This essay explores the complex question of Pentateuch authorship, tracing the historical development of scholarship from traditional Mosaic attribution to modern historical-critical approaches. It examines key arguments against single authorship, including narrative doublets, inconsistencies, and varied divine names, while acknowledging evidence for early Mosaic traditions and scribal practices. The essay then outlines major models of composition, notably the Documentary Hypothesis and its later critiques, as well as alternative theories such as the Supplementary, Fragmentary, and Neo-Documentary hypotheses. It also highlights the role of literary structures like chiastic patterns and ring composition as evidence of deliberate editorial shaping. Ultimately, the study argues for a nuanced view: the Pentateuch reflects both early Mosaic traditions and extensive later redaction, resulting in a carefully preserved text that emerged through a layered literary process.
- Quote paper
- Stanley Jones W (Author), 2025, Who is the author of the Pentateuch?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1690730
