The Library of Alexandria and the Septuagint: A Tapestry of Divine Providence

Few institutions command as much awe as the fabled Library of Alexandria, a great repository of human knowledge. Yet within its orbit a work of spiritual significance took shape, one that would shape the course of salvation history: the Septuagint. This Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament, born amidst the Hellenistic fervor of Alexandria, was a divinely orchestrated preparation for the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Its creation under the patronage associated with the Library shows God's design, using human institutions and desires to fulfill His eternal purposes and to carry His Word further.

The Library of Alexandria: A Beacon of Ancient Knowledge

Established in the third century B.C. by the Ptolemaic dynasty, the Library of Alexandria was more than just a collection of scrolls; it was the intellectual heart of the Greek-speaking nations. Under the patronage of Ptolemy I Soter and particularly his son, Ptolemy II Philadelphus, it aimed to gather all the books of the world. Scholars from across the Hellenistic realm converged there, studying, copying, and translating texts ranging from philosophy and science to literature and history. It sought to amass the sum of human wisdom, and its scholarly life made it a natural setting for a Greek version of the sacred Hebrew Scriptures. The Ptolemies, in their quest for universal knowledge, unwittingly became instruments in God's plan to disseminate His revealed truth to a wider, Greek-speaking world.

The Genesis of the Septuagint: A Historical Account

The traditional account of the Septuagint's origin, primarily drawn from the Letter of Aristeas, is closely tied to the Library's ambition. According to this narrative, Ptolemy II Philadelphus, desiring to complete his Library's collection with a copy of the Jewish Law, sent an embassy to Jerusalem. He requested that seventy (or seventy-two) Jewish elders, six from each tribe, be sent to Alexandria to translate the Hebrew Torah into Greek. These scholars, renowned for their piety and knowledge, were reportedly sequestered on the island of Pharos, where they completed the translation in seventy-two days, each arriving at identical translations, a miraculous sign of divine inspiration. The Letter of Aristeas is not Scripture, and its details, including the miraculous uniformity, rest on tradition alone; the core of the narrative, a Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures produced in Alexandria during the Ptolemaic era for the benefit of Hellenized Jews and the Library's collection, is widely accepted. This endeavor met a pressing need among the large Jewish diaspora in Egypt who, increasingly speaking Greek, found their ancestral Hebrew Scriptures inaccessible. The Septuagint thus became their way to the Old Testament, evidence of the Lord's foresight in giving His people His Word in their common tongue.

Divine Providence in the Septuagint's Creation

The creation of the Septuagint, whether by royal decree or communal necessity, is a clear example of God's sovereign providence. Long before the advent of Christianity, God was preparing the way for the spread of the Gospel. The Hellenization of the world through Alexander the Great's conquests, followed by the establishment of Greek as the common language (Koine Greek), set the stage. The Septuagint then supplied much of the Greek vocabulary through which the New Testament speaks of the things of God. As Isaiah 40:8 declares, "The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever." God ensured His Word would not only stand but also spread. The Ptolemies' secular desire for a comprehensive library collection unwittingly served a divine purpose, making the Hebrew Scriptures accessible to a vast Gentile audience who would later encounter the message of Christ. This was a crucial step in fulfilling God's promise to Abraham, that "in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed" (Genesis 12:3).

For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

Habakkuk 2:14
KJV

The Septuagint was instrumental in this preparatory work, spreading the knowledge of the one true God and His laws among the Gentiles, thereby plowing the ground for the seeds of the Gospel.

The Septuagint's Influence on the New Testament and Early Church

The Septuagint became the Bible of the early Christian church. Its widespread availability and Greek language made it the natural choice for the apostles and evangelists who preached the Gospel throughout the Roman Empire. Many New Testament authors, when quoting the Old Testament, quote directly from the Septuagint, even when its wording differs slightly from the Masoretic (Hebrew) text. A prime example is Matthew 1:23, which quotes Isaiah 7:14: "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." The Septuagint renders the Hebrew word (almah) with the Greek parthenos, "virgin," and Matthew follows it. Matthew Henry holds that "the word Almah signifies a virgin in the strictest sense," such as Mary professes herself to be (Luke 1:34). The Greek of the Septuagint thus served the early church's confession of the virgin birth.

The early church, largely Greek-speaking and Gentile, adopted the Septuagint as its authoritative Old Testament. It provided a common ground for Jews and Gentiles to discuss the prophecies concerning the Messiah. Without it, the rapid dissemination of the Gospel in the Greek-speaking world would have been immeasurably more difficult. The Septuagint provided:

  • A common theological vocabulary for discussing God, salvation, and prophecy.
  • An accessible text for Gentile converts to learn about the history and promises of God.
  • A bridge between Jewish heritage and the emerging Christian faith.

That God allowed His Word to be translated and circulated in the common language of the day fits His desire for all men to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4).

The Septuagint and the Preservation of God's Word

While the magnificent Library of Alexandria eventually faced decline and destruction, its contents scattered or lost to time, the Septuagint endured. This survival testifies to God's unwavering commitment to preserve His Word. Human institutions may rise and fall, but "the word of the Lord endureth for ever" (1 Peter 1:25). The Septuagint continued to be copied, studied, and revered by Christians for centuries, and it remains the Old Testament of the Greek-speaking churches. At the Reformation, renewed emphasis was placed on the original Hebrew texts, yet the Septuagint still gave valuable insight into how the Jews before Christ and the early church read the Hebrew Scriptures. The King James Version, while primarily translated from the Masoretic Hebrew text for the Old Testament, nevertheless stands in a long lineage of biblical translation that acknowledges the historical significance and influence of the Septuagint in transmitting God's truth through the ages.

For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.

Psalms 119:89
KJV

God uses both the grand designs and the humble necessities of human history to advance His kingdom. The Library's ambition to collect all knowledge inadvertently helped spread of the most important knowledge of all: the revelation of God's plan of salvation.

Conclusion

The Library of Alexandria, a symbol of human intellectual aspiration, became the setting for a divinely purposed translation that prepared the way for the Messiah. The Septuagint made the Old Testament accessible to Greek-speaking readers and laid linguistic groundwork for the New Testament. Its creation, its influence, and its survival beyond the destruction of the Library affirm God's providence and His faithfulness in preserving His holy Word, ensuring that His truth reaches all nations, as promised in Matthew 24:14, "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." The Septuagint, born in Alexandria, remains a witness to God's sovereign hand in history.