The Pentateuch is usually seen as one unit and provides the background for the OT as well as the NT. Chronologically it covers the period of time from the creation to the end of the Mosaic era.
After the prologue of Genesis (Ch 1-11) which ends the new civilization degenerating after the flood, God chooses to fulfil his promises of redemption through Abraham.
The Pentateuch therefore is the story of God’s people from the call of Abraham to the death of Moses as they are on the brink of entering the Promised Land.
It spans a period of over 600 years, from about 1900 BC to 1250 BC.
#1 - NAME
The term Pentateuch is the title most commonly employed to describe the first five books of the Bible.
The name Pentateuch comes from the Greek word ‘pente’ (five) and teuchos (scroll) and thus describes the number of these writing which is the “Five Scrolls”
The Jews have always referred to the first five books of Scripture as the “Torah” (Hebrew word for “teaching”).
Some modern scholars have preferred to speak of Tetrateuch (four scrolls) taking Deuteronomy to be the introduction to the second great narrative comprising of the books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings which they call the “Deuteronomistic History”
Whatever the argument for these theories, traditionally from the ancient time it was believed that these five books have been seen as one unit.
#2 - UNITY
Both internal and external evidence support the view that the first five books of the Old Testament were written by one author, with one unifying theme.
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#3 - AUTHOR
The authorship of the Pentateuch has been a major concern for the last two centuries.
They rejected the authorship of Moses as they claimed that these books did not reflect the historic conditions of the patriarchal era but of these later periods.
Modern scholarship, especially archeology has disproved this claim, which suggested that Moses was the author of the Pentateuch.
The Pentateuch nowhere clearly claims that Moses was the author of the whole of it. Passages that refer to Moses’ writing down “all the words of the Lord,” “this law” and the like (See Exodus 17: 14; 24: 4; 34: 27, Num. 33: 1-2; Deut 31: 9, 22).
However, there are some exceptions which is obvious that certain statements in the Pentateuch imply a time of writing later than Moses (Gen, 12: 6; 13: 6; 36: 31; Deut. 34: 6).
#4 - THEME
The Pentateuch’s theme is historical, legislative and spiritual.
Historically, it records the origins of the human race and origins and early fortunes of Hebrew race.
Legislatively, it records the law that God gave to the Hebrew nation, under which they should live.
#5 - GEOGRAPHY OF PENTATEUCH
There are Three major regions of Old Testament History, which was represented by the three important journeys:
From Ur to Canaan
From Canaan to Egypt
From Egypt to Canaan.
This is the geography which involved in most of the Pentateuch, namely from Genesis 11: 28 to the end of Deuteronomy.
#6 - CONTENTS
The Pentateuch seeks to explain how Israel became the chosen and covenant people of God and what this relationship to God involved for the life and destiny of Israel and all mankind.
Genesis tells how God chose the covenant family among the peoples of the earth.
Exodus, how he redeemed this chosen family – greatly enlarged – from bondage in Egypt and how he entered into a covenant with it in Mt. Sinai.
Leviticus, how he consecrated the new nation for service and educated it in worship.
Numbers, how he purged and disciplined it according to the provisions of the covenant during its wandering in the wilderness.
Deuteronomy, how Moses exhorted it to perpetual fidelity to God and to the terms of the covenant it had accepted.
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