Who Wrote the Torah? (Pentateuch)

Summary

In this video, Matt Baker explores the authorship of the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, also known as the Pentateuch. While tradition credits Moses as the sole author, modern scholarship reveals multiple contributors over time, shaped by oral traditions and historical events. Baker presents three theories: the classic Documentary Hypothesis (J, E, D, P sources), the Supplementary Hypothesis (D as the base with additions), and the emerging Dual Origins Theory, which suggests separate Northern and Southern Israelite traditions merged later. The video highlights how geography, politics, and cultural exchanges influenced these narratives, challenging traditional views and offering fresh insights into biblical history.

Takeaways

• 📖 The Torah, also known as the Pentateuch, consists of the first five books of the Jewish Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy) and is identical to the first five books of the Christian Old Testament.
• ✡️ The Jewish Bible is called the Tanakh, while the Talmud is a separate collection of oral traditions and commentary, not part of the Torah.
• 🕊️ Traditionally, Moses is credited with writing the Torah, a view still held by Orthodox Jews and evangelical Christians.
• 🔍 Modern scholarship finds the Torah to be a multi-layered text with multiple authors, due to literary elements and repeated stories (doublets).
• 📜 The Documentary Hypothesis suggests the Torah was compiled from four main sources: J (Yahwist), E (Elohist), D (Deuteronomist), and P (Priestly), combined over time.
• 🛠️ The Supplementary Hypothesis updates the Documentary Hypothesis, proposing D as the core text, with J, E, and P as later supplementary additions, finalized by a redactor (R).
• 🆕 The Dual Origins Theory posits that there were originally two separate traditions: the patriarchal stories (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) from the south and the Moses/Exodus stories from the north, later combined by priests.
• 🌍 Historical and geographical context influenced the Torah: northern Israel had associations with Egypt, while southern Judah had connections to Mesopotamia, impacting the narratives.
• ⏳ Archaeological evidence suggests that the biblical accounts of a united Israel under Solomon may be exaggerated, with true unification occurring later, during Hezekiah and Josiah’s reigns and post-Babylonian exile.
• 🤔 The abrupt transitions and chronological inconsistencies in the Torah support the idea of multiple traditions and authors, with oral and regional origins shaping the text.

Q & A

Who is Matt Baker and what is his area of expertise?

Matt Baker is a historian who designs history charts and holds a PhD in Education and Religion. He creates content related to historical and religious topics.

What are the first five books of the Bible, and how are they referred to in different religious traditions?

The first five books are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Christians call them the Pentateuch, while Jews call them the Torah. Both refer to the same set of texts.

What is the difference between the Torah and the Talmud?

The Torah consists of the first five books of the Bible and is part of the Jewish canon. The Talmud, however, is a separate text containing oral traditions and rabbinic commentary.

Why is Moses traditionally considered the author of the Torah, and why do modern scholars question this?

Traditionally, Moses is believed to have written the Torah. Modern scholars question this because the text contains literary elements, multiple layers, and repeated stories, indicating contributions from multiple authors over time.

What evidence in the Torah suggests multiple authors?

Evidence includes duplicate stories, such as two creation accounts, two accounts of Abraham lying about Sarah, and two accounts of Jacob's name changing to Israel. Scholars identify about 30 such doublets in the text.

What is the Documentary Hypothesis?

The Documentary Hypothesis posits that the Torah was compiled from four original sources: J (Yahwist), E (Elohist), D (Deuteronomist), and P (Priestly). Each source was written in different historical contexts and later combined.

How does the Supplementary Hypothesis differ from the Documentary Hypothesis?

The Supplementary Hypothesis sees Deuteronomy (D) as the original core, with additional material (J/E/P) added over time, rather than four separate independent sources. A redactor (R) finalized the text.

What is the Dual Origins Theory, and why is it significant?

The Dual Origins Theory suggests that two independent origin myths—patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) and Moses/Exodus—developed separately and were later combined by priestly writers. This explains abrupt transitions and geographical influences on the text.

How do geography and historical context influence the content of the Torah according to the Dual Origins Theory?

Northern Israel (associated with Moses and Egypt) and southern Judah (associated with the patriarchs and Mesopotamia) developed separate cultural traditions. Interactions with neighboring powers like Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon influenced the mythology and storytelling in the Torah.

Why does Matt Baker consider the Dual Origins Theory promising?

He believes it better explains inconsistencies, abrupt transitions, and the presence of multiple origin myths, reflecting historical divisions between northern and southern Israel, and may become a dominant perspective in future biblical scholarship.

What role does the redactor (R) play in Torah authorship theories?

The redactor is a later editor who finalizes the text by adding minor corrections, connecting disparate sources, and creating a coherent narrative, according to both the Supplementary and Dual Origins Hypotheses.

How does modern archaeology challenge traditional views of the Torah's composition?

Archaeological evidence suggests that the Israelite kingdom was likely never fully unified under Solomon and that strict monotheism may have developed later, challenging timelines proposed by traditional authorship theories like the Documentary Hypothesis.