During the canonization, did the Church knowingly lie about Moses being the author of the first 5 books?

Question

Hebrew scholars have known for centuries that the first 5 books of the bible were not written by Moses but rather by 4 individual authors and, through the study of the language, can even say in which century and kingdom each lived.

If the church honestly didn't know who wrote them, why should these books be considered reliable?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Documentary_hypothesis

Answer 1

Very good point. Most Christians forget that canonization was put in place to create doctrine, and there are many things that happened during it that changed theology.

Apparently Jesus was taught that Moses wrote all the books so it is OK that he claimed they were. If God won't clarify the truth to even Jesus, then the Christian community has to question everything they think they know to be true.

Answer 2

Why does knowing/not knowing the author change the credibility? Either way you're saying "believe this because someone wrot it a long time ago."

The Bible was assembled in the 4th century CE. The Torah (the first five books of the Bible) were accepted to be the work of Moses at the time and for centuries afterward. I also know that at least by the Rennaissance (16th century) Christians still believed that those books were written by Moses.

I would guess that some Jews, particularly Orthodox ones, continue to believe those books were written by Moses today, since they still also hold that the world is 6000 years old.

Answer 3

Every book of the Bible necessitates a pedigree of known authorship in order for it to have been included in the Hebrew Canon. Throughout the New Testament, Jesus and the New Testament writers refer to the “book of Moses” (Mark 12:26) and “Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me” (Luke 24:43-45). The messianic prophecies of Genesis were considered to be from Moses by the Jews at the time of Jesus. If Jesus and the Apostles accepted without equivocation that the Genesis prophecies about the Messiah were from the “Law of Moses,” then they had the divine authority to pronounce it so. The internal evidence is found in the New Testament and everywhere in scripture that the “books of Moses” are referred to.

Answer 4

I personally don't believe Moses wrote the entire first five books of the Bible. He wrote parts in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy which deal mainly with The Laws of Moses. I believe unnamed authors and possibly angels of God that were always present at the time these events took place recorded what every word was said in the conversations between God and man and events before mankind was created.

Answer 5

There are at least two competing theories about how the first five books were written, but I doubt that the early church had any clue about authenticity of authorship for any of the books.

Based on supporting evidence, I would not rank any of the Bible as reliable.

Answer 6

I assume you never personally met Moses. Not in this life. Therefore, you really only know what he did and identify what is said about him because of his NAME. If his name had been Joe Blow, would it change anything he did or said?

In my religion, the person who wrote the book may never have lived. But nobody knows much about him. Now, think about it. If we don't know much about the author, how does it MATTER who wrote it. THE WORDS ARE STILL THE SAME.

Answer 7

You forgot to tell us this is only a hypothesis by Julius Wellhausen.

Many who hate God and religion do what they can to disprove the ancient scribes and sages who have been the true keepers of Gods Word throughout history.
I will continue trusting their reliable history.

Answer 8

Its believed to have been! But why does that matter God is the real author.

God Bless

Answer 9

Its a book put together by committee nothing more.