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Scripture was divinely inspired. . Among the authors used by God were those who actually walked with Jesus (Matthew, Peter, and John) and had seen Jesus in His post-resurrection form (St. Paul). . He also consistently demonstrated an outsider's view of Canaan (from the perspective of Egypt or Sinai).12 And as a prophet of God he was the appropriate recipient of the written records or oral traditions of the patriarchs from Adam to his own day, which the Holy Spirit could use to guide Moses to write the inerrant text of Genesis. The Spirit of Christ was directing him. Ponder for a moment the implications of saying that the Scriptures witness about Jesus. But the Fathers did not explain how Moses wrote it, other than to assert that he was inspired by God. (John 1:1, 14). It is possible that Rachel was already aware of that name (Dan), as it meant "judge," and used it for the son of her handmaiden (Genesis 30:6). Just as "son of" in Hebrew doesn't always mean a literal father-son relationship, so the Hebrew word translated here as "brother" doesn't always mean a literal brother, but can refer more generally to a familial or tribal relative. Four of them are Greek words, and one of them, Numbers, is a Latin word. 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. Not one of his bones will be broken (John 19:36=Psalm 34:20). And there are others that would simply be awkward for Moses to write, which are referred to as amosaica (such as Numbers 12:4). In. The biblical doctrine of the inspiration of Scripture does not require us to conclude that all the books of the Bible were written by God dictating to the human authors. . A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc. The most decisive thing about this New Covenant is that Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, died for sinners so that both Jews and Gentiles who trust him would become the heirs of the Old Testament promises. Proud member . This is simply astonishing. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. Jesus said "If you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. The One who appeared and spoke to people as God during Old Testament times was the One who became Jesus Christ. Does It Really Matter If Moses Wrote Genesis? But based on the evidence available, its fair to attribute its origins to Moses. John 7:21-22 - 21 Jesus answered and said to them, "I did one work, and you all marvel. . 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. To date, no manuscript evidence of the J-document, E-document, P-document, D-document, or any of the other supposed fragments have ever been discovered. Moses was clearly aware that this had been prophesied about the nation of Israel when the Lord told Abraham (Genesis 17:6) and Jacob (Genesis 35:11) that Israel would have kings. There is also the fact that since the Israelites were never enslaved in Egypt and there was no Exodus, then there is no historical place for a Moses. Because Genesis is technically an anonymous work, many readers wonder who wrote it. http://www.biblicalstudies.org.uk/article_tradition_bailey.html, http://science.jrank.org/pages/10523/Oral-Traditions-Oral-Traditions-Source-Method-Historical-Construction.html, Noahs Flood: a Historical, Global Catastrophe, Adam by direct divine revelation, so not connected with Adam's name. You are also ignoring archaeological . 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. One of the major attacks on the Bible in the past 300 years has been directed against Moses and his authorship of the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament. Along with other documentation mentioned in the book, such as the account of Terah, the account of Noah, etc. How Daniels Prophecy of 70 Weeks Connects to the End Times. 103:7). But let's assume for moment that it was referring to the region Dan, where Israelites, who were from the tribe of Dan settled. On the contrary, we embrace it as the word of God in preparation for Messiah Jesus, and as the word of God in the ongoing illumination of the meaning of Jesus and his work. All rights reserved. . Listen to the way John uses the word. 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. Try downloading another browser like Chrome or Firefox. First, consider what the Bible itself says about the authorship of the Pentateuch. When Moses came on the scene, God revealed to him what really happened, and this is what Moses wrote down. Nevertheless, we can know that the book is God-breathed, and like many concepts in Scripture, although we may not fully understand all of it, we know enough about the book to see how it fits into Gods greater plan for humanity and salvation. Moses couldn't have written about his own death, which shows that he didn't write Deuteronomy. 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. He claims that Methuselah was an ancient historian of his day . First, we cannot discount supernatural revelation. The author of the book of Jasher and the time period of which it was originally written is a mystery, but it is validated as authoritative in several references in the Bible: II Samuel 1:18, Joshua 9, and Joshua 10:13. Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular. Nothing more sweeping could be said about the way the Old Testament witnesses to Jesus. "He . Only evolutionary thinking would lead us to conclude that Adam and his descendants could not write. Nevertheless, it is credited to Moses because it was recorded in his writings. 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). We can answer this question in a number of ways. He says, The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, In you shall all the nations be blessed (Galatians 3:8). 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. In this paper we will present simple evidence from 20 th century archeological findings that leads us to the conclusion that Moses wrote Genesis, as asserted by all the Fathers. Unlike those who affirm Mosaic authorship of Genesis and divide the text by the toledoths, JEDP adherents divide the text on the basis of the names of God that were used and say that, at best, Moses simply wove these texts together, often in contradictory ways. We are still an immigrant people journeying somewhere better. 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. What Does It Mean That There Is No One Holy Like God? Such a claim is without warrant. The story is of a spiritual Eden where Adam existed (and then Eve) in eternity past before creation. First, we can analyze extra-biblical texts such as the works of the historian Josephus. Genesis, or otherwise known as Bereshith, means "in the beginning.". The letters stand for: Then around 400 BC some redactors (i.e., editors) supposedly combined these four independently written texts to form the Pentateuch as it was known in the time of Jesus and modern times. He doesnt argue that something happened. But he was, and that too pointed to his truth. A "Hebrew" is anyone who is descended from "Eber" (Ever in Hebrew), an ancestor of Abraham and Moses (See Genesis 10:24). This specific place (Dan) was known to Abraham as one of the springs of Jordan. But how do we know this? These books are named for their intended recipientswhether groups or individuals: Romans, 1 and 2 . And verse 46 says it again a little differently: If you believed Moses [the author of the first five books of the Old Testament] you would believe me; for he wrote of me. So verse 46 says that Moses wrote about Jesus, and verse 39 says that the Scriptures witness about Jesus. For more on this topic, see Henry Morris, The record of Esau's descendants contains a. In this final post on the issue of the Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch, I want to examine a couple items in the New Testament. While Abraham is Israel's ancestor, Moses is often considered its founder, for his role in establishing Israel as a . Consider the following: Exodus 17:14 "Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it . That, that one there, yonder. [1] Ken Ham and Bodie Hodge, How Do We Know the Bible is True: Volume 1 (Master Books, 2011), p.89. So Paul says, Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. In John 6:4445, Jesus teaches that no one comes to him unless the Father draws him. In other words, Jesus is pointing out that Adam and Eve were real . And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. 35 He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. Moses is traditionally considered the author of Genesis. As stated before, most scholars attribute the authorship of Genesis and the other first four books of the Old Testament known as the Pentateuch to Moses. It is the enemies of the truth of God that are failing to think carefully and face the facts honestly. . . Yet John also reveals that this came earlierin Genesis, with Abraham. . . Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural. 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. Moses wrote the first five books of scripture [Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy] and Psalm 90. [3] Ken Ham and Bodie Hodge, How Do We . So knowing that kings were coming was already common knowledge to Moses. Others disagreed, pointing to other statements by Ibn Ezra that contradicted Spinoza's conclusion. Jesus taught this when he said, I tell you, many will come from east and west [meaning Gentiles] and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. Matthew 16:21 indicates that Jesus knew . For example, John 7:22 and Acts 15:1 refer to Moses giving the doctrine of circumcision. What about the cases where Genesis appears to be borrowing from Ancient world mythology? If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. Answer (1 of 13): There is no doubt that early Jewish and Christian tradition, is virtually unanimous in ascribing Genesis through Deuteronomy to Moses. From there, we have the well-known story of the Great Flood, and the birth of the Israelite nation through Abraham. 3. But most scholars place the compilation of the book somewhere between 1445 BC or 1290 BC. Galatians 2:19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. Genesis 3:15: Matthew 1:20 Galatians 4:4: 2: Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. More than 1400 of her works have been featured in various publications. The majority of biblical scholars have attributed the authorship of Genesis to Moses, but this has not gone without contest, especially from documentary hypothesis theorists . In other words, any Jew or any Gentile will be an heir of Abrahams blessing if he believes in Jesus, the Messiah. Please follow the instructions we emailed you in order to finish subscribing. The chart below shows that the Pentateuch states that Moses wrote these books: We also have the witness of the rest of the Old Testament: The New Testament is also clear in its testimony: They assumed their conclusion. Such attacks on these foundational books of the rest of the Bible come both from non-Christians as well as professing Christians. ., Exodus 24:3-4When Moses went and told the people all the Lords words and laws, they responded with one voice, Everything the Lord has said we will do. Moses then wrote down everything the Lord had said., Numbers 33:2At the Lords command Moses recorded [wrote down] the stages in their journey., Deuteronomy 31:24After Moses finished writing in a book the words of this law from beginning to end . So did God create the world in a literal six days or a symbolic six days? Both Old Testament and New Testament. 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. For all of them witness to him and speak of him. The Documentary Hypothesis: Moses, Genesis, and the JEDP? 42 But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. Answer (1 of 8): Ok so we have seen that Moses could have written Exodus through Deuteronomy based upon his own eyewitness testimony. These two ways of dividing Genesis are not the same at all. We think it very likely that Moses was working with written documents because the second toledoth (Genesis 5:1) reads "this is the book of the generations of Adam" where "book" is a translation of the normal Hebrew word meaning a written document. The Old Testament is precious to Christians because its a book about Gods work with Israel in preparation for the Messiah who would come not only to save Israel but to save the world from the power and punishment of sin. Dictation was one means employed, very often in the prophetic books (e.g., the prophet says, "The Word of the Lord came to me saying"). Surely translation errors must have seeped in. 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. Several sources, or literary traditions, that the final redactor used in his composition are discernable. And there are no ancient Jewish commentaries that mention any of these imaginary documents or their alleged unnamed authors. 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. Theirs was a "pick and choose" approach to studying the Bible, which is hardly honest scholarship in pursuit of truth. 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. We follow Abrahams generations through Joseph and how Israel ended up in Egypt due to a massive famine. 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. Furthermore, we have testimony from Jesus himself that Moses wrote these books. But, perhaps the most convincing passage of all is found in John 5:46-47 where Jesus said: "For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. Moses wrote Genesis after 1440 B.C." Promises in Genesis. Nothing is said about the authorship of the mass of literature of which this was a part. It was Moses who wrote where the allotments would be! If. 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. 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. I said earlier that the implications of this for ourselves and for people of other religions are huge. 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. It is too obviously the product of more than one author, writing at different times and places. Would this be a problem for Moses? Every culture, no matter how "primitive" (by our arrogant Western standards), teaches history to their children (how accurate that history may be is a separate question). Genesis 1:12:4a is the fir Genesis 6:4 reads: The Nephilim were on the earth in those daysand also afterwardwhen the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.". 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. He divided his forces against them by night, and he and his servants attacked them and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus.". 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. 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. I have come in my Fathers name, and you do not receive me. How does Jesus know that they dont love God? Jesus Was Greater than Moses One final point needs to be emphasized. They are also called the Torah (Hebrew, "instruction," "law") and the Pentateuch (from . Or Moses, or Mouses of Hebrew origin; Moseus, Moses, or Mouses, the Hebrew lawgiver. 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. Editors sometimes add to books by deceased authors and no one then denies that the deceased wrote the book. Most of the authorship of Scripture goes uncontested. 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. Christians who believe Moses wrote the Pentateuch do not need to feel intellectually intimidated. Jesus said in John 5:4243, But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. Also, Moses himself prophesied in Deuteronomy 17:1420 that Israel would have kings. Your newsletter signup did not work out. Moses said that God would raise up a Prophet like unto him. is mentioned more.). When we come to the New Testament, however, these references are more likely to refer to the final form of the Pentateuch. Whats Wrong with the Framework Hypothesis? Perhaps the most astonishing statements about the Scriptures in the Gospel of John is John 12:3741 where John quotes Isaiah 6 (verse 10) which has in it the famous vision of God: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory! (Isaiah 6:3). Privacy Policy and John shows us this three times. In either case, we know the book is about 3,000 plus years old. 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). Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.