DEUTERONOMY
The Lord [Jesus] prescribed love towards God and taught justice towards neighbor, so that man would be neither unjust, nor unworthy of God. Thus, through the Decalogue, God prepared man to become his friend and to live in harmony with his neighbor … The words of the Decalogue remain likewise for us Christians. Far from being abolished, they have received amplification and development from the fact of the coming of the Lord in the flesh.
St. Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 4.16
St. Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 4.16
The Title
The English title Deuteronomy stems from The Septuagint’s mistranslation of Deuteronomy 17:18, “this repetition of The Law”. The Septuagint translated those words deuteronomion (literally “second Law”), which were rendered Deuteronomion in The Vulgate, Jerome’s 4th Latin translation of The Bible. The Hebrew title of the book is elleh hadd barim (“these are the words”) in keeping with the Hebrew custom of often titling a work by its first word(s). This Hebrew title is a more apt description of the book for it is not a “second law”, but the record of Moses’ sermons on The Law.
The Authorship and Date
The Mosaic authorship of Deuteronomy was almost universally held by both Jews and Christians until the rise of liberal criticism in the 19th Century.
Date written: 15th Century B.C.
Date written: 15th Century B.C.
The Structure
Deuteronomy follows the pattern of the vassal treaties typical of the 2nd Millennium B.C. When a king (a suzerain) made a treaty with a vassal country the treaty usually contained six elements:
1) A Preamble
2) A Historical Prologue
3) A General Stipulation
4) Specific Stipulations
5) Divine Witness
6) Blessings and Cursings
1) A Preamble
2) A Historical Prologue
3) A General Stipulation
4) Specific Stipulations
5) Divine Witness
6) Blessings and Cursings
The Purpose
Though Deuteronomy follows the vassal treaty form, in general it is more sermonic in nature. Moses was preaching The Law to Israel to impress God’s Word on their hearts. His goal was to get the people to renew The Covenant made at Sinai, that is, to make a fresh commitment to The Lord. Only by unreservedly committing themselves to The Lord could the people hope to enter The Promised Land, conquer its inhabitants, and then live in prosperity and peace.
The Tithe in Deuteronomy 14:22 – 29
Leviticus 27:30..."Thus all the tithe of the land, of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD'S; it is holy to the LORD." (NASB); (Numbers 18;21): First tithe or 10%
Deuteronomy 14:22 – 27...("You shall surely tithe all the produce from what you sow, which comes out of the field every year. You shall eat in the presence of the LORD your God, at the place where He chooses to establish His name, the tithe of your grain, your new wine, your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and your flock, so that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always. If the distance is so great for you that you are not able to bring {the tithe,} since the place where the LORD your God chooses to set His name is too far away from you when the LORD your God blesses you, then you shall exchange {it} for money, and bind the money in your hand and go to the place which the LORD your God chooses. You may spend the money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen, or sheep, or wine, or strong drink, or whatever your heart desires; and there you shall eat in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice, you and your household. Also you shall not neglect the Levite who is in your town, for he has no portion or inheritance among you." (NASB)
Possible this gave further information on the first tithe above or it was a 2nd tithe (10% of the remaining 90%) to brought in to the central sanctuary.
Deuteronomy 14:28 – 29..."The Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance among you, and the alien, the orphan and the widow who are in your town, shall come and eat and be satisfied, in order that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do." (NASB)
Once every 3 years an additional 10% was given for the use of the local levities and the poor (Deuteronomy 26:12..."When you have finished paying all the tithe of your increase in the third year, the year of tithing, then you shall give it to the Levite, to the stranger, to the orphan and to the widow, that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied." (NASB)).
The total possible tithe = 21.7% of annual income (averaged over 3 years = 19% + 19% + 27.1)
New Testament grace giving: 2nd Corinthians 8 – 9
Deuteronomy 14:22 – 27...("You shall surely tithe all the produce from what you sow, which comes out of the field every year. You shall eat in the presence of the LORD your God, at the place where He chooses to establish His name, the tithe of your grain, your new wine, your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and your flock, so that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always. If the distance is so great for you that you are not able to bring {the tithe,} since the place where the LORD your God chooses to set His name is too far away from you when the LORD your God blesses you, then you shall exchange {it} for money, and bind the money in your hand and go to the place which the LORD your God chooses. You may spend the money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen, or sheep, or wine, or strong drink, or whatever your heart desires; and there you shall eat in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice, you and your household. Also you shall not neglect the Levite who is in your town, for he has no portion or inheritance among you." (NASB)
Possible this gave further information on the first tithe above or it was a 2nd tithe (10% of the remaining 90%) to brought in to the central sanctuary.
Deuteronomy 14:28 – 29..."The Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance among you, and the alien, the orphan and the widow who are in your town, shall come and eat and be satisfied, in order that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do." (NASB)
Once every 3 years an additional 10% was given for the use of the local levities and the poor (Deuteronomy 26:12..."When you have finished paying all the tithe of your increase in the third year, the year of tithing, then you shall give it to the Levite, to the stranger, to the orphan and to the widow, that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied." (NASB)).
The total possible tithe = 21.7% of annual income (averaged over 3 years = 19% + 19% + 27.1)
New Testament grace giving: 2nd Corinthians 8 – 9
The Outline (Bible Knowledge Commentary on The Old Testament - Walvoord, Zuck, Cook)
Pt 1: Introduction – The Historical Setting of Moses’ Speech’s (Deut. 1:1 – 1:4)
A) The Speaker, Audience, and Location (1:1)
B) The Date (1:2 – 4)
Pt 2: The 1st Address by Moses – Historical Prologue (Deut. 1:5 – 4:43)
A) The Review of God’s Mighty Acts between Horeb and Beth Peor (1:5 – 3:29)
B) An Exhortation to obey The Law and resist Idolatry (4:1 – 43)
Pt 3: The 2nd Address by Moses – Covenant Obligations (Deut. 4:44 – 26:19)
A) Recapitulation of The Law at Horeb (4:44 – 5:33)
B) The Great Commands and Warnings (6 – 11)
C) The Code of Specific Laws (12 – 26:15)
D) A Declaration of Commitment (26:16 – 19)
Pt 4: The 3rd Address by Moses – Covenant Renewal Commanded and The Declaration of Blessings and Cursings (Deut. 27 – 29:1)
A) Covenant Renewal Commanded (27)
B) The Blessings and The Curses (28)
C) Conclusion to Moses’ 3rd Address (29:1)
Pt 5: The 4th Address by Moses – A Summary of The Covenant Demands (Deut. 29:2 – 30:20)
A) An Appeal for Covenantal Obedience (29:2 – 29)
B) Promised Blessings after Israel’s Repentance (30:1 – 10)
C) A Concluding Charge to Choose Life (30:11 – 20)
Pt 6: The Transition from Moses to Joshua (Deut. 31 – 34)
A) The Appointment of Joshua and The Depositing of The Law (31:1 – 29)
B) The Song of Moses (31:30 – 32:43)
C) Preparation for Moses’ Death (32:44 – 52)
D) The Blessing of Moses (33)
E) The Death of Moses (34)
A) The Speaker, Audience, and Location (1:1)
B) The Date (1:2 – 4)
Pt 2: The 1st Address by Moses – Historical Prologue (Deut. 1:5 – 4:43)
A) The Review of God’s Mighty Acts between Horeb and Beth Peor (1:5 – 3:29)
B) An Exhortation to obey The Law and resist Idolatry (4:1 – 43)
Pt 3: The 2nd Address by Moses – Covenant Obligations (Deut. 4:44 – 26:19)
A) Recapitulation of The Law at Horeb (4:44 – 5:33)
B) The Great Commands and Warnings (6 – 11)
C) The Code of Specific Laws (12 – 26:15)
D) A Declaration of Commitment (26:16 – 19)
Pt 4: The 3rd Address by Moses – Covenant Renewal Commanded and The Declaration of Blessings and Cursings (Deut. 27 – 29:1)
A) Covenant Renewal Commanded (27)
B) The Blessings and The Curses (28)
C) Conclusion to Moses’ 3rd Address (29:1)
Pt 5: The 4th Address by Moses – A Summary of The Covenant Demands (Deut. 29:2 – 30:20)
A) An Appeal for Covenantal Obedience (29:2 – 29)
B) Promised Blessings after Israel’s Repentance (30:1 – 10)
C) A Concluding Charge to Choose Life (30:11 – 20)
Pt 6: The Transition from Moses to Joshua (Deut. 31 – 34)
A) The Appointment of Joshua and The Depositing of The Law (31:1 – 29)
B) The Song of Moses (31:30 – 32:43)
C) Preparation for Moses’ Death (32:44 – 52)
D) The Blessing of Moses (33)
E) The Death of Moses (34)