Hengel SCWCC 1992

Martin Hengel, in this essay, discusses the issue of how the Septuagint supposedly came about as the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament scriptures in a miraculous sort of way; at least according to some early historians and Church fathers. Then, he examines how this influenced the Christians adopting these for themselves instead of the Jews doing so. The main point of controversy occurs as the followers of Jesus translate and interpret Isa.7:14 to mean a virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, whom they believe is Jesus of Nazareth; while the Jews reject such a thought and intepret it as a "young woman will conceive and bear a son." This seems to be just another one of the differences between Judaism and the early Christianity which contributed to their parting of ways.