Jewish Scriptures and the Documentary Hypothesis

Jewish Scriptures and the Documentary Hypothesis Judaism and Christianity • Christianity begins as a Jewish Sect among other Jewish Sects • Judaism precedes Christianity by at least 1300 years • Bible is sacred history to three major Western religions Cultural Influence of the Bible • Religious: monotheism • Ethical: actions and their significance • Politics and Law: Popes modeled on Kings David and Solomon; Christianity and Islamic examples Bible for Three Major Religions • Judaism: Tanak or TNK: Torah (Law), Nebiim (Prophets), Kethubim (Writings); this is also called the Hebrew Bible • Christianity: Bible = Old Testament + New Testament; Christian Old Testament is the Hebrew Bible or TNK • Islam: the Bible is an authoritative sacred history of Muslims, but is not the Qu’ran The Torah “The Law” • First Five Books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy • Also referred to as the Pentateuch (Greek for Five Places or Five Books) • The “Written Torah” also includes the Prophets and the Writings Nebiim (Prophets) and Kethubim (Writings) • Former Prophets: Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings • Latter Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel • The Twelve: Hosea, Joel, Amos, etc. • Writings: Psalms, Job, Proverbs, Ruth, Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes, Lamentations, Esther, Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah, Chronicles Process of Canonization • The Torah was the first body of writings to be canonized aprox. 400 BCE • Prophets (Nebiim) were next, approx. 200 BCE • The Writings (Kethubim) around 90 CE. (destruction of second temple 70CE) • Orthodox Jews believe that the Oral Torah was given to Moses by G-D, and exists today. Criteria for Canonization HB • • • • Conformity Inspiration Hebrew Language Widespread use The Talmud • Approximately 200 CE the Oral Torah was written down. This is called the Mishnah • Between 200 and 500 CE other commentaries on the Mishnah were written, called the Gemara. They form the Talmud Oral Stage of the HB or TNK • Ancient Ancestors of the Hebrews of the Bible appear to be one branch of the Northwest Semitic group, related linguistically to Canaanites, Edomites and Moabites, who moved from a semi-nomadic existence to settled life in the Bronze Age • Genesis is structurally similar to Bablylonian flood narratives (Gilgamesh) Scholarly vs. Orthodox Views • For Orthodox Jewish and Christian believers, the Torah was written by Moses under the inspiration of G-d at Mt. Sinai; G-d prevented any errors (inerrancy); some Scriptures, like the decalogue, are given directly to • Most Academic biblical scholars maintain that the bible is written over hundreds of years by multiple authors; Moses did not write the bible or the Torah Origin of Documentary Hypothesis • 17th Century Thomas Hobbes, and Spinoza, suggested that the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) was not written by Moses • 19th Century (1870’s) Karl Graf and Julius Wellhaussen provided evidence for what comes to be known as the Documentary Hypothesis—the Torah is composed of four author-editors over a period of 500 years. Documentary Hypothesis • J: a writer who used JHWH as the "unpronounceable name of God." It is often translated as Jehovah. • E: a writer who used Elohim as the divine name • D: the author of the book of Deuteronomy • P: a writer who added material of major interest to the priesthood • R: a redactor who shaped the contributions of J, E, P and D together in the present Torah. Hyperlink to Analysis of Genesis with the Documentary Hypothesis • http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/rs/2/Judaism/jpflood.html Evidence for DH • Historical Inaccuracies: Genesis 11:31 describes the Chaldeans, a tribe that did not exist during Abraham’s time period. • Textual Contradictions: in Genesis one sequence of events is related; a later passage relates they happened in different order. • Other: in many cases Moses goes to the Tabernacle before it has been built History and the Bible • It is perhaps true that the Bible was not considered by ancient Hebrews to be historical in the modern sense; rather it provided laws, ethics, and a basis for an ongoing “sacred history” instead of an “accurate historical account” • The ancient author vs. the modern author Deuteronomist Historian • 600-550 BCE at least two historians • Interprets the history of Israel from the time of Moses to the Babylonian Exile from the point of view of Deuteronomist theology (Joshua, Judges, 1, 2 Samuel, 1, 2 Kings) • G-D rewards Hebrew people if they keep his commandments