A Summary

of the
Pentateuch

SUM Bible College & Theological Seminary

Pentateuch
Dr. Andrew Anane-Asane

By
Michelle Herrera
November 12, 2019
 Table of Contents

 Introduction
 Genesis
 Exodus
 Leviticus
 Numbers
 Deuteronomy
 Conclusion
 Bibliography

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 Introduction

Commonly attributed as the first five books of the Old Testament (Genesis, Exodus,

Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy), the Pentateuch (or Torah in Hebrew and Judaism) was

among the earliest corpus designated the status of “Scripture” within the Jewish Orthodox

tradition. The compilation hosts a diversity of material, which includes creation history,

genealogies, Patriarchal narratives, and nation-state sagas, rendered in a tapestry of thematic and

literary forms and stylizations.

The Pentateuch’s being the first corpus within the canon prompts its natural and novel

founding of the first principles and foundational beliefs of biblical theology; it is considered the

foundation document of Israel. Furthermore, although the books in the Pentateuch contain

materials from different origins, the five separate accounts nevertheless share a unifying vision.

Taken as a whole, the Pentateuch constructs a theological prelude to God and His nature, sin, and

the nature of humanity demonstrated in Yahweh’s gracious creation and the election of His

people. This paper will highlight various authors’ and their perspectives of each book to gain a

better understanding of the beginnings of the Word of God.

Genesis

In the Book of Genesis, the Beginning of Creation, John Muddiman and John Barton who

wrote a commentary on the Pentateuch share in detail about the themes in Genesis, “The

primeval history (Gen 1-11) heralds some of the main themes of the book. It defines Israel’s

place in the world of nations and links the human figures of the remote past with Abraham and

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his descendants by a series of genealogies. It also functions as a universal history of beginnings.1

The context of this brings more insight as to how God uses these themes to paint the picture of

God’s family through genealogy.

Exodus

The author William Johnstone who wrote a commentary on The Book of Exodus make a

good point about the origin that brings clarity, Johnstone, “acknowledges that the Book of

Exodus is anonymous although it often asserts that the legislation within the book was given by

God to Moses, in that should be the starting point for confession view of the origin of the book.

We may continue to view Exodus as the “Second book of Moses”. The famous crux, I appeared

to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as El Shaddai, but my name YHWH did not make myself known to

them. (Exodus 6:3).2 This Book of Exodus is great comeback story Israelites where God brought

light out of darkness, and God is still leading His children today from death to life.

Leviticus

The article, Divine Presence and Community written by Roy Gane compiles many

authors especially Frank Gorman who explains in detail about God’s presence in this particular

book. “According to Gorman, Leviticus deals with the dynamics of interaction between the

Israelites and the Divine presence dwelling in the midst of their community. Leviticus call the

community to enact holiness through ritual and ethical practice within the context of the

covenant with the holy God. This called to priest in lay people is place within Israel historical
1
John Muddiman and John Barton. 2010. “The Pentateuch.” Oxford Bible Commentary. Oxford: OUP
Oxford. 140-48.

2
William Johnstone. 2016. “A Commentary on Exodus.” The Journal of Theological Studies 67 (1): 173–
76.

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journey, but Gorman also finds relevance for modern readers who can hear the “voice” of

Leviticus on its own terms and apply its message within their own context.”3 Agreeing to what

Gorman mentions above, we can hear and apply the Word of God to our lives by the power of

the Holy Spirit, which we inherited as children of God.

Numbers

The article researched by Dennis Cole, who wrote an Exegetical commentary on the

Book of Numbers, provides a detailed overview. Cole mentions the following, “The book

outlines the tension between God’s Holiness and self-revelation with that of human rebellion and

self-centeredness, providing a warning to all peoples “against indulging in the kind of sin that

brought death to a whole generation of Israelites.4 As it says in Ecclesiastes 1:9, “What has been

will be again, what has been done will be done again; There is nothing new under the Sun.”5 The

Handbook of the Pentateuch shows the process of dealing with unholiness. Victor Hamilton

eloquently says the following, “Wherever, sin surfaces in the community, it must be openly

acknowledged by the perpetrator, for to sin against another child of God is to sin against God

himself.” 6

Deuteronomy
3
Roy E. Gane, 1999. “Divine Presence and Community: A Commentary on the Book of
Leviticus.” Andrews University Seminary Studies 37 (2): 309–11.

4
Dennis R. Cole, 1997. “Numbers: An Exegetical Commentary.” The Theological Educator 55: 152–53.

5
Ecclesiastes 1:9 (NIV).

6
Victor P. Hamilton, Handbook on the Pentateuch. Second Edition. Published by Baker Academic, 2005.

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 “With its exhortation “You shall also love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land

of Egypt”, the Book of Deuteronomy helps cultivate a healthy and appreciative sense of past

hardship, current prosperity, progress and relative privilege. In contemporary culture, where the

term “privilege” has become an unfortunate source of contention, Deuteronomy might point

away for recognition of one’s relative privilege in regard to in Other as a basis of gratitude and

responsibility.” 7 In the culture that we live in today, we see a lot of racism, hatred and division.

What we fail to realize is that we are immigrants we are all one human race and this land is not

our own.

Conclusion

In conclusion, from the beginning of creation, God is the creator of everything. He is

strategic, orderly, faithful, forgiving to all mankind. Even though the Israelites were in the

wilderness of 40 years, time was not a factor for God, He used that to bring Him of being faithful

to His people even in their disobedience. God always make a way where there seems to be no

way. When it seems to be no way out, He parts the Red Sea to escape our enemies within

ourselves that try to stop His plan. As in the Book of Numbers, the sin and disobedience was not

a shock to God but an opportunity to redeem us to reconcile back with Him. God was the same

yesterday, today and forever. His Word holds truth and doesn’t fail and lives into Eternity.

Bibliography

7
Shani Tzoref. 2018. “Knowing the Heart of the Stranger: Empathy, Remembrance, and Narrative in
Jewish Reception of Exodus 22:21, Deuteronomy 10:19, and Parallels.” Interpretation 72 (2): 119–31.

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Cole, Dennis R. 1997. “Numbers: An Exegetical Commentary.” The Theological Educator 55:
152–53.

Gane, Roy E. 1999. “Divine Presence and Community: A Commentary on the Book of
Leviticus.” Andrews University Seminary Studies 37 (2): 309–11.

Hamilton, Victor P. Handbook on the Pentateuch. Second Edition. Published by Baker

Academic, 2005.

Johnstone, William. 2016. “A Commentary on Exodus.” The Journal of Theological Studies 67

(1): 173–76.

Muddiman, John, and John Barton. 2010. “The Pentateuch.” Oxford Bible Commentary.
Oxford: OUP Oxford. 140-48.

Tzoref, Shani. 2018. “Knowing the Heart of the Stranger: Empathy, Remembrance, and
Narrative in Jewish Reception of Exodus 22:21, Deuteronomy 10:19, and
Parallels.” Interpretation 72 (2): 119–31.