Deuteronomy - Introduction Part 1

The title “Deuteronomy” literally means “second law”, but this can be misleading and is based on the Septuagint (Greek translation) translation of 17:18. It is better to think of the book as “preached Law”. The rules and regulations are given in quite formal legal form in Exodus - Numbers. Deuteronomy is giving the Law when they are on the verge of entering the Promised Land, so it has a  much more immediate context.

The traditional or classical view of the authorship and date of Deuteronomy was written by Moses, with possible a few later edits, and was preparing the people of Israel to enter the Promised Land. This is the scenario presented by the book itself. Jesus and other New Testament writers attributed the book to Moses. Indeed, Deuteronomy is one of the most quoted Old Testament books in the New Testament. So this is the view I will take.

There are many who believe that the book was written much later. Some say that it was written around the time of Josiah. Some see it as being a polemic at about the time of the Assyrian ascendency, while others see it more in the Babylonian period. There is no consistency to these various alternatives, so we will stick with the traditional view, indeed the Jesus view!

There is a great emphasis on “the land”. God had promised to Abraham that He would give them the land of Canaan, and this emphasis follows throughout the Pentateuch. There is emphasis both on God giving them the land, and on their need to take the land. There is also emphasis on their living according to God’s ways in the land. There are obvious parallels with Christian salvation and life. We are utterly dependent upon God. Jesus Christ dying and rising again are our only grounds for salvation, we are saved by grace. But that does not mean that we don’t do anything, nor does it mean that it doesn’t matter how we live.

One of the features of Deuteronomy is that Israel is given clear instructions on how to live in the land, how to be “successful”, but this is given knowing full well that she will fail. Ultimately the book is a preparation for the coming of Christ.