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Old Testament Oral Tradition

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by HankD, Sep 20, 2005.

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  1. HankD

    HankD Well-Known Member
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    Did the OT Patriarchs such as Abraham have an oral tradition and perhaps even a written body of revelation from Jehovah prior to Moses?

    Scripture indicates that they did.

    The first mention in the Bible of “Torah” and “Mitzvoth” (Traditional words of Judaism for the Law) is in:

    Genesis 26
    4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
    5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

    Chronologically speaking the first mention of “Torah" is:

    Job 22
    21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.
    22 Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.

    Here Job seems to be saying that the Word(s) of God can be memorized.

    What do you think?

    HankD
     
    #1 HankD, Sep 20, 2005
  2. bapmom

    bapmom New Member

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    I think that from Adam's time people had at least an oral account of God's laws. Perhaps it was only when men's memories became short and flawed that God felt it necessary to have Moses write them down.
    God certainly does seem to say that other nations, before Moses, were willfully disobeying God and transgressing His laws.
     
    #2 bapmom, Sep 20, 2005
  3. El_Guero

    El_Guero New Member

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    Hank,

    You asked what I tho't in responce to your thread.

    So, most folks that talk about oral tradition seem to want people to believe in some sort of JEPD theory. Are you going in the direction of a JEPD story of authorship for the Penteteuch?

    [ September 20, 2005, 03:24 PM: Message edited by: El_Guero ]
     
    #3 El_Guero, Sep 20, 2005
  4. HankD

    HankD Well-Known Member
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    Yes and no.

    No, because I don't personally believe that Moses or the prophets worked from these documents or traditions (if indeed they existed) but received direct revelation(s) from God as did the Apostles.

    Yes, because I am not afraid to go that way experimentally so as to examine what I consider an erroneous (JEPD) definition of a commitee type "inspiration" that is, that it includes a sifting and compilation/recompilation of pre-existant traditions and/or documents by authors which might include unknown priests, scribes, etc.

    HankD
     
    #4 HankD, Sep 20, 2005
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