quoting from the LXX. If I counted correctly (you're welcome to count on your own), Romans contains 63 OT quotations (22 from the LXX, and 41 from the Masoretic text). In all the NT, the LXX only makes up for about 20% of the quotations. So its certainly not the normal mode of operation when scripture was penned.
So what evidence do we look for to determine this quotation source? Well, the verse quoted may contain words only found in the LXX (not in the Hebrew text). This position could also be reversed, the Hebrew text might have a wording which the LXX does not contain. Second, the NT quotation might be verbatim word order for the LXX (this as well could be said for verbatim quotes from the Hebrew text).
Let's take some examples.
Romans 1:17 quotes from the Hebrew, "the just shall live by his faith." As far as I can tell, the Hebrew text in Habakkuk 2:4 uses a preposition translated with the English gloss "by" that more correctly reflects the text quoted in Romans 1:17. Here for example the Hebrew text best represents the preposition, whereas the LXX does not.
Romans 2:24 quotes from the LXX, "for the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles." This comes from Isaiah 52:5. If you will note (even in your English KJV text) the NT prepositional phrase, "among the Gentiles" does not appear. The LXX contains this wording and the Hebrew text does not. So how could Paul quote from the Hebrew text that did not exist? Obvious, he quoted from the LXX.
How about some simple examples. Many times the NT quotes the LXX verbatim. This should make it simple to recognize.
Consider Romans 3:13b, "the poison of asps is under their lips." This is quoted from Psalm 140:3. The LXX reflects this exact Greek sentence verbatim.
NT Gk (ἰὸς ἀσπίδων ὑπὸ τὰ χείλη αὐτῶν·)
OT Gk (ἰὸς ἀσπίδων
ὑπὸ τὰ χείλη αὐτῶν)
What about a more complicated example in quotation? Romans 9:29, "Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha." Take note of the three terms: Sabaoth, Sodom, and Gomorrha. This is an example where the Hebrew is transliterated into Greek "Sabaoth" and is quoted by the NT as such. Similar idea with Gomorrha and Sodoma, the terms are transposed. Easy to see how the exact Greek wording is maintained.
Lastly, (but certainly not the last of the NT evidence), one of my favorite LXX quotations. See Romans 10:16, "Lord, who hath believed our report?" Compare this with your English KJV, "Who hath believed our report?" OT is Isa 53:1 translated from the Hebrew text. Notice any difference? So what one word is different? Lord. Yes, the LXX contains the reference to God and the Hebrew text does not. Can you image if this were reversed as often used by English KJV advocates. Usually sounds something like, "They took Jesus out of the Bible!" This is a simple textual issue. The NT writer quoted the LXX and not the Hebrew text.
We could quote more but this should be sufficient. The rest you can compare on your own.
So this may not cancel out every claim of KJV only advocates but it should help show some of the faulty reasoning involved. First, the KJV writers were not KJV only see previous article). Second, one major premise of many KJV advocates belief in textual preservation is faulty. Again a simple effort put forth to educate yourself goes along way in refuting error in many local churches.
More to come. As always, comments encouraged.
Quotes from Church History on the Translation issue:
"We have no right to expect infallibility in transcribers and copyists, before the invention of printing. But there is not a single doctrine of Scripture which would be affected or altered if all the various readings were allowed, and all the disputed or doubtful words were omitted." (J. C. Ryle, Old Paths, p. 29; borrowed from Trusted Voices on Translations, Mount Calvary Baptist Church, Greenville, SC).
"It was at her study table that she read her Bible by seven o'clock in the summer and eight o'clock in winter; her Hebrew Bible, Greek Testament, and lexicons being at hand." (Francis Ridley Havergal, Memorials of Francis Ridley Havergal, by Marie Havergal, p. 259; again today borrowed from Trusted Voices on Translations, Mount Calvary Baptist Church, Greenville, SC).
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