Who Wrote the Bible? Episode 1: The Torah

The video explores the authorship of the first five books of the Bible, known as the Torah or Pentateuch. It introduces three main theories: the Documentary Hypothesis, the Supplementary Hypothesis, and the Dual Origins Theory. The Documentary Hypothesis suggests the Torah was compiled from four sources, while the Supplementary Hypothesis posits that Deuteronomy was the original text with additional material added later. The Dual Origins Theory proposes two separate origin myths that were later combined. The video also clarifies the differences between the Bible, Tanakh, Torah, and Talmud.

Explain the difference between the Torah and the Pentateuch.

Discuss the significance of the Talmud in relation to the Jewish Bible.

How does the author view the character of Moses in relation to the historical context?

What are some examples of doublets found in the Torah as mentioned in the text?

What are the three different theories presented regarding the authorship of the Torah?

What is the Documentary Hypothesis and what are its main components?

How does the Supplementary Hypothesis differ from the Documentary Hypothesis?

What are the implications of the dual origins theory on our understanding of biblical narratives?

What role does archaeology play in understanding the history of ancient Israel according to the text?

In what ways does the text suggest that the Israelites' history may have been influenced by geography?