The Study of The Study of PentateuchPentateuch

1. What is Torah?1. What is Torah?

The First Five Books are commonly The First Five Books are commonly called as the “Pentateuch” a word called as the “Pentateuch” a word derived from the Greek penta derived from the Greek penta meaning five and teuchos meaning meaning five and teuchos meaning scroll.scroll.

Torah means not only “law” but also Torah means not only “law” but also “teaching” or “instruction.”“teaching” or “instruction.”

Story as TorahStory as Torah

Tamara Cohn EskenaziTamara Cohn Eskenazi

““The Torah is meaningful memory written The Torah is meaningful memory written explicitly for a purpose: to engage and explicitly for a purpose: to engage and teach a community how to live in relation teach a community how to live in relation to God. The story is not a dispassionate to God. The story is not a dispassionate report of what happened, merely told to report of what happened, merely told to satisfy curiosity. It seeks to promulgate a satisfy curiosity. It seeks to promulgate a public memory of a shared past and define public memory of a shared past and define a common future. And the medium it uses, a common future. And the medium it uses, narrative, is inseparable from the narrative, is inseparable from the messages it seeks to convey.”messages it seeks to convey.”

The Importance of TorahThe Importance of Torah

For the Jews the Pentateuch contained an For the Jews the Pentateuch contained an authority that the rest of the OT—the authority that the rest of the OT—the prophets and the writings—did not seem prophets and the writings—did not seem to match.to match.

When the Jews were driven from their When the Jews were driven from their home land, it was Torah that sustained home land, it was Torah that sustained their identity.their identity.

Torah was also used for the formulation of Torah was also used for the formulation of young Israelite’s character and identityyoung Israelite’s character and identity

The Impact of the Torah on the OTThe Impact of the Torah on the OT

To borrow the phrase from Moberly, To borrow the phrase from Moberly, Torah is the “Old Testament of the Torah is the “Old Testament of the Old Testament.”Old Testament.”

Documentary HypothesisDocumentary Hypothesis

Chronology of Pentateuchal SourcesChronology of Pentateuchal Sources

AstrucAstruc

EichhornEichhorn

EE

JJ

Chronology of the Pentateuchal Chronology of the Pentateuchal sourcessources

Astruc DeWetteAstruc DeWetteEichhorn EwaldEichhorn Ewald

E EE EJ JJ J DD

Chronology of the Pentateuchal Chronology of the Pentateuchal sourcessources

Astruc DeWette HupfeldAstruc DeWette HupfeldEichhorn EwaldEichhorn Ewald

E E E1E E E1J J E2J J E2 D JD J DD

Chronology of the Pentateuchal Chronology of the Pentateuchal sourcessources

Astruc DeWette Hupfeld ValkeAstruc DeWette Hupfeld Valke

Eichhorn Ewald GrafEichhorn Ewald Graf

E E E1 E2E E E1 E2

J J E2 JJ J E2 J

D J DD J D

D E1D E1

Chronology of the Pentateuchal Chronology of the Pentateuchal SourcesSources

Astruc DeWette Hupfeld Valke WellhausenAstruc DeWette Hupfeld Valke WellhausenEichhorn Ewald GrafEichhorn Ewald Graf

E E E1 E2 JE E E1 E2 JJ J E2 J E (E2)J J E2 J E (E2) D J D D D J D D D E1 P (E1)D E1 P (E1)

Conclusion of WellhausenConclusion of Wellhausen

1.1. Pentateuch is a combination of four Pentateuch is a combination of four different sourcesdifferent sources

2.2. Its final form was achieved not before Its final form was achieved not before 400 BC400 BC

J-850BC

E-750BC

D-621BC

P-450BC

Theology of PentateuchTheology of Pentateuch

David ClinesDavid Clines1.1. Emphasis is on the final form-a Emphasis is on the final form-a

synchronic approachsynchronic approach2.2. His attempt is to portray that His attempt is to portray that

Pentateuch is a coherent bookPentateuch is a coherent book3.3. He chooses the theme: Pentateuch He chooses the theme: Pentateuch

is the partial fulfillment of the is the partial fulfillment of the promise and blessings of the promise and blessings of the patriarchspatriarchs

Way to GoWay to Go

Both Diachronic and Synchronic Both Diachronic and Synchronic approaches have to be consideredapproaches have to be considered

Only then the composite artistry of the Only then the composite artistry of the redactor can be appreciatedredactor can be appreciated

Theology or normative aspect of the text Theology or normative aspect of the text comes alivecomes alive

Biblical and Theological studies should Biblical and Theological studies should edify and inform the congregation rather edify and inform the congregation rather than shatter their faith.than shatter their faith.