The Septuagint as Christian Scripture: Its Prehistory and the Problem of Its Canon

In this work, world-renowned scholar Martin Hengel laments that so few people (including scholars) appreciate the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament), considering it a ''mere translation.'' By contrast, Hengel recognizes the Septuagint's historical and theological value, noting that it is the first complete and pre-Christian commentary on the Old Testament. The Septuagint as Christian Scripture focuses on a key question: How did this collection of Jewish writings in the Greek language become the authoritative Old Testament Scripture in the Christian church? In the process of answering this question, Hengel touches on the development of the canon and the relationship between church fathers and Scripture.