Did Solomon write the song of Solomon?

[Timi_Celcer]

We learned in school that Solomon probably didn’t write the song of Solomon and someone else did. We also learned that the Torah(first five books of the OT) probably weren’t written by Moses like the tradition tells us. That gave me many doubts about the relliability of the Bible. I mean if Solomon and Moses and others that supposed to wrote the Bible didn’t actullay wrote the Bible that the Bible has no real authority. Did Luke, John, Matthew and Mark really wrote the Gospels? Wrote 1 Peter, 2 Peter if not Peter the first Pope? If some random guy or guys wrote the song of Solomon and credited it to Solomon than how can we trust it? Which person choose all the books of the Hebrew Bible, discarded others books and who gave him the authority to do so? Please help.

 

[dshix]

There is general agreement that the Song of Solomon was not written by Solomon, but I have not heard of this idea that Moses did not write the Pentateuch. Jewish historians recognize him as the author unanimously, as did the Samaritans. Jesus himself named the Pentateuch as written by Moses.

Additionally, the very text of those books suggests that the author was Moses, since the author was obviously familiar with the geography of Egypt and the Sinaitic peninsula, but unfamiliar with the geography of Canaan.

What evidence is there that someone other than Moses wrote it?

 

[JamesTheJust]

We learned in school that Solomon probably didn’t write the song of Solomon and someone else did. We also learned that the Torah(first five books of the OT) probably weren’t written by Moses like the tradition tells us. That gave me many doubts about the relliability of the Bible. I mean if Solomon and Moses and others that supposed to wrote the Bible didn’t actullay wrote the Bible that the Bible has no real authority. Did Luke, John, Matthew and Mark really wrote the Gospels? Wrote 1 Peter, 2 Peter if not Peter the first Pope? If some random guy or guys wrote the song of Solomon and credited it to Solomon than how can we trust it? Which person choose all the books of the Hebrew Bible, discarded others books and who gave him the authority to do so? Please help.

The Song of Solomon, just like the book of Wisdom, was most likely not written by Solomon, but compiled by ideas and words passed down by him.

I personally believe that Moses wrote most of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the OT), but he obviously didn’t write the parts that detail his death nor events afterward. Those had to be added later.

All the people to whom the NT books are accredited are their real authors (except Hebrews, whose author is unknown). And lastly, we know which books are in the canon of the inspired Scripture and which are not because the Church which Christ established tells us so.

May the peace of Christ be with you,
James

 

[triumphguy]

A thorough overview of the question:

usccb.org/bible/scripture.cfm?src=_intros/pentateuch-intro.htm

 

[nmgauss]

Biblical scholars have identified several different authors of the Pentateuch:

1. “J” because of the use of term YHWH (spelled JHWH in German) to denote God
2. “E” because of the use of the term Elohim to denote God
3. “P” because of text attributed to priests who supposedly wrote it during the Babylonian exile
4. “D” the Deuteronomists who wrote the books of Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, and 2 Kings.

Since promulgation of Moses experiences in Egypt, during the Exodus, and on Mt. Sinai have not been proven to come from written sources, oral tradition is the most likely source.

 

[nmgauss]

We learned in school that Solomon probably didn’t write the song of Solomon and someone else did. We also learned that the Torah(first five books of the OT) probably weren’t written by Moses like the tradition tells us. That gave me many doubts about the relliability of the Bible. I mean if Solomon and Moses and others that supposed to wrote the Bible didn’t actullay wrote the Bible that the Bible has no real authority. Did Luke, John, Matthew and Mark really wrote the Gospels? Wrote 1 Peter, 2 Peter if not Peter the first Pope? If some random guy or guys wrote the song of Solomon and credited it to Solomon than how can we trust it? Which person choose all the books of the Hebrew Bible, discarded others books and who gave him the authority to do so? Please help.

Why is reliability important. The Bible was never intended to be history. The text was used as a basis for teaching Judaism.

When Ezra was sent to Judah by his Persian king to unite the Israelites into a single belief system that could be integrated into the Persian system of laws, the existing writings of the Bible were used as a basis. If certain passages were objectionable they were changed. As soon as there were enough people that could accept Ezra’s teachings as approved by the Persian king, Judaism was established as the official religion. If any people objected, they were cast out and their property confiscated.

The books that the exiled Israelites brought back from Babylonia were imposed on those Israelites that did not go to Babylonia. There was great objection and certain passages were changed to be acceptable to the resident Israelites.

This was a teaching tool, and there was no effort to be historically true nor to accurately write down passages attributed to ancient kings or prophets. As long as the vast majority of Israelites could accept this version of the Bible, it became sacred.

 

[Contarini]

We learned in school that Solomon probably didn’t write the song of Solomon and someone else did. We also learned that the Torah(first five books of the OT) probably weren’t written by Moses like the tradition tells us. That gave me many doubts about the relliability of the Bible. I mean if Solomon and Moses and others that supposed to wrote the Bible didn’t actullay wrote the Bible that the Bible has no real authority. Did Luke, John, Matthew and Mark really wrote the Gospels? Wrote 1 Peter, 2 Peter if not Peter the first Pope? If some random guy or guys wrote the song of Solomon and credited it to Solomon than how can we trust it? Which person choose all the books of the Hebrew Bible, discarded others books and who gave him the authority to do so? Please help.

I don’t see the connection. You seem to be starting from the assumption that the authority of the Bible depends on its authorship. Why do you think this in the first place?

The authority of the Bible comes from its inspiration by God, recognized by the Church. I wouldn’t say that authorship is irrelevant–in cases where the books clearly claim an author and there is an obvious attempt to persuade us that a certain person is the author (2 Timothy and 2 Peter come to mind, among books whose authorship is widely disputed), theological problems are raised by a denial of authorship. (These problems aren’t insuperable, but they are real.)

The Pentateuch, on the other hand, itself makes no claim of authorship whatsoever. The main Biblical case for Mosaic authorship comes from NT references to the Pentateuch.

I think you’ve misunderstood the proper basis for Biblical authority in the first place.

Edwin