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The Bible: Exploring Facts and Myths About the Word of God  /  The Apostle's Bible (Part 1)  /  Discussion Questions
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Question 5
Bercot uses Galatians 3:13 (“cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”) to argue Paul relied on the Septuagint wording, and he connects this to Paul commending the Bereans for checking Scripture. If Paul’s hearers were expected to verify his message using the same wording he preached from, what does that suggest about God’s desire for clarity and accountability in teaching—and how does that critique modern “trust the preacher/scholar” approaches?
Another way to ask: If Paul used Septuagint wording and expected people like the Bereans to check him, what does that show about God wanting teaching to be clear and testable? How does that push back on “just trust the preacher or scholar”?

Direct Answer It suggests God intended ordinary hearers to have clear access to the same Scriptural wording the apostles used, so they could test teaching responsibly. That challenges modern habits where people rely heavily on experts while ignoring whether their Bible text base matches the apostles’ proof.

Support from Transcript:

  • Gal 3:13 quotes, “cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree.” Bercot notes Masoretic Deut 21:23 reads, “He who is hanged is accursed by God,” while the Septuagint says, “Everyone that is hanged on a tree is cursed of God.”
  • He concludes, “it’s obvious the Bible Paul was using was the Septuagint,” and that Paul “assumes his readers are using that.”
  • Bercot explicitly appeals to the Bereans: Paul “commended the Bereans for going to the Scriptures and checking to see if what he said was true.”
  • He argues if they had Proto-Masoretic wording, they would check and say, “No, it’s not in there…not like what Paul is saying.”
  • He criticizes scholars who admit apostles used the Septuagint but “don’t do anything about it,” instead following “man-made tradition.”
Discussion Follow-ups What would change in church culture if “check it in Scripture” meant checking it in the same textual tradition the apostles actually quoted?

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