I am currently taking a directed study in Deuteronomy and I get asked ‘why’ for a variety of reasons. Turning to the introduction of the main text of the course is the best answer I could give:

I began my academic career in the book of Jeremiah, which requires its students to turn again and again to Deuteronomy, Jeremiah’s primary linguistic and theological predecessor. Later studies in Isaiah, Micah – in short, practically everywhere my interests took me – brought me repeatedly to recognize Deuteronomy as perhaps the chief interlocutor among the books in the Hebrew canon. Jesus and Paul quote Deuteronomy with regularity. This centrality of Deuteronomy within the canon, along, renders it worthy of careful, thoughtful study. It is all the more perplexing, therefore that the church in all its eras has largely disregarded Deuteronomy…

It is my opinion that the author(s) of the Psalms of Solomon as well as other writers at the time used Deuteronomy as the central figure in their understanding of Israel’s exile, blessing and curses, and the coming Messiah.

Looking forward to this course…

Related articles

• Gerhard von Rad and Nazi Germany (zwingliusredivivus.wordpress.com)
• A look under the hood of Deuteronomy (thechurchofjesuschrist.us)