What is the Documentary Hypothesis?

the Documentary Hypothesis?

One of the most prominent theories in regards to the authorship of the Torah is known as the Documentary Hypothesis (Alexander, 2012). Throughout time, two hypotheses’ have formed: the old and the new. Three men created the Old Documentary Hypothesis over about 150 years ago: Jean Astruc, Johann Gottfried Eichhorn, and Karl David Ilgen (Alexander, 2012; "Grand Canyon University," 2015). These men promoted the idea that Moses wrote the book of Genesis but that he compiled it from older documents. Their evidence in which they can distinguish documents from were “(1) certain events are recorded more than once (e.g., the creation; the flood); (2) God is designated by the names Elohim and Yahweh; (3) certain events are reported before other events, although chronologically they occur later (Alexander, 2012, p. 8; Vogt, 2009). Over time, the idea that Moses compiled the book of Genesis through other documents was rejected and eventually gave rise to the New Documentary Hypothesis.

The New Documentary Hypothesis no longer focuses on the book of Genesis but on the Pentateuch or Torah as a whole (Alexander, 2012). This theory promotes the idea of a redactor who put together the Torah from four separate unique writers and time periods and denies Moses as the author (Alexander, 2012). The first and oldest document is known as J, which represents the Yahwist (Vogt, 2009). The Yahwist text is identified by using Yahweh as God’s name. Second is the E source known as the Elohist and is written after the Yahwist (Alexander, 2012). The Elohist writings are designated by the name use of Elohim as the name of God instead of Yahweh (Alexander, 2012). The third source D, represents the Deuteronomist which is believed to be written during the time of Josiah who reigned Israel from 627-609 BC (“Grand Canyon University,” 2015). This D document represents the book of Deuteronomy. Lastly, the P source is believed to be composed in the exilic or postexilic period and includes texts from Genesis, Exodus, and the entire book of Leviticus (Alexander, 2012; “Grand Canyon University,” 2015; Vogt, 2009).

When it comes to the agreement or disagreement of the authorship and identification of separate sources, I do not seem to agree at all. As history designates and tradition holds to, The Torah is meant to be read as one unique masterpiece that communicates the fall of man and the Grace God bestows on His creation with promises that lead to restoration (“Grand Canyon University,” 2015). Sailhamer (1992) writes, “Though we often think of the Pentateuch as a collection of five books . . . it was originally intended to be read as a single book" (p. 1). The Documentary Hypothesis, in my opinion, is just another attempt in which people try to weaken the Word of God. By removing the author and making these books date 1000 years after tradition holds to them being written is a perfect way to cast doubt in the minds of believers. 

Furthermore, I did not see any arguments from the text that present our Lord speaking with divine knowledge and authority crediting Moses as the author of these texts, “And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’ (Mark 12:26). Not only Jesus, which should be enough proof, but also Paul and Peter further confirm that Moses is the author of the Torah (Acts 3:22; Rom. 10:5). It is due to this that I flat out reject the Old and New Documentary Hypothesis as well as the Fragmentary Hypothesis and Supplementary Hypothesis. I will always believe the Words of God rather than the words of men.

References

Alexander, T. D. (2012). From paradise to the promised land: An introduction to the Pentateuch (Third Edition). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic. 

Grand Canyon University. (2015). BIB 350 – Lecture 1: Introduction to the background and study of the Pentateuch [HTML Document]. Retrieved from http://lc.gcu.edu/

Sailhamer, J. H. (1992). The Pentateuch as narrative: A Biblical-theological commentary. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Vogt, P. T. (2009). Interpreting the Pentateuch: An exegetical handbook. (D. M. Howard Jr., Ed.). Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic & Professional.