JEDP Theory


Documentary View of Scripture

The Bible is not God-breathed but edited from fragments and entire documents referred to by single-letter code names. The editing is what makes it so good. (Origin of the Bible class notes, February 8, 2023. Page 1.) This claim is based on literary analysis.

The Pentateuch appears to not be written by one person, but rather a series of authors writing within 4 literary traditions known as J, E, D, and P.

(The Origin of the Bible: Newly Updated by F. F. Bruce, J. I. Packer, Philip W. Comfort, and Carl F. H. Henry, 2020. The Authority of the Bible by Carl F.H. Henry. Page 18, https://academic.kellogg.edu/marklinl/Bible/Readings/DocumentaryHypothesis.htm)

JEDP

J (the Jahwist or Jerusalem source) uses YHWH as God's name. This source's interests indicate the writer most likely lived in the southern Kingdom of Judah in the time of the divided Kingdom. The J source is responsible for most of Genesis.

E (the Elohist or Ephraimitic source) uses Elohim ("God") for the divine name until Exodus 3-6, where YHWH is revealed to Moses and to Israel. This source seems to have lived in the northern Kingdom of Israel during the divided Kingdom. E wrote Genesis 22 (the sacrifice of Isaac) story and other parts of Genesis, and much of Exodus and Numbers.

D (the Deuteronomist) wrote almost all of Deuteronomy (and probably also Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings). This source would have lived in the southern Kingdom of Judah because the northern kingdom had been overrun and conquered by the Assyrians. Scholars often associate Deuteronomy with the book found by King Josiah in 622 BCE (see 2 Kings 22), but they believe that the time frame of the actual writing of the D material was written as early as Hezekiah's reform.

P (the Priestly source) provided the first chapter of Genesis; the book of Leviticus; and other sections with genealogical information, the priesthood, and worship. For a time frame for these writings, scholars view P as containing materials written prior to the Babylonian exile and during the exile, as well as having some materials written after the exile. Therefore, this source would have lived in the southern Kingdom of Judah, in Babylon, and in Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile.

J and E were joined fairly early, apparently after the fall of the Northern Kingdom in 722 BCE. It is often difficult to separate J and E stories that have merged.

(https://academic.kellogg.edu/marklinl/Bible/Readings/DocumentaryHypothesis.htm)

Criticism

The stylistic variations can reflect pace, mood, and structure of the narratives, not necessarily redactors.

(The Origin of the Bible: Newly Updated by F. F. Bruce, J. I. Packer, Philip W. Comfort, and Carl F. H. Henry, 2020. The Authority of the Bible by Carl F.H. Henry. Page 18, Journal of the American Academy of Religion, Volume XLCII, Issue 1, "The Discourse of the Flood Narrative" by Robert Longacre, March 1979, Page 133 or https://academic.oup.com/jaar/article-abstract/XLVII/1/133/653660?redirectedFrom=fulltext.)

Not to mention all the internal claims of the Bible being God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16, referring to graphe which includes the Pentateuch), of scripture being written down by Moses without a team of redactors present (Exodus 34:27), etc. Also, mere editing didn't create Pentateuch-New Testament prophecies like Genesis 12:3 + Acts 3:25-26.