Introduction to the Pentateuch
The Pentateuch is the first five books of the Bible.
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
These have always been read as one book. We refer to it as the Pentateuch, but the Scriptures refer to it as the “Torah.” Torah means instruction or teaching and is probably derived from a verb that means “to point [in the right direction].”
Torah is the first section of the Hebrew Bible (see table below). The next sections (Nebiim and Kethubim) refer back to the Torah, starting in Joshua 1 when Joshua is commanded to Meditate on the Torah day and night. Similarly, Psalm 1 - which begins the third section of the Hebrew Bible - describes the righteous one of God who meditates on the Torah day and night.
Hebrew Bible (Old Testament)
| Torah (Teaching) --- Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy | Nebiim (Prophets) - - - Joshua Judges Samuel Kings Isaiah Jeremiah Ezekiel Book of the Twelve | Kethubim (Writings) - - - Psalms Job Proverbs Ruth Song of Songs Ecclesiastes Lamentations Esther Daniel Ezra-Nehemiah Chronicles |
I. Finding the big idea in the Torah.
What does it mean to follow Torah? Does it mean to keep the Mosaic law? Was Joshua supposed to follow all the rules of the Mosaic law in order to keep Torah? Did the man in Psalm 1 keep all the Mosaic law?
All of this is summed up in the question, “What is the teaching (Torah) teaching?”
In Genesis 6 there are instructions for building the ark. But clearly, Joshua and the righteous man of Psalm 1 did not follow these instructions. So what does it mean to follow the Torah?
It is helpful to notice a parallel between Psalm 1 and Jeremiah 17. Psalm 1:1-2 is almost exactly the same as a Jeremiah 17:7-8. Psalm 1 describes the righteous man who meditates on Torah day and night. But Jeremiah 17:7 describes the man who “trusts in the LORD” in contrast to the cursed man “who trusts in man (v. 5)”
The Psalmist, drawing from Jeremiah 17, seems to believe that meditating on Torah is equivalent to trusting in Yahweh. This gives us a significant pointer as to the meaning and teaching of Torah. The Torah is ultimately teaching the importance of trusting in Yahweh.
Therefore, the big idea of the Pentateuch is very much similar to that of Romans or Galatians.
II. The eschatological mission of the Pentateuch
1) The seed
In Genesis 3, humanity embraces pride and destroys the image of God. The consequence is death. But Eve is promised a seed who will “bruise the head of the serpent (3:15).” In other words, the work of the serpent has brought about sin and death, but there will be a descendant from the woman who will put an end to the work of the serpent.
The Pentateuch is constantly searching for this seed. Story after story, genealogy after genealogy, is looking for this descendant. In the very next story, in Geneis 4, Eve has a child and exclaims, "I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD (4:1)." She seems to think that by her effort she has brought about the coming seed who will fix things. Similarly, when Lamech fathers Noah he says, “"Out of the ground that the LORD has cursed this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the painful toil of our hands (5:28)." Clearly the text is looking for the coming seed. But while the descendants - one after another - show us a picture of salvation, each story ends somewhat disappointingly. Abel is killed by Cain, Noah gets drunk, Joseph is buried in a coffin in Egypt, etc.
This theme runs throughout the whole Pentateuch, and throughout the Hebrew Bible, which ends pointing us forward to the one who will rebuild the temple (2 Chronicles 36).
2) The coming prophet
Every section of the Hebrew Bible ends pointing us forward. The Pentateuch is no exception. In Deuteronomy 18 there is a prophet promised to come who is like Moses. Deuteronomy ends mentioning that “there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face (Deut 34:10)”
Not only does the Pentateuch tell us that there is a prophet coming who is greater than Moses, but it shows us what prophecy is and what a prophet does. A prophet is one who speaks the words of Yahweh.
Perhaps most crucially, the creation account shows us that God, with his words, speaks creation into existence.
Next, the people are given the law through the reoccurring phrase, “The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, speak to the people of Israel, saying...” This is all for the sanctification of the people. They are made holy through the prophetic work of Moses.
God speaking through Moses is sanctifying his people, but the Pentateuch says there is another prophet coming greater than Moses who will bring this work of sanctification to completion.
3) Pointing to the Messiah
In Genesis 49, there is promised a coming king in the line of Judah, to whom the obedience of all the people will be.
All the pictures of priests, prophets, rulers, seed, is all pointing forward to the Messiah in the Pentateuch.
The Torah, is therefore teaching us to have faith in God, but it is specifically showing us to have faith in the Messiah.
Jesus, in Luke 24:44 shows his disciples “everything written about him in the law (Torah), the prophets (Neviim), and the Psalms (kethuvim)”
He is saying, “I am the guy that this is all written about.”
This makes the Torah very precisely a book about faith in Jesus Messiah, just like Galatians or Romans. All the imagery of the tabernacle, the sacrifices, the priests, is all pointing us toward Christ. This is the faith that the Torah is teaching.
What is the teaching teaching?
It is teaching us faith in Christ.
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