Gilgamesh-let's discuss

[mechanicdb]

Moses didn't write the Pentateuch.

I guess it depends on who you ask.

"Ancient Jewish and Christian writers, such as Ecclesiasticus, Josephus, Philo, and Origen were essentially in full agreement that the Pentateuch was written solely by Moses. The Mishnah and the Talmud also confirm this. "

...from: http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_tora.htm

...there are also persuasions on the same website that multiple authors wrote the torah, citing doublets and rare triplets: some of which I read through and seem to be explainable, but i'm no historian, archaeologist, or theologian.

 

[wavy]

Moses didn't write the Pentateuch.

I guess it depends on who you ask.

The majority of scholars reject Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch.

"Ancient Jewish and Christian writers, such as Ecclesiasticus, Josephus, Philo, and Origen were essentially in full agreement that the Pentateuch was written solely by Moses. The Mishnah and the Talmud also confirm this. "

These writers are far removed from the original composition of the Pentateuch that the fact that they preceded contemporary scholarship doesn't carry any weight. Our current knowledge, tools, and sophistication surpass theirs anyway, and what they say is open to scrutiny and shouldn't be taken at face value.

...there are also persuasions on the same website that multiple authors wrote the torah, citing doublets and rare triplets: some of which I read through and seem to be explainable, but i'm no historian, archaeologist, or theologian.

I would suggest to you starting out R. E. Friedman's perspicuous Who Wrote the Bible?, Second Edition, 1997.


Thanks,
Eric

 

[mechanicdb]

These writers are far removed from the original composition of the Pentateuch that the fact that they preceded contemporary scholarship doesn't carry any weight. Our current knowledge, tools, and sophistication surpass theirs anyway, and what they say is open to scrutiny and shouldn't be taken at face value.

far removed? I don't understand that some of the first people to have an account of the writings of the said author of the books of the Bible could be far removed from it. Can you explain that to me? If anything they had a more 'first person' (if you will) perception of how things were recorded back then than we do today.

I mean, by your reasoning, since Darwin invinted the idea of evolution in the 19th century a.d., he is the most reliable source???.....beside the fact it took humans thousands of years to come up with another explanation of how this all began, are you saying we can't trust anything anybody recorded pre....19th century a.d.?

 

[wavy]

mechanicdb,

What I am saying is that the Judeo-Christian authors you cited do not affirm Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch on any sound literary evidence. There is none. It's a traditional affirmation, and since these authors lived centuries after Moses would have lived (assuming his historicity, of course), the tradition they are parroting cannot be considered reliable. That is the way they are 'far removed'. I could say Joshua or some random Israelite wrote the Pentateuch and there would be no less evidence for this affirmation than that of Moses (which is practically non-existent).


Thanks,
Eric