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characteristic is a large number of examples of "extreme allegorizing." Consider Theophilus' explanation
of the spies' returning from their search of the land in Numbers 13:23.
Come now, recall that cluster of grapes in Numbers, which two men carried back on a pole from
the promised land. Surely this was the figure of Christ suspended on the cross, and when the
cluster of grapes arrives from the promised land, this is Mary, who was from an earthly race.
Moreover, those who were carrying the pole reveal a figure of two peoples: the former is
certainly understood as your people turning their backs to Christ, and surely the latter one,
looking upon the cluster, is understood as our people (ST, 22).
While not exactly "unique," another characteristic of ST serves as an additional reason for dating
the dialogue no later than the early fifth century. That is the use in the dialogue of a Latin Biblical text in
existence prior to that of Jerome's Vulgate. This becomes evident when there is a difference between the
LXX
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rendering and that in the Hebrew MT, the Latin citations in ST agree with the LXX rather than the
MT. Jerome argued strongly for following the Hebraica veritas and utilized the Hebrew as the basis for
his translation of the Jewish scriptures. While it is possible that Jerome's Vulgate was in existence at the
time of ST's composition, it had not attained the level of acceptability that came in later centuries. This is
evident from ST's use of Old Latin renderings rather than Vulgate renderings in the dialogue.
A fascinating example of this agreement with the LXX over against the MT is seen in
Theophilus' first words recorded in chapter one of the dialogue. Simon's confident opening challenge
was that in this exchange he hopes to make "a Nazarene into a Jew." Theophilus simply responds:
Theophilus: Non glorietur gibberosus ut rectus.
[Theophilus: Let not the humpback boast himself as erect.]
This response will prove totally unrecognizable to the reader of either the Hebrew MT or a modern
English Bible translation of 1Kings 21:11 based on the MT. The LXX text of 1Kings 21:11, however,
does contain a reading that corresponds to the Latin of the above quotation:
(mh. kauca,sqw o` kurto.j w`j o` ovrqo,j).
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The writer recognizes the lack of nuance in calling the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures simply
the "LXX." It is recognized that many prefer to limit that term to the Pentateuch. Later Greek versions and
subsequent rescensions of those versions complicate the issue of terminology. Some scholars prefer the alternative
expression "Old Greek." In this paper "LXX" is used simply as matter of convenience.