Old Testament

[FaithT]

I was reading some news stories on my iPad and there was one that interested me but I can’t access it without buying a subscription. It’s about the author(s) of the Old Testament. I did some googling and from what I’ve found so far, scholars believe that the OT was written by a number of men, over a very long period of time.
I’d always heard it was written by Moses. What does the Church teach?

 

[Bob Crowley]

I'm not sure what the Catholic Church teaches to be precise, but it was assumed Moses wrote the "Torah" or the first five books of the Bible, not the entire OT. He was long dead by the time of the Judges, Prophets and Psalms (which allegedly were largely written by David).

Even the book of Genesis itself shows different writing styles.

I think a lot of the books were written or improved up during the Babylonian captivity when the Jews had time to reflect upon their history. After the Babylonian captivity for example, idol worship was finished in Israel. They finally figured out that was one of the things that caused God to send them into exile for 70 years.

The ins and outs of OT authorship are not straight forward as the attached Catholic link will show.

How We Got the Old Testament

Which books belong in the Old Testament canon? The subject is a little controversial today . . . and it was a lot more controversial 2,000 years ago.

www.catholic.com

 

[Michie]

Who Wrote the Books of Moses?

There are all sorts of crazy theories about who wrote the books of Moses. So what's the real story? Jimmy Akin cuts through all the confusion. Read more.

www.catholic.com

 

[FaithT]

Who Wrote the Books of Moses?

There are all sorts of crazy theories about who wrote the books of Moses. So what's the real story? Jimmy Akin cuts through all the confusion. Read more.

www.catholic.com

So, in a nutshell, Moses wrote a lot of the Pentateuch but others added to it?

 

[Michie]

So, in a nutshell, Moses wrote a lot of the Pentateuch but others added to it?

It depends what view you take. Nothing was written until after Jesus’ death and resurrection either. I suppose those that knew him or were there might of clarified on some things.

 

[FaithT]

It depends what view you take. Nothing was written until after Jesus’ death and resurrection either. I suppose those that knew him or were there might of clarified on some things.

But it’s ok for Catholics to take the view that Moses wrote most of it but not all?

 

[RileyG]

I was reading some news stories on my iPad and there was one that interested me but I can’t access it without buying a subscription. It’s about the author(s) of the Old Testament. I did some googling and from what I’ve found so far, scholars believe that the OT was written by a number of men, over a very long period of time.
I’d always heard it was written by Moses. What does the Church teach?

Traditionally, the first five books of the Bible, were to be written by Moses. However, he dies in the book of Deuteronomy.

Yes. It was written by multiple men over a period of years.

 

[RileyG]

But it’s ok for Catholics to take the view that Moses wrote most of it but not all?

First five, yes. He’s dead after that.

 

[RileyG]

It depends what view you take. Nothing was written until after Jesus’ death and resurrection either. I suppose those that knew him or were there might of clarified on some things.

Yup! It was all passed down via oral tradition!

 

[FaithT]

Traditionally, the first five books of the Bible, were to be written by Moses. However, he dies in the book of Deuteronomy.

Yes. It was written by multiple men over a period of years.

And that’s ok for Catholics to believe it was written by multiple men over a period of years?

 

[FaithT]

First five, yes. He’s dead after that.

Ok

 

[RileyG]

And that’s ok for Catholics to believe it was written by multiple men over a period of years?

Why yes, of course!

 

[RileyG]

Ok

Some question if Moses was even a historical person to being with. I had a professor in college that did, and she has a doctorate in OT Biblical studies.

 

[FaithT]

Some question if Moses was even a historical person to being with. I had a professor in college that did, and she has a doctorate in OT Biblical studies.

What does the Church teach about the details of Exodus? Do we have to believe it’s all historical?

 

[RileyG]

What does the Church teach about the details of Exodus? Do we have to believe it’s all historical?

Yes. It’s historical, from what I understand.

The Book of Exodus

The book of Exodus is one of the most important books in the Old Testament; without meditating on and appraising it, it is difficult to understand God's later revelation to men in his Son Jesus Christ.

www.catholic.com

 

[FaithT]

Yes. It’s historical, from what I understand.

The Book of Exodus

The book of Exodus is one of the most important books in the Old Testament; without meditating on and appraising it, it is difficult to understand God's later revelation to men in his Son Jesus Christ.

www.catholic.com

Historical, as in 100% literal?

 

[FaithT]

AI Overview



Catholics generally believe the Exodus is a real historical event rather than a myth, but
they do not necessarily interpret every detail as 100% literal history in the modern, scientific sense. The Church views it as "salvation history," where theological truths and symbolic meanings are as important as the historical facts.

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• Historical Grounding: The Church teaches the Exodus is rooted in real events, with Moses as a historical figure and the liberation from Egypt as a genuine act of God.
• Literary Genre: Catholic scholars interpret the Book of Exodus as a mix of historical narrative, law, and theology. The focus is on the covenant and God’s action, not strict chronological reporting.
• Interpretation Method: While acknowledging the core events happened, the Catholic Church does not require a fundamentalist reading of every single detail, allowing for symbolic interpretation of specific descriptions.
• Evidence and Context: The narrative is believed to be grounded in the historical realities of the second millennium B.C., even if explicit Egyptian archaeological records are absent.
  
  
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Therefore, Catholics typically accept the substance of the Exodus as literal history, but interpret the detailsthrough a lens that combines historical, allegorical, and spiritual senses.

Catholic Answers

 

[FaithT]

AI Overview



Catholics must believe the Book of Exodus contains true, infallible religious, saving truths, but not that every verse is a modern, literal, or scientific history
. The Church teaches that the Exodus from Egypt was a real event, but it is understood through divine revelation as a spiritual account containing theological,, symbolic, and potentially,, some illustrative details.

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• Real Events, Not Literalism: Catholicism holds that the core of the Exodus narrative is historically true. However, it is not required to take every detail as a 100% literal,, journalistic, or, scientific account, allowing for symbolic or poetic language in the narrative.
• Theological Focus: The primary purpose of the text is to reveal God's intervention, the liberation of His people, and the establishment of a covenant, rather than to serve as a, modern history textbook.
• Biblical Interpretation: The Church encourages looking for the "sense" intended by the author, which can include both literal, and figurative,, or, allegorical, interpretations. The inspiration of the Scripture lies in its truth for salvation.
• Historical Context: While archaeological evidence for the specific event is scarce, the story is considered rooted in history. Some Catholics believe it is 100% literal, while others believe, it is a combination of, historical, event and, tradition.
  
  
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In summary, Catholics believe in the truth of the Exodus narrative, but they are not required to adopt a, literalist, reading of every detail, allowing for the, spiritual, and theological message to be paramount

 

[RileyG]

Historical, as in 100% literal?

Keep in mind not everything in the Bible is literal. Historical but not 100% literal, yes. That’s my take.

 

[FaithT]

Keep in mind not everything in the Bible is literal. Historical but not 100% literal, yes. That’s my take.

What’s the difference between historical and literal?