The Torah Mosaic
Introducing the Pentateuch in Its Complex Unity
About
The Pentateuch lays an important literary and theological foundation for the rest of Scripture, so it's important that readers correctly understand its intended message. While seeing the Pentateuch's unity, many Western readers miss its complexity and thus an aspect of its meaning. In this book, Tracy McKenzie unfolds the complex process of organization, development, and composition of these five books, which was done in a literary world different from our own. He emphasizes the composite unity of the Pentateuch while guiding readers through its discrete literary units.
This accessible and concise introduction models close reading of the text, observing elements such as genre, innerbiblical exegesis, unifying language, and literary features. McKenzie shows that it is appropriate to appreciate the Pentateuch's complexity while maintaining faith in its unified message and divine authority. Each chapter concludes with relevant interpretive, theological, and practical insights. The aim is to sharpen readers' powers of interpretation and to expand their comprehension of the Pentateuch's message and theology, which the author suggests concerns God's future people under his king's reign and authority.
This supplemental textbook will be useful to students in Old Testament courses and will also appeal to pastors and church leaders.
Introduction: Sharpening Our Approach to Old Testament Interpretation
1. Holy Writ, Human Writing: The Implications of Each for Interpreting the Old Testament
2. The Human Production of Scripture
3. The Beginning and the End: The Lion from Judah
4. The Lion King: A Panorama of the Pentateuch
5. God's House and His Viceroys (Gen. 1:1-2:3)
6. Marriage and Its Purpose in the Story (Gen. 2-3)
7. Noah and the Comfort from the Curse (Gen. 4-9)
8. Abraham: God's Solution to a Worldwide Problem (Gen. 10:1-12:3)
9. Moses: God's Mediator and the Deliverance from Egypt (Exod. 1-15)
10. The Law: An Unsuccessful Journey to God's Presence (Exod. 15:22-Num. 36:13)
11. Two Covenants or One? (Deut. 1-31)
12. A Witness Against You (Deut. 32)
Conclusion: A Prophet like Moses (Deut. 34)
Indexes
Endorsements
"The Torah Mosaic provides an essential perspective on the Pentateuch that every serious student of the Christian Scriptures should read. McKenzie, a master teacher, guides readers to better understand the composition of the ancient collection of texts we call the Bible and explores in a conversational style how the literary formation of the Pentateuch is crucial to detecting its complex, multidimensional purposes. He skillfully argues that the seemingly contradictory notions of human and divine, the curse and the blessing, the law and the covenant, and complexity and coherence are not evidence of incongruent inaccuracies but are fusing features with vital theological meaning, even for contemporary believers."
H. H. Hardy II, professor of divinity, Beeson Divinity School, Samford University
"Both accessible and scholarly, The Torah Mosaic deftly guides readers through the Pentateuch with consistent attention to its author's selection and arrangement of the material. McKenzie helps us to see that the Pentateuch is not merely an accurate record of history; it also bears a theological message best discerned through attention to issues of textual production and composition. Providing fresh readings of key texts, stimulating illustrations, and reflection on Christian practice, this book will be of help to all who want to understand the foundational book of the Bible better."
Kevin S. Chen, professor of Old Testament studies, Gateway Seminary
"The Torah Mosaic offers a masterful exploration of the threads that bind together the author's intention of the Torah. McKenzie has a keen eye for the Hebrew Bible's strategic reuse of words and themes to pull forward the prophetic voice of Genesis into latter passages. I am thrilled that the church has a work that draws attention to the Pentateuch's signposts pointing to the 'Lion King' from Israel who will come in the end of days to fulfill the redemptive hope of humanity."
Eric C. Redmond, professor of Bible, Moody Theological Seminary
"I enjoy preaching Christ from the Old Testament more than just about any other thing, and I am grateful for scholars like Tracy McKenzie enabling me to do it. With careful exegesis, solid theology, and pastoral instinct, he guides me to guide my hearers in the wonders of the Old Testament."
J. D. Greear, pastor, The Summit Church, Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina
The Author
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Tracy J. McKenzie
Tracy J. McKenzie (PhD, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary; ThD, University of Göttingen) is professor of Hebrew and Old Testament at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina, where he has taught since 2006. He is...
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