Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany Deuteronomy 18:15-20

Preaching Commentary

Context

A Copy of the Law or a Second Law?

Like the other books in the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible), the title of the book of Deuteronomy comes from its translation into Greek. The name “Deuteronomy” derives from Deut. 17:18 where Moses says that when it is time for the people of Israel to appoint a king over themselves that the king should “write for himself a second copy of the Torah.” While the Hebrew text clearly indicates that a “copy” of the Torah is intended, the Greek Old Testament tradition renders “copy of the Torah,” as “a second law” – deutero, “second,” and nomos, “law,” hence deuteronomion or…