Composition of the Old Testament

Seeing that we’re spending the rest of the year studying the Minor Prophets (Or the book of the twelve), it’ll be very useful to take a step back and talk about the larger collection of the Old Testament scriptures.

In our Bibles, the Old Testament order and divisions look like this:

What Scriptures did Jesus read?

When Jesus Himself referred to the scriptures, He did so in sections/categories that differ from what we currently have.

Then beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted for them the things concerning himself in all the Scriptures. He told them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Luke 24: 24, 44

Jesus seems to have had a different categorization in mind, other than the quadripartite one we have today. When we look at other witnesses from history, we know that this categorization wasn’t something Jesus made up. We get a sense of a formula for referring to the scriptures that must have been prevalent in Jesus’ day.

Many great teachings have been given to us through the Law, and the Prophets, and the others that follow them… So my grandfather Yeshua devoted himself especially to the reading of the Law and the Prophets and the other scrolls of our Ancestors.” Prologue, Wisdom of Ben Sirach

“The scrolls of Moses, the words of the prophets, and of David.” Dead Sea Scrolls (4QMMT)

“The laws and the oracles given by inspiration through the prophets and the Psalms and the other scrolls whereby knowledge and piety are increased and completed.” Philo of Alexandria (De Vita Contempletiva, 25)

What Is The TaNaK?

The TaNaK is an acronym for Torah, Nevi’im and Ketuvim. It is the shape of the scriptures transmitted through history by the Jewish rabbis.

History vs Former Prophets?

The books we consider history (and the Old Testament at large) would have been considered prophetic because:

• Jewish tradition believes that even though they contain history, they are not primarily historical records; they contain history from a prophetic viewpoint.

Too long, please open your Bible Deuteronomy 29: 23-29

So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, Until the nation avenged themselves of their enemies. Is it not written in the book of Jashar? And the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. Joshua 10:13

• Jewish tradition believes that they are actually about the future; the records of history are necessary for the purpose of giving future hope of God’s work in Israel and the world at large.

Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he made war and how he reigned, behold, they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. 1 Kings 14:19

Did Jesus read a complete collection?

Jesus made a statement that reveals how He viewed the TaNaK as a complete collection and identified its first and last books.

Too long, please open your Bible Matthew 23: 33-36

A Unified Story

The Prophet to Come

The endings of the sections of the TaNaK actually set up an expectation for a coming Messiah if we observe closely

Too long, please open your Bible Deuteronomy 34

Too long, please open your Bible Malachi 4

Too long, please open your Bible 2 Chronicles 36: 22-23

We also can examine the transition between Torah-Prophets and Prophets-Writing

Too long, please open your Bible Deuteronomy 34: 10-12

Too long, please open your Bible Joshua 1

Too long, please open your Bible Malachi 4

Too long, please open your Bible Joshua 1-2

The TaNaK order makes it easier to see the Old Testament as a flowing narrative. It doesn’t fundamentally change the meaning of the texts; it only helps us uncover new insights and meanings.

Too long, please open your Bible 2 Timothy 3: 14-17

Too long, please open your Bible Luke 24: 13-27

The TaNaK order helps us see more clearly the purpose of scripture as given by Jesus and Apostle Paul.

Questions

If you have questions, please ask them here.