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Introduction to Deuteronomy
INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY
This
book is sometimes called "Elleh hadebarim", from the words with which
it begins; and sometimes by the Jews "Mishneh Torah", the repetition
of the law; and so in the Syriac version, with which agrees the Arabic title of
it; and when the Greeks, and we after them, call it "Deuteronomy", it
is not to be understood of a second, a new, or another law, but of the law
formerly delivered, but now repeated, and also more largely explained; to which
are likewise added several particular laws, instructions, and directions; all
which were necessary, on account of the people of Israel, who were now a new
generation, that either were not born, or not at an age to hear and understand
the law when given on Mount Sinai; the men that heard it there being all dead,
excepting a very few; and these people were also now about to enter into the
land of Canaan, which they were to enjoy as long as they kept the law of God,
and no longer, and therefore it was proper they should be reminded of it; and
besides, Moses was now about to leave them, and having an hearty desire after
their welfare, spends the little time he had to be with them, by inculcating
into them and impressing on them the laws of God, and in opening and explaining
them to them, and enforcing them on them, which were to be the rule of their
obedience, and on which their civil happiness depended. And sometimes the Jews
call this book "the book of reproofs", because there are in it
several sharp reproofs of the people of Israel for their rebellion and
disobedience; and so the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem begin it by calling
it the words of reproof which Moses spake, &c. That this book was written
by Moses there can be no doubt, from Deuteronomy 1:1,
only the eight last verses, which give an account of his death, and of his
character, were wrote by another hand, equally inspired by God, as either
Eleazar the priest, as some, or Samuel the prophet, as others; or, as it is the
more commonly received opinion of the Jews, Ezra; though it is highly probable
they were wrote by Joshua his successor. This book was written and delivered by
Moses, at certain times in the last month of his life, and towards the close of
the fortieth year of the children of Israel's coming out of Egypt. And that it
is of divine authority need not be questioned, when the several quotations out
of it are observed, as made by the apostles of Christ, in Acts 3:22, Hebrews 10:30 out
of Deuteronomy 18:15
and by our Lord himself, Matthew 18:16 from Deuteronomy 19:15.
Yea, it is remarkable, that all the passages of Scripture produced by Christ,
to repel the temptations of Satan, are all taken out of this book, Matthew 4:7
compared with Deuteronomy 8:3,
and the voice from heaven, directing the apostles to hearken to him, refers to
a prophecy of him in Deuteronomy 18:15.
Commentator
John Gill (November 23, 1697-October 14,
1771) was an English Baptist, a biblical scholar, and a staunch Calvinist.
Gill's relationship with hyper-Calvinism is a matter of academic debate.
He was born in Kettering, Northamptonshire.
In his youth, he attended Kettering Grammar School, mastering the Latin
classics and learning Greek by age eleven. The young scholar continued
self-study in everything from logic to Hebrew. His love for Hebrew would follow
Gill throughout his life.
At the age of about twelve, Gill heard a
sermon from his pastor, William Wallis, on the text, "And the Lord called
unto Adam, and said unto him, where art thou?" (Genesis 3:9). The message
stayed with Gill and eventually led to his conversion. It was not until seven
years later that young John made a public profession when he was almost
nineteen years of age.
His first pastoral work was as an intern
assisting John Davis at Higham Ferrers in 1718 at age twenty one. He was
subsequently called to pastor the Strict Baptist church at Goat Yard Chapel,
Horsleydown, Southwark in 1719. In 1757, his congregation needed larger
premises and moved to a Carter Lane, St. Olave's Street, Southwark. His
pastorate lasted 51 years. This Baptist Church was once pastored by Benjamin
Keach and would later become the New Park Street Chapel and then the
Metropolitan Tabernacle pastored by Charles Spurgeon.
During Gill's ministry the church strongly
supported the preaching of George Whitefield at nearby Kennington Common.
In 1748, Gill was awarded the honorary degree
of Doctor of Divinity by the University of Aberdeen. He was a profound scholar
and a prolific author. His most important works are:
John Gill is the first major writing Baptist
theologian. His work retains its influence into the twenty-first century. Gill's
relationship with hyper-Calvinism in English Baptist life is a matter of
debate. Peter Toon has argued that Gill was himself a hyper-Calvinist, which
would make Gill the father of Baptist hyper-Calvinism. Tom Nettles has argued
that Gill was not a hyper-Calvinist himself, which would make him merely a
precursor and hero to Baptist hyper-Calvinists.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James Version Bible, NKJV
The
NKJV was commissioned in 1975 by Thomas Nelson Publishers.
One-hundred-and-thirty respected Bible scholars, church leaders, and lay
Christians worked for seven years with the goal of updating the vocabulary and
grammar of the King James Version, while preserving the classic style of the of
the 1611 version.
The
task of updating the English of the KJV involved many changes in word order,
grammar, vocabulary, and spelling. One of the most significant features of the
NKJV was its removal of the second person pronouns "thou",
"thee", "ye," "thy," and "thine." Verb
forms were also modernized in the NKJV (for example, "speaks" rather
than "speaketh").
Young’s
Literal Translation was completed in 1898 by Robert Young, who also compiled
Young’s Analytical Concordance. It is an extremely literal translation that
attempts to preserve the tense and word usage as found in the original Greek
and Hebrew writings. The online text is from a reprint of the 1898 edition as
published by Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Obvious errors in
spelling or inconsistent spellings of the same word were corrected in the
online edition of the text. This text is Public Domain in the United States.