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Did Moses really write Genesis (R)
Readers’ comments
Jaron S., United States, 5 May 2011
Great article, I believe that Moses was the author of the Pentateuch as well and that this is an important issue to defend. However, I do have some questions in regards to point five under the evidence section; why is a reference to Moses commanding something (Matthew 8:4,19:7-8, Mark 7:10, etc.) evidence of his authorship? Jesus commanded many things recorded in the Gospels, but no one attributes Jesus as the author. Like I mentioned earlier, I support Moses as the author, I’m just curious as to the scripture references.
The point about the references to Moses in the Gospels is not that Moses’ authorship is shown by his commanding something, but by the fact that Jesus, the Son of God, said that Moses had written the command. For example, Mark 7:10 records the words of Jesus as: "For Moses said, ‘Honour your father and your mother,’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or his mother must be out to death.’" Jesus was referring to Exodus 21:17 and Leviticus 20:9. The key is that Jesus said that Moses said it. Then in Mark 12:26 Jesus refers to "the book of Moses", and in Luke 24:44 to "the Law of Moses". That is, Jesus was affirming that Moses wrote the Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy).
Kyle C., United States, 29 July 2012
This organization is brilliant. The moment I am faced with a question I do not know the answer to, I can jump onto creation.com and find an article directly addressing the subject in question. In this particular instance, I saw a snippet of a television program positing this JEDP hypothesis. The host himself was a theologian and claimed to be a Christian, whose faith in the literal reading of Genesis and the Pentateuch had been shaken by this supposedly revolutionary evidence. I then checked creation.com and as assuredly as ever, here is an article shutting down criticisms of the Bible. I love it.
Elizabeth N., United Kingdom, 8 September 2012
Your article reminds me of yet another instance where the Lord has graciously protected me from madcap theories. Many years ago and just after I got saved I went to a lecture where a Jesuit priest spoke on this JEDP subject. I dutifully took notes but most of it went over my head; the rest was forgotten - PTL - as I got stuck into the Bible. So I was very interested to read your article explaining to me what I'd missed! What a load of rubbish. Thanks for your lucid explanation.
Elizabeth N., United Kingdom, 8 September 2012
Your article reminds me of yet another instance where the Lord has graciously protected me from madcap theories. Many years ago and just after I got saved I went to a lecture where a Jesuit priest spoke on this JEDP subject. I dutifully took notes but most of it went over my head; the rest was forgotten - PTL - as I got stuck into the Bible. So I was very interested to read your article explaining to me what I'd missed! What a load of rubbish. Thanks for your lucid explanation.
Zachary H., United States, 26 November 2012
It's worth at least pointing out that Moses could not have written every single word of the Pentateuch, since he dies before the end of Deuteronomy. (Deut. 34:1) What seems to be a better explanation than asserting that Moses wrote the whole thing is to suggest that Moses very well could have compiled an original version of the Pentateuch, that was developed further after his death.
We would not say that someone other than Moses wrote the Pentateuch. But somebody, probably Joshua (as we've stated elsewhere on our website), added a note about Moses' death.
Rowan C., Australia, 5 May 2011
Thankyou for this article. I recently took a theology unit just out of interest in finding more about the word of God. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing in just the first few weeks. JEDP attempts to completely undermine the authority of the Bible. I certainly didn’t expect atheists to try to teach me about the Bible, but I was wrong. It breaks my heart that thousands of enthusiastic Christians will likely be deceived and fall into the slippery slope to atheism, or Christianity without base in the Bible. Thanks for your work!