Authors of the Old Testament

[Pah]

Do you agree with Karen Armstrong (and others) that Moses was not the author of the Old Testament books attributed to him - that the authors were, as designated, "J" for calling God "Yahweh", "E" for calling him "Elohin", "D" for the Deuteronomist, and "P" for being the "priestly" author?

-pah-

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

I suspect that only the ignorant or the orthodox would assert Mosaic authorship. At the same time, it is becoming more and more apparent that the Documentary Hypothesis, at least in its early JEDP form, is an oversimplification.

 

[linwood]

Many if not most average Christians do believe in Mosaic authorship.

I myself find it difficult to see how someone can describe their own funeral and events that happen well after their death.

 

[Faust]

Some theorys include P or priestly cast and R or redactor.
The redactor reworking two separate records from Judea and Israel (the kingdom split) into one unified "book".
This would also account for the same stories being told twice with variations in the accounts.

 

[Pah]

Some theorys include P or priestly cast and R or redactor.
The redactor reworking two separate records from Judea and Israel (the kingdom split) into one unified "book".
This would also account for the same stories being told twice with variations in the accounts.

Karen Armstrong doesn't speak of "R" and I had forgotten about it. Thanks for including him.

-pah-

 

[Faust]

Richard Elliot Friedman wrote an excellent book called Who Wrote The Bible.

The only place I know to find it is at the Alibris book sight.
I'm also a fan of Miss Armstrong.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Richard Elliot Friedman wrote an excellent book called Who Wrote The Bible.

The only place I know to find it is at the Alibris book sight.
I'm also a fan of Miss Armstrong.

It can be easily purchased at amazon.com or bn.com.

Friedman's book, while interesting, is somewhat dated and perhaps a bit naive. You might consider:

• The Pentateuch: An Introduction to the First Five Books of the Bible, and
• How the Bible Became a Book: Textualization in Ancient Israel

 

[Grumpuss]

Many if not most average Christians do believe in Mosaic authorship.

I myself find it difficult to see how someone can describe their own funeral and events that happen well after their death.

Interesting question!

 

[Serenity Now]

Many if not most average Christians do believe in Mosaic authorship.

I myself find it difficult to see how someone can describe their own funeral and events that happen well after their death.

We must keep in mind that the ancient world, authorship was designated in several ways: First, the author was clearly the individual who actually wrote the text with his own pen. Second, the individual who dictated the text to a secretary or scribe was still considered the author. Third, the individual was still considered the author if he only provided the ideas or if the text were written in accord with his thought and in his spirit even though a "ghost writer" did the actual composition. In the broadest sense, the individual was even considered the author if the work was written in his tradition; for example, David is given credit for the psalms even though clearly he did not write all of the psalms.

 

[Grumpuss]

Might there be any difference in drafting technique between the Old Testament and the New Testament? I think it's important to remember that the OT was written over a long period of time by a bunch of nameless rabbis, who sought only periodically to codify their great oral traditions. Whereas the NT was written by specific and blessed men, touched by Jesus (He is King) and set to paper quickly after the events, so that they could chronicle and continue to inspire the Christian revolution. The world was more modern and "larger" in the time of the NT drafting, and learned men who were literal and wise were more plentiful, even if it was a dangerous time and demons still walked the Earth, seeking to corrupt, procreate with, and devour men's souls.

 

[Serenity Now]

Genesis

Moses

1513

“In the Wilderness beginning” to 1657 B.C.

Wilderness

Exodus

Moses

1512

1657-1512

Wilderness

Leviticus

Moses

1512

1 month [1512]

Wilderness

Job

Unknown

c. 1473

Over 140 years between 1657 and 1473


Numbers

Moses

1473

1512-1473

Wilderness / Plains of Moab

Deuteronomy

Moses

1473

2 months [1473]

Plains of Moab

Joshua

Joshua

c. 1450

1473– c. 1450

Canaan

Judges

Samuel

c. 1100

c. 1450– c. 1120

Israel

Ruth

Samuel

c. 1090

11 years of Judges’ rule

Israel

1 Samuel

Samuel; Gad; Nathan

c. 1078

c. 1180-1078

Israel

2 Samuel

Gad; Nathan

c. 1040

1077–c. 1040

Israel

Song of Solomon

Solomon

c. 1020

*

Jerusalem

Ecclesiastes

Solomon

b. 1000

*

Jerusalem

Jonah

Jonah

c. 844

*

*

Joel

Joel

c. 820 (?)

*

Judah

Amos

Amos

c. 804

*

Judah

Hosea

Hosea

a. 745

b. 804– a. 745

Samaria (District)

Isaiah

Isaiah

a. 732

c. 778– a. 732

Jerusalem

Micah

Micah

b. 717

c. 777-717

Judah

Proverbs

Solomon; Agur; Lemuel

c. 717

Jerusalem

Zephaniah

Zephaniah

b. 648

*

Judah

Nahum

Nahum

b. 632

*

Judah

Habakkuk

Habakkuk

c. 628 (?)

*

Judah

Lamentations

Jeremiah

607

*

Nr. Jerusalem

Obadiah

Obadiah

c. 607

*

*

Ezekiel

Ezekiel

c. 591

613–c. 591

Babylon

1 and 2 Kings

Jeremiah

580

c. 1040-580

Judah/Egypt

Jeremiah

Jeremiah

580

647-580

Judah/Egypt

Daniel

Daniel

c. 536

618–c. 536

Babylon

Haggai

Haggai

520

112 days (520)

Jerusalem

Zechariah

Zechariah

518

520-518

Jerusalem

Esther

Mordecai

c. 475

493–c. 475

Shushan, Elam

1 and 2 Chronicles

Ezra

c. 460

After 1 Chronicles 9:44, 1077-537

Jerusalem (?)

Ezra

Ezra

c. 460

537–c. 467

Jerusalem

Psalms

David and others

c. 1000 to 460

*

*

Nehemiah

Nehemiah

a. 443

456–a. 443

Jerusalem

Malachi

Malachi

a. 443

*

Jerusalem

Matthew

Matthew

c. 41

2 B.C.– 33 A.D.

Palestine

1 Thessalonians

Paul

c. 51

*

Corinth

2 Thessalonians

Paul

c. 52

*

Corinth

Galatians

Paul

c. 50-52

*

Corinth or Syr. Antioch

1 Corinthians

Paul

c. 57

*

Ephesus

2 Corinthians

Paul

c. 58

*

Macedonia

Romans

Paul

c. 58

*

Corinth

Luke

Luke

c. 56-58

3 B.C.– 34 AD.

Caesarea

Ephesians

Paul

c. 60-61

*

Rome

Colossians

Paul

c. 60-61

*

Rome

Philemon

Paul

c. 60-61

*

Rome

Philippians

Paul

c. 60-61

*

Rome

Hebrews

Paul (see article below)


c. 61

*

Rome

Acts

Luke

c. 61

34–c. 62 AD.

Caesarea

James

James (Jesus’ brother)

b. 62

*

Jerusalem

Mark

Mark

c. 60-65

30-34AD.

Rome

1 Timothy

Paul

c. 61-65

*

Macedonia

Titus

Paul

c. 61-65

*

Macedonia (?)

1 Peter

Peter

c. 62-64

*

Babylon

2 Peter

Peter

c. 64

*

Babylon?

2 Timothy

Paul

c. 67

*

Rome

Jude

Jude (Jesus’ brother)

c. 65

*

Palestine (?)

Revelation

Apostle John

c. 96

*

Patmos

John

Apostle John

c. 98

After prologue, 30-34 AD.

Ephesus, or near

1 John

Apostle John

c. 98

*

Ephesus, or near

2 John

Apostle John

c. 98

*

Ephesus, or near

3 John

Apostle John

c. 98

*

Ephesus, or near

 

[rusra02]

Do you agree with Karen Armstrong (and others) that Moses was not the author of the Old Testament books attributed to him - that the authors were, as designated, "J" for calling God "Yahweh", "E" for calling him "Elohin", "D" for the Deuteronomist, and "P" for being the "priestly" author?

-pah-

No, I don't. More importantly, Jesus Christ does not.(Luke 22:44)

 

[metis]

Do you agree with Karen Armstrong (and others) that Moses was not the author of the Old Testament books attributed to him - that the authors were, as designated, "J" for calling God "Yahweh", "E" for calling him "Elohin", "D" for the Deuteronomist, and "P" for being the "priestly" author?

-pah-

I tend to think this is far more likely, although there's no way to determine exactly what the breakdown of authorship was. It just doesn't stand to reason, imo, that Moses was the author who did the writing, but what is possible is an oral tradition being carried forth that may have included some of his teachings. Most of the theologians that I have read drift in this direction, and I think it makes more sense, although it falls well short of being a certainty.