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How would he know about the events of Genesis and other events that happened hundreds (even thousands) of years before his time? He was the youngest of three children, with a sister named Miriam and a brother named Aaron. The introduction to the Old Testament in another Bible translation says that the J document was written by someone much later than Moses in the Southern Kingdom of Judah and the E document was written by someone in the Northern Kingdom of Israel.2 Let's evaluate the arguments put forth in defense of this hypothesis. These two ways of dividing Genesis are not the same at all. In 1805, Wilhelm De Wette contended that none of the Pentateuch was written before King David and that Deuteronomy was written at the time of King Josiah. A witness gives firsthand evidence. All the manuscript evidence we have is for the first five books of the Bible just as we have them today. The Mosaic Law: A Preparatory Gospel Answer (1 of 6): Ok so we have seen that Moses could have written Exodus through Deuteronomy based upon his own eyewitness . By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from HarperCollins Christian Publishing (501 Nelson Place, Nashville, TN 37214 USA) providing information about products and services of HCCP and its affiliates. So we Christians dont reject the Old Testament just because we have the New Testament. Their subjective bias led them to illegitimately assume that any biblical statement was unreliable until proven reliable (though they would not do this with any other ancient or modern text) and when they found any disagreement between the Bible and ancient pagan literature, the latter was automatically given preference and trusted as a historical witness. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips . It seems Rachel viewed this as the Lord finally turning the tide in judgment and permitting her a son. They arbitrarily assumed that the Hebrew authors were different from all other writers in history that the Hebrews were incapable of using more than one name for God, or more than one writing style regardless of the subject matter, or more than one of several possible synonyms for a single idea. Instead, we encounter a formula that appears eleven times in the book (2:4; 5:1; 6:9; 10:1; 11:10, 27; 25:12, 19; 36:1, 9; 37:2). [1] Ken Ham and Bodie Hodge, How Do We Know the Bible is True: Volume 1 (Master Books, 2011), p.89. Jesus Himself clearly said this, and the people who heard Him knew that was exactly what He meant. ., Nehemiah 13:1On that day the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people . This means thousands of years of Jewish tradition would have upheld this position. However, most JEDP advocates would say that Moses had nothing to do with writing Genesis or the rest of the Pentateuch, which were written much later by many authors and editors. Genesis 14:1415"Now when Abram heard that his brother19 was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. In the New Testament, when quoting the Pentateuch, people often spoke of Moses being the author. Then the Lord said to Moses, "Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, . This is simply astonishing. The attack on the Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch is nothing less than an attack on the veracity, reliability, and authority of the Word of Almighty God. John 1:45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. So, it was just a statement of fact about who was living in the land at the time of Abraham. The Spirit of Christ was directing him. In this article, well dive into who documented the beginning events of the world, the age of the Book of Genesis, and whether we can trust this book or not. The Genesis course, taught by Tremper Longman III, illuminates the book of Genesis in light of the Bibles grand story. 3. It is interesting that Moses is never mentioned in the book even as the person writing things down. Jewish and Christian tradition has consistently attributed the writing of Genesis to Moses. But what about the first book of the Bible? In the past few hundred years, the Bible has been under severe attack by scientific and philosophical skeptics of all sorts. Hope Bolingeris an acquisitions editor at End Game Press, and the author 21+ books. What about the cases where Genesis appears to be borrowing from Ancient world mythology? Thank you for signing up to receive email newsletters from Answers in Genesis. Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. But to say that the composition, even the origins, of the Pentateuch is to be associated with Moses certainly does not mean he wrote every word. All of them. There is no other ancient Hebrew who was more qualified than Moses to write the Pentateuch. Your form could not be submitted. Along with other documentation mentioned in the book, such as the account of Terah, the account of Noah, etc. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words? Genesis has sparked a great deal of debate among scientists and scholars, ranging from the literal vs. figurative days of creation to the genealogical lines. Jesus said, "He who hears My word, and . We can, with a high percentage of certainty say that John wrote the Gospel of John and that Joshua wrote the Book of Joshua. This was essentially a divine research project and history book. Astruc basically questioned, as others had before him, how Moses knew what happened prior to his own life, (i.e., the history recorded in Genesis). In light of the references to Moses writing in the Pentateuch and the New Testament citations of the Pentateuch that associate Moses with its composition, it seems reasonable to affirm that the origins of the Pentateuch are connected to this great biblical figure. Moses couldn't have written about his own death, which shows that he didn't write Deuteronomy. There cannot have been a historical liberator from a captivity that never happened. In. In Genesis 14:14 the narrator reports that Abram chased the four ancient Near Eastern kings who kidnapped Lot as far as Dan. This reference to the city of Dan is a postmosaica because this city, earlier called Laish, was not named Dan until the time of the Judges (see Judges 18), and of course the name derived from the tribe of Dan, named after Jacobs son Dan, Abrahams great grandson. The books of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) were all written roughly 1,400 years before the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. I, the first-person pronoun. Space allows us to respond to only a few of the most common ones. According to the Bible, Moses was the prophet who led Israel out of slavery in Egypt and brought them to the edge of the promised land. 1. A similar obituary of Joshua was added by an inspired editor to the end of Joshua's book (Joshua 24:2933). - New American Standard Version (1995) For if ye believed Moses, ye would believe me; for he wrote of me. Renowned Old Testament scholar Tremper Longman III tackles this question in his video series on the book of Genesis. In John 7:38, Jesus compares the Holy Spirit to living water that will flow out of those who believe on him and says that this has all been said in the Scriptures: Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. Perhaps hes referring to Isaiah 58:11You shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not failand to passages that compare the Holy Spirit to water (e.g., Isaiah 44:3; Ezekiel 36:2526). Whats Wrong with the Framework Hypothesis? but I say unto you"Jesus settled whatever disputes existed between Torah and its application. Genesis 3:15: Matthew 1:20 Galatians 4:4: 2: Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Moses wrote the first five books of scripture [Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy] and Psalm 90. Table 1. Such a claim is without warrant. And then explains it in terms of being personally taught by the Father. So when John says about the Scriptures in 5:39, It is they that bear witness about me, he means that God knew Jesus perfectly and fullyas it were face to faceand that he inspired these Scriptures, and through the Scriptures revealed Jesus. Still, there are good reasons to co. They still do not necessarily mean that Moses wrote every word, but they do imply a belief that Moses had an integral connection with the composition of the Pentateuch. Traditions attributes the Book of Genesis to Moses, but this is a view that few scholars would now support. Galatians 3:10,13,24 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them, Galatians 4:21-31 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? Even though a great many scholars and much of the public have accepted this view, is it really true? This means that the way the Old Testament gets people ready to know Jesus is not merely by specific prophecies that have specific fulfillments in Jesus (like being born in Bethlehem), but far more profoundly, the point is: If you meet God, and know God, and admire God, and trust God, and are shaped by God as he truly reveals himself and his ways in the whole of the Old Testament, then when Jesus comes, you will know him. . Jesus said that Moses wrote about Him: If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. Earlier this year, we released another volume in the landmark The Story of God Bible Commentary series, written by none other than venerable Old Testament scholar Tremper Longman III. . They were implicitly Deistic or atheistic in their thinking. One complaint about the Genesis account of creation is that the first five books of the Bible, known collectively as the Pentateuch ("five-volumed book"), could not possibly have been written by Moses. The Old Testament is a lesson book for the nations that keeps shedding light on the work of Christ. of 5:50. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. John 7:21-22 - 21 Jesus answered and said to them, "I did one work, and you all marvel. Their culture worked quite differently than ours. In the case of Deuteronomy, the author of the obituary of Moses was probably Joshua, a close associate of Moses who was chosen by God to lead the people of Israel into the Promised Land (for Moses was not allowed to because of his disobedience), and who was inspired by God to write the next book in the Old Testament. No. Second, as mentioned in the Answers in Genesis article, not only does the Pentateuch confirm Moses authorship, but the rest of the Bible, including the New Testament does as well. At most Jesus admits that through Moses came this com-mandment. There he was trained in "all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was mighty in words and in deeds" (Acts 7:22). Jesus had met Abraham in Genesis 12 and 15, and in Exodus 3:13-17. For a group that revered Scriptures so much and paid meticulous attention to the text when copying it, if Moses had not written the books, the Jewish people likely would not have held to such a strong tradition by saying he did. 35 He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. . The Old Testament mentions him 767 times, making him one of the most prominent people in the Old Testament. Listen to the way John uses the word. The German scholar Johann Eichhorn took the next step by applying Astruc's idea to the whole of Genesis. Moses wrote Genesis after 1440 B.C." Promises in Genesis. And studies of non-literate people groups have shown that they have much better memories for maintaining the accuracy of their oral traditions than people groups that rely primarily on written communication to learn and pass on information. The tradition probably began with the legalistic code of the Book of Deuteronomy and was then gradually extended until Moses, as the central character, came to be regarded not just as the mediator of law but as author of both laws and narrative. This is a good place for this focus because twice in this passage Jesus says that the Old Testament Scriptures are written about him. But because we have extra-biblical support for the authorship of Genesis and because various authors throughout the Bible do attribute the Pentateuch to Moses, we can assume Moses wrote Genesis. While some people believe that Moses wrote everything in the Pentateuch except a handful of postmosaica, the postmosaica may only be the tip of the iceberg. Ye build the tombs of the prophets, wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves that ye are children of them that killed the prophets. Moses wrote about me, and if you had believed Moses, you would have believed me. First, consider what the Bible itself says about the authorship of the Pentateuch. What Does It Really Mean That Your Body Is a Temple? Next come 13 letters traditionally attributed to the Apostle Paul, who wrote the greatest number of New Testament books. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. These are stellar confirmations by Jesus that Moses is the true and only writer of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular. Surely Jesus, the "Word who became flesh," would not endorse or tolerate a belief about Moses' authorship if it were totally erroneous. . Ibn Ezra was a very influential Jewish rabbi in the twelfth century AD. Jesus was the "I AM" who spoke to Moses. But let's assume for moment that it was referring to the region Dan, where Israelites, who were from the tribe of Dan settled. Therefore, an oral history of the world could have been passed down from Adam to Moses through Noah's family. John 3:32 says, "He bears witness to what he has seen and heard.". To answer this question, we need to go to 2 Timothy 3:16. And we know this chapter wasn't written after Jesus ' sacrificial death, burial, and resurrection. Jesus Himself confirmed the fact that He is in the Old Testament. The five books of Moses are liberally sprinkled with symbolic references to Jesus. As noted before, my position is that "law of Moses" is an appropriate designation for the Torah/Pentateuch despite sound evidence that Moses did not write all or even most of it (see here).This position is akin to the phrase "Psalm of David" (le-dawid) very . In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus claimed to be interpreting God's Torah according to its original intent, as God handed it to Moses. The Bible also records a life-changing decision . This will refute any attempt of claiming that Muhammad was the prophet that Moses predicted. Christians who believe Moses wrote the Pentateuch do not need to feel intellectually intimidated. . But the other objections are just as flawed in terms of logic and a failure to pay careful attention to the biblical text. Also, Moses himself prophesied in Deuteronomy 17:1420 that Israel would have kings. He doesnt argue that something happened. Logic and sound biblical interpretation say that Moses wrote the Book of Genesis. If. Christians should believe God, rather than the fallible, sinful skeptics inside and outside the church who, in their intellectual arrogance, are consciously or unconsciously trying to undermine the Word so that they can justify in their own minds (but not before God) their rebellion against God. After all, we dont want to dive into the New Earth vs. Old Earth debate. Genesis 1 and 24-hour Creationism. The death of Moses is recorded in Deuteronomy 34:512. Instead, it is claimed that at least four different authors (or groups of authors) wrote various portions of these books over many centuries and then one or more redactors (editors) over many years combined and interwove everything together into its present form. It's not far-fetched to think Moses wrote the account of his own death and burial, particularly since God revealed his word and works to Moses (Ps. Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. So the entire Old Testament is precious to Christians, because all Christians are counted by God as true Jewsbeneficiaries of all the promises made to the covenant people. and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. And then Paul shows us that this promise is fulfilled in the gospel of Jesus, the Messiah. Listen to the way John uses the word. Try downloading another browser like Chrome or Firefox. "You've heard it said, . He received an Egyptian royal education (Acts 7:22) and was an eyewitness to the events recorded in Exodus to Deuteronomy, which contain many references or allusions to Egyptian names of places, people, and gods, as well as Egyptian words, idioms, and cultural factors. Galatians 5:3. Any claim by a Jewish person or a Muslim or a Hindu or a Buddhist or a spiritualist or an animist or a Christianany claim to know God or honor God or love God while not receiving Christ as the Son of God and the crucified risen Savior is a false claim. In this post I will cite the texts where it is clearly stated that Jesus is the One whom Moses, as well as the rest of the prophets, spoke and wrote of. And the Canaanites were then in the land.". A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc. In John 6:4445, Jesus teaches that no one comes to him unless the Father draws him. Would this be a problem for Moses? Favorite Verses in Genesis. In John 1:34, John the Baptist says, "I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.". So, to attack the Mosaic authorship of the first five books of the Old Testament then is to attack the truthfulness of the rest of the biblical writers and Jesus Himself. Scholars disagree about whether each toledoth follows or precedes the text with which it is associated, though we are inclined to agree with those scholars who conclude the former. Second, we also have evidence throughout Scripture, writes Don Stewart, of tradition being passed down from specific prayers of Abraham to the bones of Joseph. Verse Concepts. The following post is adapted from his series. From there, we have the well-known story of the Great Flood, and the birth of the Israelite nation through Abraham. Genesis follows humanity through creation and humanitys descent into sin (Genesis 3). In this case, Lot was Abraham's brother's son, i.e., Abraham's nephew. Several sources, or literary traditions, that the final redactor used in his composition are discernable. From pistis; to have faith, i.e. Look at John 5:39, You search the Scriptures, Jesus says, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me. The word Scriptures here refers to the Jewish Scriptures, what we call the Old Testament, which is another word for Old Covenant. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. 1 In addition, the New Testament authors, the early church fathers, as well as Jesus himself, all credited Moses with writing the Pentateuch. Evidence for Mosaic Authorship of the Torah. But before I draw out those implications, look with me at how pervasive the Scriptures are in the way John writes his Gospel. But in later editions he apparently conceded the view of others that the J-E division could be applied to the whole of the Pentateuch which was written after Moses.9. Jesus calls Genesis "the book of Moses": a. After all, depending on when Genesis 1 occurred, even by conservative estimates, this would mean that Moses wrote down the events thousands of years after they occurred. These are the last few verses of the book. Jesus said "If you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. Jesus Christ was greater than Moses. Or Moses, or Mouses of Hebrew origin; Moseus, Moses, or Mouses, the Hebrew lawgiver. Some scholars rearrange these letters as JEPD, based on the order they believe the sections were written. Do we have any mythological areas to combat, especially in Genesis 1-11? Theirs was a "pick and choose" approach to studying the Bible, which is hardly honest scholarship in pursuit of truth. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. God saw Jesus and knew Jesus long before Jesus was on the earth. Here Jesus tacitly disapproves of an act of Moses, but he utters no positive teaching as to the authorship of the Penta-teuch." For Moses said, honor thy father and mother." Mark 7 :10o. So, Who wrote Genesis? Well likely never know with absolute certainty. Nowhere in the Pentateuch is an author named, not Moses or any other person. Terms of Service apply. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. The assumption is that, the God of the Old Testament and the person of Jesus are revealed in Scripture as such a unity (when Isaiah saw the glory of God, he saw the glory of Jesus) that what one makes of either can be tested by what one makes of the other. While he believed in the Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch, he noticed that a few verses (e.g., Genesis 12:6, Genesis 22:14) had some phrases that seemed mysteriously out of place.4 But he never pursued these mysteries to resolve them.5, About 500 years later, the famous Jewish philosopher Baruch (Benedict) Spinoza (16321677) picked up on what Ibn Ezra had stated and asserted that Ibn Ezra did not believe Moses wrote the Pentateuch. These are the three implications. Pursue a deeper knowledge of God through self-paced college- and seminary-level online courses in Old and New Testament studies, theology, biblical Greek, and more. We follow Abrahams generations through Joseph and how Israel ended up in Egypt due to a massive famine. Spinoza's arguments included these: 1), All people need to know where they came from, where their place in history is, or they will be very confused people. .. John 12:3741 is an amazing window onto how Jesus viewed the Jewish Scriptures. We are told that he was trained in all the wisdom and knowledge of Egypt. Because Genesis is technically an anonymous work, many readers wonder who wrote it. They may point out the faultiness of oral tradition or try to assert that multiple authors compiled the manuscript over centuries, borrowing from mythology of other religions. 36 But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. However, Dan in this context is not the region of Dan, that Israelite tribe's inheritance given when the Jews took the Promised Land, but a specific ancient town of Dan, north of the Sea of Galilee that was in existence long before the Israelites entered the land.