Alignment with Hebrew (not Septuagint). Of course, this is not the full story.
There are a significant number of times when the New Testament writers appear
to choose the MT over the LXX, and furthermore the differences involved are
often as theologically weighty as the ones discussed above.
Pride of place in this column belongs to [§2.1[ Matthew 2:15, “Out
of Egypt I called my son” (εξ Αιγυπτου εκαλεσα τον υιον μου). The MT has the singular “my son” (לבני),
but the Old Greek is “my children” (τα τεκνα αυτου). It is not a massive difference, but the
MT is certainly the cleaner fit for Matthew’s typological assessment. What
makes this example particularly significant, however, is that we are again in
Matthew. As we saw above, Matthew is perfectly content with conveying Jesus’
citations in Septuagintal form, and we also saw that Matthew can also use the Septuagint
when offering his own editorial comments. Here, however, he is clearly aware of
the proto-MT. In fact, Matthew often draws on the Semitic tradition (e.g., Mt
8:17).
John likewise appears familiar with the proto-MT. At the climatic
point in the crucifixion, as the body of Jesus is being taken down, the
narrator enters the scene to testify, “so that you who hear might believe.” The
recent events have fulfilled the Scriptures [§2.2] “they will look on
the one they pierced” (Jn 19:37; οψονται εις ον εξεκεντησαν), which follows the MT over the Old
Greek. What is interesting here is that the Old Greek does in fact work as a
fulfillment of the events of the crucifixion; Jesus indeed was “mocked” (κατορχεομαι). In general, John’s usage is either
neutral or closer to the MT, but he seems aware of Septuagintal traditions (Jn
2:17; 12:39; 19:24 are all identical or almost identical to their OG
counterparts). Why then the proto-MT here (or an early recension of the OG that
aligns more closely with the MT)? While Jesus being mocked on the cross would fulfill
the Old Greek of Zechariah 12:10, it would hardly be surprising. The piercing of
Jesus via crucifixion is less expected and thus more persuasive proof. (Thomas
Keene, “A New Testament Approach,” in The Authority of the Septuagint:
Biblical, Historical, and Theological Approaches, ed. Gregory R. Lanier and
William A. Ross [Downers Grove, Ill.: IVP Academic, 2025], 75-76)
