Ur-Theodotion

I’m reading parts of D. Barthelemy’s book, Studies of the History of the Text of the Old Testament, which is in French. Leonard Greenspoon’s Anchor Bible Dictionary article on Theodotion refers to Barthelemy’s work, so I’ll be drawing from that in this post.

According to Greenspoon, Theodotion was a second century C.E. Jewish translator from Ephesus, whose translation is in Origen’s Hexapla. But there are Theodotionic readings that are earlier than that—and they try to conform the Septuagint to the Hebrew Masoretic Version. Greenspoon states, “This anonymous individual (or group of individuals) apparently lived in the 1st century b.c.e. and provided the basis for ‘Theodotionic’ quotations prior to Theodotion.” This source is called Ur-Theodotion.

Barthelemy seeks to understand Ur-Theodotion in light of what he calls the kaige recension, which he considers the basis of a scroll of the Minor Prophets in Greek, which was found in the Judean desert. Characteristic of the kaige recension is its use of the Greek “kai ge” to translate the Hebrew “gam” (“also”).

Greenspoon states: There is no doubt that in certain biblical books, like Exodus and Joshua, the text preserved in Theodotion’s name is in fact part of this larger recension. Each book or block of material, however, must be investigated separately. In Barthélemy’s opinion, kaige—and, therefore, Theodotion—originated in Palestine in circles that can be closely linked to particular types of rabbinic exegesis. Barthélemy seeks to establish the identity of Ur-Theodotion: he is Jonathan ben Uzziel, to whom a Targum on the Prophets is generally credited. Barthélemy’s overall characterization of the kaige recension has won wide acceptance, as has his association of much of Theodotion’s version with the recension. His more speculative attempts at identification and localization have met with a more guarded response.

Jonathan ben Uzziel dates to the first century C.E., so, if he is the source of Ur-Theodotion, I’m not sure why Greenspoon dates Ur-Theodotion to the first century B.C.E. Greenspoon may disagree with Barthelemy, but I don’t know what the basis for his disagreement is.

A while back, in my post, Good Dating Profile, Desolate, Method Writing, Origen’s God Is More Merciful Than the Mishnah’s, Theodotian, I summarized the debate over Theototion as follows, drawing from N.F. Marcos’ Septuagint in Context:

Theodotian made a Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible. The church father Irenaeus (second century C.E.) says Theodotian was a Jewish proselyte. Jerome (fourth-fifth centuries C.E.) said he was an Ebionite, a Jewish Christian with views considered heretical. Yet, the church fathers use Theodotian’s translation. Origen and Clement of Alexander quote it out of respect for church tradition, and Justin, Clement of Rome, the Shepherd of Hermas, the Letter of Barnabas, Hebrews, John’s Apocalypse, and the synoptics employ Theodotionic readings, primarily of the Book of Daniel. Some say that Theodotian lived in the first century C.E. Others say he revised a previous text, which the New Testament cited.

I’m reading about this in Barthelemy’s French work. Now, I can understand a little more about what is going on in that book.