We will resume our regular class presentations next week, picking up where we left off with a review of the questions and answers for Genesis chapters 43-36 and a new focus for our apologetics topic. This week we will do an overview of the documentary in the Patterns of Evidence Series called “The Moses Controversy” that examines the questioning of Moses’ authorship of the Torah. The Torah, also known as the Books of Moses, includes Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. It has just been in the last century or so, that modern academia has embraced this skepticism to the point of admonishing those who hold to the traditional historical thinking. But, is that skepticism warranted in spite of the evidence?
Mainstream skepticism concerning Moses’ authorship is generally based on the following:
- Mainstream science does not do “prove the Bible” archeology anymore
- They make the claim that the Bible exaggerates (for example, they say things like: Solomon wasn’t that great and David didn’t really do all those things), and there are too many “fantastical” narratives (like the parting of the Red Sea)
- They believe the Torah is a product of earlier, unreliable oral tradition, and much later multiple authors – this is known as the “Documentary Hypothesis”
- Mainstream historians place Egyptian history in a different time period than traditional Biblical history does
- Mainstream thought is that widespread literacy was not possible in the Biblical time period of the Exodus, and that there was no form of writing that had an alphabet until the time of the Phoenicians (hundreds of years later)
Note: Most of the mainstream scholars that deny Moses’ authorship consider themselves agnostic or atheists; AND, most of these mainstream scholars hold to paradigms that their professors developed and taught, rather than being willing to look at alternate possibilities – they are “married” or invested in the models in place (the paradigms) and are not interested in newer discoveries or opposing views.
There are, however, many Biblical scholars that do hold, and strongly believe in, the traditional historical view of Moses’ authorship. There is much evidence that destroys the “documentary hypothesis” and Timothy Mahony presents this in the documentary. The following is an outline style overview of the evidence presented in the film “The Moses Controversy” and viewing of the complete documentary is highly recommended:
Patterns of Evidence Investigative Criteria states that, “If Moses wrote the Torah, as the Bible claims, then there should be evidence for the following questions:”
1. Was there a form of writing by the time of the Exodus?
YES
2. Was there a form of writing available in the region of Egypt?
YES
3. Was there a form of an alphabet available by the time of the Exodus?
YES
4. Was there a form of writing similar to Hebrew?
YES – ACTUAL HEBREW!
Notes to support these claims:
- There is an abundance of Biblical support for Moses’ authorship all throughout the Old and New Testaments, including Jesus himself (for example, John 5:46-47 and Exodus 7:14)
- Writing systems were available by the time of the Exodus and and in the region of Egypt as evidenced by hieroglyphics, cuneiform and an early alphabetic script termed Proto-Sinaitic (Proto-Canaanite) which is a Semitic script that Hebrew is part of, and this early script could actually be Proto-Hebraic
- Archeology finds of early documentation confirms no changes made to the Torah, especially the Dead Sea Scrolls (ca. 200 BC) and the book of Numbers’ Silver Amulet (ca. 600 BC), thus the belief in traditional Moses authorship is longstanding and has not changed over time
- Only an eyewitness could record the details given in the Torah (for example, specific cultural practices, geography and individual names)
- Oral tradition was reliable as it was community oriented and self-correcting, so it would have added to Moses’ knowledge along with his highly sophisticated training growing up as a son of Pharaoh in Egypt
- Newer archeological discoveries are showing that widespread literacy was prominent, and Moses’ command for the people to “write on their doorposts and teach their children” gives insight to that
- Most writing materials of ancient days were perishable, thus preservation of history and laws were jobs given to specific groups of people (such as the Levites of Moses’ day and beyond)
- Phoenicians are said to have invented the first alphabet, but evidence shows that they had just standardized the one that had come from an earlier Semitic origin
In Part two of “the Moses Controversy,” Mahony proposes the question: Could the earliest alphabetic script known as the Proto-Sinaitic script be Hebrew, and if so, then who invented this script? There are three criteria question that needed to be researched and Mahony found a resounding yes to all three!
1) Does it match the look of Hebrew?
2) Is it readable as Hebrew?
3) Does it match the history of the Israelites?
Critics of this theory say…
- The inscriptions are too short to determine readability
- Dating of script is too early (middle kingdom 1800 – 1400 BC) for the Biblical narrative of the Exodus which secular academia says “if it happened” it happened in the 13th century BC, not the 15th century BC, but this is exactly when the Bible says it did happen (1446 to 1406 BC), right in the middle kingdom period
- The previous generation of professors’ paradigms do not allow for this interpretation (both linguistically and early dating)
The dating becomes key, because if Israel was in the Sinai during the middle kingdom (15th century), then this is the script that would have been available to them! This Proto-Sinaitic script 1) looks like Hebrew; 2) it is readable as Hebrew; and 3) with this dating, it matches the Biblical history of the Israelites perfectly.
Final question: Who would have been responsible for developing this early script?
- There would have to have been a motive or need for an alphabet that was readable and transportable
- Earliest inscriptions are found during the reign of the Pharaoh of Joseph’s time (12th dynasty)
- A severe famine is also recorded during this period of time
- Communication with the people of the region would have been vital, as stated in the Biblical record
- This style of script is found in Egypt during Joseph’s time period and through the Exodus, then shows up in Canaan after the Biblical period of the Exodus
- The Proto-type to the Phoenician script is in Israel before Phoenicia – coincidently it is in this time period that King Solomon was communicating with King Hiram for the building of the Temple
Conclusion:
God inspired this early alphabetic script and Joseph would have been the one, used by God, who was in the position to write instructively. Joseph had the motive and need for a mass communication method during the famine and beyond. This practice would have continued for the next 400 years to the time of Moses, who would easily have used this method to write the Torah.
Prayer and Reflection
Write out your prayer cards and exchange them at the end of the study.
Bible Knowledge Practice:
Each week we are practicing these four things and committing them to memory as a foundational approach to studying the entire Bible:
1. What are the five categories of the Old Testament books in the Christian Bible and what are the 39 books of the Old Testament in each of those five categories (Hint 5-12-5-5-12)? Extra Credit for the 27 books and their categories for the New Testament.
2. What are the “Major Historical Events” – the “Major Players” involved in those events – and the “Major Covenants” found in Genesis and Exodus?
3. What is the “Big Picture” of the Bible (12 points to remember)?
4. What are the (8) most important focus points to watch for when studying the Old Testament?
Read, or recite, the memory verse out loud with your group (new for this week):
You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.
Hebrews 5:12-14 (NLT)
Bible Study
This week you have time to finish (if needed) the Bible study questions for Genesis chapters 43 to 46; and 47 to 50. Answers for chapters 43 to 46 will be in the next class presentation, and 47 to 50 will follow the week after.
Always remember to pray before you study and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and lead you into the truth found in God’s Word – pray for protection from the evil one who will try to discourage, distract and deceive us when we commit to growing closer to the LORD.
Join us next week as we continue our “Case for the Old Testament, Joseph to Moses!”
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You will not find this material in the public school curriculum even though it is based on solid evidence and grounded in research. It is ironic that following the evidence to where it leads stops at the door of our public schools as they will not let a “Divine footprint” in! Join us as we examine evidence for Christianity and learn how to become a thoughtful defender and ambassador of your faith.
Click into the resource page of this website to view many of the top Christian thinkers and apologists along with some of their work; connecting to these types of resources is essential in your Christian growth.
Please let me know what you think: Give feedback, ask questions or send concerns in the comment section of the blog.
Teri Dugan
TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com
1 Peter 3:15
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