f H f i KING'S BUSINESS
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Authorship of the Pentateuch By L. W. Munhall
T HE higher critics are pretty well agreed that Moses wrote but little or none of the Pen- tateuch. This opinion is one of their so-called "assured results."^ But they furnish no proof that they are right in the matter,—ab- solutely none. Their conclusions are born of presuppositions and conjectures, that would command no respect in any court of the land. There are abundant reasons for be- lieving, • as the historic church has al- ways believed, in the Mosaic authorship. Here are a few, briefly stated: First—The Pentateuch claims to have be«n written by Moses. Second-—The books bear incontestable evidence that they were composed in a wilderness state, yet with an express view to a speedy settlement in a fruitful land. Third—Moses humanly speaking was in every way fitted for the work, and the critics can name no one else who was. Fourth—Many of the Old Testament books enforce the claims of the Penta- teuch to Mosaic authorship, especially the Psalms. F i f th —- The Samaritan Pentateuch supports these claims. Sixth-—The ten tribes, who revolted after the death of Solomon, held fast to the Pentateuch, which is indisputable proof that it was then in existence.-—- B. C. 975. Seventh—Jesus believed Moses wrote the Pentateuch. He quoted many times from all five of the books, as divine and authoritative. Among other things He said," "Did not Moses give you the law?" Jno. 7:19 (Gen. 12:3). "He (Moses) wrote this commandment." Mark 10:5. The commandment that Jesus here def- initely says Moses wrote, is In Deuter- onomy 24:1. The critics say it was not written until post-exilic times, more than nine hundred years after Moses' death. " F or he (Moses) wrote of me." Jno. 5:46. Read also the following pas- sages carefully: Matt. 19:4-8; Mark 10:4-9; Luke 16:29-31; 20:37; 24: 25-27; John 5:45-47; 7:19-23. Eighth—Almost all the New Testa- ment writers believed in the Mosaic au- thorship of these books. Moses is men-
tioned 37 times in the Gospels; 19 times in Acts; 21 times in Paul's epistles; once by Jude and once by John; and most of these passages are confusing and meaningless if Moses did not write the Pentateuch. Ninth—Philo, Josephus and the en- tire Jewish nation believed Moses wrote the Pentateuch. Tenth—The impossibility of deceiving the Jews in this mater. The "Torah," or "Five Books of Moses," were the one book and most precious treasure of ancient Israel, guarded under the very wings and light of the Shekinah. Moses sang it and completed it before he sang his dying song. It was "the Book" in which Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy were writ- ten as "the Lord commanded." Moses, in Midian, wrote the Genesis there. Af- ter leading out the children of Israel from Egypt, he wrote the Exodus in the same book. The Lord, for a special rea- son, commanded him to write up the battle with Amalek, not "in a book," but "in the Book." The language is specific. Yet more. "Moses wrote all the words the Lord commanded, His law and His judgments," even in a par- ticular book specified by Moses. It is called " t he Book of the Covenant" of God with Israel. "Moses took the Book of the Covenant, and read in the audi- ence of the people." It was the "blood- sprinkled" book. It contained the Priest Code, which the critics say had no exis- tence till after Ezekiel. The "blood of the covenant" that sprinkles the people, sprinkled " t he Book." In the same book, "Moses wrote the goings out ac- cording to their journeys, v i. e., the itinerary, or Book of Numbers. In it he "wrote the l aw ;" the Deuteronomy, the critics say, was forged in the reign of Josiah—not only "the law which is before the priests and the levites," but "the law Moses declared in the fortieth year, eleventh month, first day of the month," in the plain of Moab, before Deuteronomic law. The perpetual obli- gation of this "Five-fold Book" (Pen- tateuch) was laid upon the people. "Thou shall observe to do all the words that are written in this book." "Take this book and put it in the side of the Ark of the Covenant of Jehovah your God, that it may be there for a witness against you."
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