What is the Torah?

Verse 1: TOH-RAH = Law. The root meaning of the word is to teach or instruct. It occurs 25 times in the Psalm and is always in the singular (never “laws”). See verses 1, 18, 29, 34, 44, 51, 53, 55, 61, 70, 72, 77, 85, 92, 97, 109, 113, 126, 136, 142, 150, 153, 163, 165 and 174. It has the meaning of teaching, guiding, directing, instructing. It is a divine instruction with regard to conduct and character.

Let me very briefly just give some passing comments about these terms used to describe God's word. The use of the term 'word' shows us the amazing truth that God has spoken; God's word - God has spoken. The term translated as 'law' is the Hebrew word Torah, also meaning 'teaching' - it is what God has taught and we therefore need to learn. 'Judgments' are decisions which God has made, the term translated 'statutes' comes from the word for engraving, implying that these are unchangeable words. 'Precepts' are authoritatively imposed, and 'commandments' require obedience. To me the term 'testimonies' indicates that God's word is a testimony or witness to God; and the use of the word for 'promises' reminds us that God's word isn't just instruction but God makes many wonderful promises too.

That in the Pentateuch or Five Books of Moses we have the firm and ample foundation of the O.T. can be disputed by no reader subject to the truth. They are called the Torah or Law, as this is the institution of God given so fully in Exodus and Leviticus, with supplements drawn out by the journeys of Numbers, and the moral rehearsal of Deuteronomy in view of the entrance into the land of Canaan across the Jordan.

The tradition that Moses is the author of the first five books of the Bible originates from the Word of God itself. The title "law" does not only refer to the commandments that Moses received at Sinai from God. Already in the Old Testament it often refers to the whole Pentateuch, the Thora, i.e., the first part of the Old Testament. Compare Joshua 1:7; 8:31; Judges 3:4; 1 Kings 2:3; 2 Chronicles 23:18; Ezra 3:2; Nehemiah 8:1; Daniel 9:11; Malachi 4:4.

The Law (Torah), the five books of Moses.

The writer of Psalm 119 knew that there were wondrous things in the law, and prayed to God, “Open Thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy law” (verse 18). God’s law was given to Israel by Moses, and is not only spoken of as the legal system, but it comprehends the five books that bear the name of the lawgiver. From these we can indeed behold many wondrous things, things that rejoice the hearts of God’s children, and cause them to praise and worship Him who has revealed them for their instruction and pleasure. The godly in Israel, such as the Psalmist, meditated on God’s word, and were enabled by Him to discern some of His great secrets that His word revealed.

But the Christian has still stronger reasons for believing in the genuineness and divine origin of the Pentateuch. He has the testimony of the Son of God and His inspired apostles. And here it is to be observed, in the first place, that our Lord and His apostles speak of the Pentateuch in the language common to the Jews in all times, as "The Law." Sometimes this expression was used of the Old Testament. But when spoken of in connexion with the other portions as, "The Law and the Prophets,"(Matt. 5:17-18; Matt. 7:12; Matt. 11:13; Matt. 22:40; Luke 16:16) or, "The Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms,"(Luke 24:44) it means the five books attributed to Moses. In the next place it is to be noted, that our Lord, the evangelists, and the apostles regard the Law as a divine revelation, and therefore possessing a divine authority. By St. Luke (2:23-24, 39), it is called "The law of the Lord." St. Paul (Romans 7:22) calls it "The law of God," He also teaches that obedience to the law gives life, transgression entails death (Rom. 7:7-11: compare Gal. 3:10). Again, when St. Paul cites the words of the Pentateuch, he ascribes them to God; for example, "God hath said, I will dwell in them and walk in them," (2 Cor. 6:16, compared with Lev. 26:11-12).

This interesting chapter gives the record of a gracious revival through the reading of the law. All the people gathered themselves together as one man in the street that was before the water gate, the place which suggests the cleansing and refreshing power of the Word. And as a united people they had but one desire, to hear the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded, to Israel. They gave orders to Ezra that he should bring the book of the law. This the people knew was the Word of the Lord, and for this they hungered. Every true revival must begin with the Word, and in believing submission to what the Lord has said. So, it has been in all the great revivals of the past, and so it will be in the future. The great need today is "back to the Bible"; and to listen to its message as the message of God. How willingly and joyfully Ezra must have responded, and how it must have cheered the aged servant of the Lord! He brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and those that understood in hearing (children of a certain age). Critics say that Ezra's law of Moses must not be understood as meaning the Pentateuch; they claim that it was a collection of different laws, and part of the so-called "priestly codex," which even then, according to the critical school, was not completely finished. Inasmuch as the destructive criticism denies that Moses is the author of the Pentateuch, they are obliged to resort to these arguments in order to sustain their theory. There is no valid reason to doubt when the book of the law of Moses was demanded and Ezra brought it before the people, that it was the Pentateuch, which the Jews call Torah, the law.

Several words are used, each meaning the law, but viewed from different standpoints. (1) Law (Torah)—direction, teaching. (2) Testimony (Eduth)—witness, testimony. (3) Precept (Piqqudim)—charges. (4) Statute (Choq)—decreed limit. (5) Commandment (Mitvah)—precept. (6) Word (Dabar)—word, matter, thing. (7) Judgment (Misphat)—judgment. (8) Way (Derek)—trodden path.

Luke 24:44 supplies a classification of the Books acknowledged by our Lord. The 'Law' (in Hebrew, Torah) has long by Christians been called the Pentateuch, or five-fold book, a title borrowed from Greek. The later Jews called each Book Chumash, Fifth Part, and the whole five, Chumshin.