Critical View of Deuteronomy Flashcards
1
Q
Three claims
A
- Composed during the reign of Josiah
- Patterned after Neo-Assyrian treaty of the 7th century
- Prophecies are ex-eventu
2
Q
Supposed Neo-Assyrian influence
A
- Whole hearted devotion
- instruction to children
- turning to the right and the left as leaving the treaty
-Verbal “parallels” patterned after VTE
3
Q
Historical reason
A
“Given this historical context, the publication of Deuteronomy in the form of a Neo-Assyrian treaty, and the pious ruse of depositing this new text in the temple, would have been an effective way of making the religious point that Judah’s covenant relationship with YHWH was older and more important than its treaty with Assyria. Consequently, the treaty form of the book of Deuteronomy is best understood as a polemic against New-Assyrian oppression.”
4
Q
Implications of critical view
A
- Moses did not write Deuteronomy.
- Worship under the centralized authority of Yahweh’s Temple is a very late development in Israel’s religion.
- If the prophecies are ex eventu, the reliability of the Deuteronomic claims is called into question.
5
Q
Structure of Deuteronomy
A
- Preamble (1:1-5)
- Historical Prologue (1:6-4:43)
- Stipulations
a. General Stipulation (4:44-11:32)
b. Specific Stipulations (12:1-26:19) - Deposition/Document Clause (27:1-10; 31:9, 24-26)
- Appeal to Witness (27:11-26; 31:26, 31:19-22; 32:1)
- Blessings (28:1-14)
- Curses (28:15-68)
6
Q
Conclusions
A
- Instead of Deut as a stage in Israel’s religious development and exploration in the first millennium BC, the Sinai Covenant Renewal in Deuteronomy is actually the foundation of Israel’s religion begun in the 2nd millennium BC under Mosaic guidance.
- As a confluence of Covenant, Law code, and Treaty, Deut becomes the basis for all social-political-religious relationships between Israel and YHWH (Kitchen). Israel relates to YHWH and one another on the basis of this covenant.
