What do you think?
Rate this book
The Septuagint and the Defense of the Christian Bible: How the Ancient Greek Bible Emends the Biblical Text and Best Presents the Case That Jesus Was the Christ
The Book asserts that the Septuagint is essential to defend the validity of the Christian Bible. It is a work of apologetics much more than history . First, however, this book seeks to familiarize the reader – at a 30,000-feet level – concerning the Bible’s message, how and when it was written down, how it evolved during several significant stages of transition and translation (from Hebrew to Greek to Latin to English), and what its key influencers were in the early life of the Church shaping the Bible we have today. And it seeks to shed light on how essential biblical truth has remained the same for 2,000+ years.
The book emphasizes how the Septuagint provides a Greek translation of the most ancient Hebrew scripture based on a textual tradition hundreds of years older than what was used as the basis of the Masoretic Text. The book recaps the types of alterations made by the rabbis of the second century to obfuscate the fact that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah prophesied in the Hebrew Bible. Essentially, the Messianic prophecies were corrupted in some cases and the chronology of the primeval timelines of the book of Genesis Chapters 5 and 11 was shortened by 1,500 years in an attempt to invalidate the claim of Christian evangelists that Jesus was the Christ. (It was believed that the Messiah would come 5,500 years after Adam - the Masoretic Text was altered to present a timeline of 4,000 years from Adam to the time of Christ.)
Key topics include the contest between Alexandria and Antioch to articulate the core truths of Christianity, how the Old Testament was transmitted, how the New Testament mirrors nearly perfectly what the original authors wrote, why certain books were excluded from the canonized Bible, how Higher Criticism has harmed rather than helped our faith, Justin Martyr's witness to the authenticity of the Septuagint, and how we should defend the Bible by appealing the Septuagint when quoting Old Testament verses asserting messianic prophecy.
The book is just short of 100,000 words. It provides an accessible version of the information detailed in the author's two books, Rebooting the Bible . This book is, in part, the second edition of the book, A Biography of the Christian Bible. Almost two dozen photos and charts were added along with 5,000 additional words to explain certain subjects better. Finally, the book is thoroughly edited with over 1,000 "tweaks" fixing grammatical errors, verb tenses, and punctuation, but mostly changing the prose of the book to employ the active voice rather than the passive to make for more enjoyable reading. It is impeccably formatted to be "easy on the eyes" when reading. The Table of Contents and an exhaustive index are gateways to the topics covered.
The book emphasizes how the Septuagint provides a Greek translation of the most ancient Hebrew scripture based on a textual tradition hundreds of years older than what was used as the basis of the Masoretic Text. The book recaps the types of alterations made by the rabbis of the second century to obfuscate the fact that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah prophesied in the Hebrew Bible. Essentially, the Messianic prophecies were corrupted in some cases and the chronology of the primeval timelines of the book of Genesis Chapters 5 and 11 was shortened by 1,500 years in an attempt to invalidate the claim of Christian evangelists that Jesus was the Christ. (It was believed that the Messiah would come 5,500 years after Adam - the Masoretic Text was altered to present a timeline of 4,000 years from Adam to the time of Christ.)
Key topics include the contest between Alexandria and Antioch to articulate the core truths of Christianity, how the Old Testament was transmitted, how the New Testament mirrors nearly perfectly what the original authors wrote, why certain books were excluded from the canonized Bible, how Higher Criticism has harmed rather than helped our faith, Justin Martyr's witness to the authenticity of the Septuagint, and how we should defend the Bible by appealing the Septuagint when quoting Old Testament verses asserting messianic prophecy.
The book is just short of 100,000 words. It provides an accessible version of the information detailed in the author's two books, Rebooting the Bible . This book is, in part, the second edition of the book, A Biography of the Christian Bible. Almost two dozen photos and charts were added along with 5,000 additional words to explain certain subjects better. Finally, the book is thoroughly edited with over 1,000 "tweaks" fixing grammatical errors, verb tenses, and punctuation, but mostly changing the prose of the book to employ the active voice rather than the passive to make for more enjoyable reading. It is impeccably formatted to be "easy on the eyes" when reading. The Table of Contents and an exhaustive index are gateways to the topics covered.
300 pages, Hardcover
Published June 4, 2023
6 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
July 16, 2025
Reclaiming the Roots: Why the Septuagint Still Speaks for the Church Today
In The Septuagint and the Defense of the Christian Bible, S. Douglas Woodward delivers a timely and passionate defense of the Greek Old Testament—the Septuagint (LXX)—as the authentic scriptural foundation underpinning the early Church’s theology and the apostolic use of Scripture. Woodward’s core thesis is that the Septuagint, not the Masoretic Text (MT), was the version of the Hebrew Bible most frequently cited by the New Testament writers, and thus holds a privileged position in Christian theology.
The book contends that modern evangelicalism, especially within conservative and fundamentalist circles, has overly relied on the Masoretic tradition without sufficient awareness of the historical and theological primacy of the Septuagint. Woodward traces the development of both the LXX and MT traditions, explores the influence of Philo and the Church Fathers, and critiques the Protestant bias against apocryphal writings. Ultimately, he calls for a re-evaluation of canonical assumptions and a re-centering of the Septuagint in Christian biblical studies.
S. Douglas Woodward is an independent biblical researcher, author, and speaker with multiple works focusing on apologetics, eschatology, and textual studies. Throughout the book, Woodward references key works by scholars such as Peter Gentry, Emanuel Tov, and Martin Hengel, demonstrating a solid grasp of textual criticism debates. He supports his arguments with historical documentation from the Dead Sea Scrolls, early church writings, and side-by-side textual analysis. While some academic specialists may critique the depth of technical detail or the selective use of sources, Woodward’s research is generally reliable and well-structured for a popular or seminary-educated audience.
Woodward’s style is clear, energetic, and often polemical. He writes with a sense of urgency and conviction, aiming to engage readers who may be unaware of the theological implications of textual variants. His tone can be rhetorical at times, particularly when addressing perceived evangelical biases or defending the authenticity of the Greek Old Testament, but it remains accessible and jargon-free for the average Christian reader.
Complex theological and historical issues are explained with care, though occasionally with sweeping generalizations. The structure of the book—divided into manageable chapters with summaries and bolded theses—makes it digestible and conducive to study-group discussion or independent theological reflection.
Among the book’s strengths is its clarity of purpose and accessible treatment of a complex and often overlooked subject. Woodward shines in articulating why the Septuagint matters—not only historically, but theologically. His coverage of the divergence in Genesis genealogies, his defense of the longer chronology in the LXX, and his attention to the use of deuterocanonical books in early Christianity add considerable value.
Woodward’s tone occasionally borders on polemical, especially when critiquing dispensationalism or fundamentalist bibliology. While his criticisms are often well-founded, a more nuanced engagement with opposing views—particularly scholars who defend the Masoretic Text for legitimate textual-critical reasons—would strengthen the book’s academic credibility.
This work arrives at a moment when the authority and formation of the biblical canon are once again under scrutiny—not only from secular critics but also from within the Church. Woodward’s advocacy for a return to the Septuagint as a theological standard resonates with movements seeking to reconnect modern Christianity to its apostolic and patristic roots.
In comparison to earlier apologetic or canon-related works—such as F.F. Bruce’s The Canon of Scripture or Lee Martin McDonald’s studies on biblical formation—Woodward is more prescriptive and confessional, aligning with the genre of popular apologetics while maintaining scholarly resonance.
The Septuagint and the Defense of the Christian Bible is a forceful, readable, and passionately argued case for reassessing the foundation of the Christian Old Testament. While it may not satisfy the expectations of textual critics or academic theologians seeking exhaustive linguistic depth, it accomplishes its primary aim: to alert and educate readers—especially those in the evangelical tradition—on the significance of the Septuagint and the historical formation of the Bible.
Recommended for pastors, theology students, and lay readers interested in the intersection of biblical history, canon formation, and apologetics.
—N3UR4L Reviews
In The Septuagint and the Defense of the Christian Bible, S. Douglas Woodward delivers a timely and passionate defense of the Greek Old Testament—the Septuagint (LXX)—as the authentic scriptural foundation underpinning the early Church’s theology and the apostolic use of Scripture. Woodward’s core thesis is that the Septuagint, not the Masoretic Text (MT), was the version of the Hebrew Bible most frequently cited by the New Testament writers, and thus holds a privileged position in Christian theology.
The book contends that modern evangelicalism, especially within conservative and fundamentalist circles, has overly relied on the Masoretic tradition without sufficient awareness of the historical and theological primacy of the Septuagint. Woodward traces the development of both the LXX and MT traditions, explores the influence of Philo and the Church Fathers, and critiques the Protestant bias against apocryphal writings. Ultimately, he calls for a re-evaluation of canonical assumptions and a re-centering of the Septuagint in Christian biblical studies.
S. Douglas Woodward is an independent biblical researcher, author, and speaker with multiple works focusing on apologetics, eschatology, and textual studies. Throughout the book, Woodward references key works by scholars such as Peter Gentry, Emanuel Tov, and Martin Hengel, demonstrating a solid grasp of textual criticism debates. He supports his arguments with historical documentation from the Dead Sea Scrolls, early church writings, and side-by-side textual analysis. While some academic specialists may critique the depth of technical detail or the selective use of sources, Woodward’s research is generally reliable and well-structured for a popular or seminary-educated audience.
Woodward’s style is clear, energetic, and often polemical. He writes with a sense of urgency and conviction, aiming to engage readers who may be unaware of the theological implications of textual variants. His tone can be rhetorical at times, particularly when addressing perceived evangelical biases or defending the authenticity of the Greek Old Testament, but it remains accessible and jargon-free for the average Christian reader.
Complex theological and historical issues are explained with care, though occasionally with sweeping generalizations. The structure of the book—divided into manageable chapters with summaries and bolded theses—makes it digestible and conducive to study-group discussion or independent theological reflection.
Among the book’s strengths is its clarity of purpose and accessible treatment of a complex and often overlooked subject. Woodward shines in articulating why the Septuagint matters—not only historically, but theologically. His coverage of the divergence in Genesis genealogies, his defense of the longer chronology in the LXX, and his attention to the use of deuterocanonical books in early Christianity add considerable value.
Woodward’s tone occasionally borders on polemical, especially when critiquing dispensationalism or fundamentalist bibliology. While his criticisms are often well-founded, a more nuanced engagement with opposing views—particularly scholars who defend the Masoretic Text for legitimate textual-critical reasons—would strengthen the book’s academic credibility.
This work arrives at a moment when the authority and formation of the biblical canon are once again under scrutiny—not only from secular critics but also from within the Church. Woodward’s advocacy for a return to the Septuagint as a theological standard resonates with movements seeking to reconnect modern Christianity to its apostolic and patristic roots.
In comparison to earlier apologetic or canon-related works—such as F.F. Bruce’s The Canon of Scripture or Lee Martin McDonald’s studies on biblical formation—Woodward is more prescriptive and confessional, aligning with the genre of popular apologetics while maintaining scholarly resonance.
The Septuagint and the Defense of the Christian Bible is a forceful, readable, and passionately argued case for reassessing the foundation of the Christian Old Testament. While it may not satisfy the expectations of textual critics or academic theologians seeking exhaustive linguistic depth, it accomplishes its primary aim: to alert and educate readers—especially those in the evangelical tradition—on the significance of the Septuagint and the historical formation of the Bible.
Recommended for pastors, theology students, and lay readers interested in the intersection of biblical history, canon formation, and apologetics.
—N3UR4L Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review