The Torah

All things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms.—Luke 24:44

The Torah, the five books of Moses, is the theme of this issue. The Jewish Old Testament is comprised of three sections, the Law (Torah), Prophets (Nevi’im), and Writings (Kethuvim), referred to by Jesus in the text above. (Psalms is the first book of the Writings and stands for the entire third section.) The Jews refer to the Old Testament as the Tanakh, which is an acronym using the first letters of each word, TNK.

The Jewish division of the Tanakh is into 24 books, but the original division was into 22 books. Josephus, the ancient Jewish historian, confirms this: "We have ... only 22 books, which contain the records of all the past times; which are justly believed to be divine ... five belong to Moses, which contain his laws, and the traditions of the origin of mankind till his death" (Against Apion, I, 8).

This claim is supported by John of Constantinople (6th century) and Georgius Syncellus (8th to 9th century), Christian writers who cite a portion of the Book of Jubilees as evidence. "God, as it says, created 22 works in the six days, wherefore also there are 22 letters among the Hebrews and 22 books, and 22 founding fathers from Adam to Jacob" (John of Constantinople, cited from The Old Testament Canon of the New Testament Church by Beckwith). The 22 divisions of Psalm 119, a psalm dedicated to the Word of God, may be an inspired reference to this number of books. (The 39 books of our Old Testament may be reduced to 22 by combining the double books into one each, the 12 minor prophets into one book, Nehemiah with Ezra, Ruth with Judges, and Lamentations with Jeremiah.)

The article on Genesis, In the Beginning, observes the uniqueness of the record, and traces its composition to original accounts written by those who were eye witnesses to most of the episodes they recorded. Their names are appended to their testimonies, so we can determine the principal author in each case. A variety of observations are made respecting the record through chapter 11, and the remainder of the book is briefly summarized.

The article Dwelling with God gives a broad outline of Exodus and focuses special attention on episodes from chapters 12, 19, 24, 29. Of special note is the suggestion that the reference in Hebrews 12:23 about a "general assembly" —perhaps better rendered "festive gathering" —is drawn from the gathering of elders at Sinai at the inauguration of the Law.

Leviticus is discussed in two articles. Laws of Redemption discusses the value of the typical offerings, reviews the various parts of the book, and considers the various kinds of laws recorded. The Offerings of the Law looks at the meaning of the Sin, Burnt, Meal, and Peace Offerings, and how each relates to the others.

In The Wilderness, the Jewish name for the book of Numbers, outlines the book topically and then expands on three themes: numbering the tribes, the vow of the Nazirite, and Balaam’s fourth oracle. These sections explain the remarkable decline of the tribe of Simeon; how the Nazirite vow was typical of our consecration; and three applications of Baalam’s oracle, including one incipient in our day.

The Heart of the Mediator Revealed discusses Deuteronomy, Moses’ closing admonition to the Israelites. It was the burden of Moses’ heart as he prepared to leave them. He emphasized the necessity of consummate love for God as the only sure means of keeping Israel faithful to their covenant.

The closing article, The Antiquity of the Books of Moses, is a brief introduction to a larger study, supporting Moses’ ancient authorship of the Torah.

The Torah covers more than 2500 years of God’s providence over his people. It is a precious legacy from one of the noblest of God’s servants of past ages, with whom he deigned to speak "face to face." It is the cornerstone of the Word of God. Let us cherish its treasures.