What Original Texts Did St. Jerome Use for the Vulgate?

St. Jerome is one of the most influential figures in the history of the Christian Church, largely due to his work in the production of the Vulgate, the first fundamentally complete edition of the Latin Bible. However, the question of which original texts he used as a basis for the Vulgate remains intriguing.

The Old Testament: Septuagint and Hebrew Texts

The Old Testament posed fewer challenges for St. Jerome compared to the New Testament. Jerome utilized the Septuagint (LXX), an ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, as the primary source. This choice was facilitated by his close relationship with a Rabbi, who greatly assisted him in understanding and translating the Hebrew texts. The Septuagint, having been in use for centuries, provided a reliable basis for the Old Testament portion of the Vulgate.

For some Old Testament books, including seven full books and portions of Daniel and Esther, Jerome used the Greek translation from the LXX. However, for the majority of the Old Testament books, he used a Hebrew text that was older than the Masoretic version (the standard Hebrew text used today) but younger than the original LXX. Interestingly, Jerome also utilized the translation of Aquila, which is thought to be based on a text similar to the one used for the Septuagint but presenting a different approach to the Greek translation. The exact nature and origin of this Hebrew text are still subjects of scholarly debate.

The New Testament: A Mess of Textual Variants

The production of the New Testament parts of the Vulgate was far more challenging due to the plethora of textual variants and transformations that had occurred over the centuries. Following the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, various theological nuances had found their way into different versions of the New Testament texts. St. Jerome, aware of the need for a unified and accurate translation, gathered numerous different manuscripts to produce the Vulgate.

Jerome faced a conundrum akin to a puzzle with a multitude of pieces. In frustration, he reportedly exclaimed, 'Tot enim sunt exemplaria paene quot codices,' meaning that there are almost as many versions as there are copies. This frustration is a testament to the complexity and variability of the New Testament texts in the late antique period.

Despite the challenges, Jerome's work was essential. The Latin text he produced became the foundation of the Christian tradition in the West until the 20th century, and it is still the version used in the Roman Catholic liturgy. Scholars believe that among the manuscripts Jerome used, Vaticanus and Sinaiticus provided superior textual evidence, while later manuscripts such as Alexandrinus and Ephraemi may themselves be derived from manuscripts that Jerome consulted, further entwining their textual history with the Vulgate.

Conclusion

St. Jerome's efforts in producing the Vulgate were a monumental task. While the Old Testament relied primarily on the Septuagint and some Hebrew texts, the New Testament presented a much more complex textual landscape. Despite the difficulties, Jerome's work remains a cornerstone of Christian biblical scholarship and religious practice.

References

Lucas, S. (2019). The Texts and Methods of St. Jerome: The Making of the Vulgate. Brill.

Haydock, P. J. (2022). The Septuagint: Its Origin and Use in the Christian Church. Oxford University Press.