Paul Seely wrote in part:
<< The Exodus account is also, as has been mentioned by
others, an account which fits into the Egyptian scene
rather believably--as expounded recently by Alan Millard,
"How Reliable is the Exodus?", Biblical Archaeological
Review, July/Aug 2000 and www.bib-arch.org/barja00/exodus1.html.
And, perhaps even more impressively expounded by Abraham Malamat
in the first essay in Exodus: The Egyptian Evidence, ed. E. S.
Frerichs, L. H. Lesko (Eisenbrauns, 1997). But, most of the other
essays expound the theme What Evidence?, there is none.
>>
This is not per se "evidence", but I realized recently that
there is at least a hint that the Law was written by people
who could have known first hand what it is like to experience
the dehumanizing aspects of slavery. For example, the fugative
laws for slaves seems to have been different in the Jewish Law.
"According to Hammurabi (..15-16), connivance at the escape of a
slave, not to mention harboring a runaway slave, incurs the
death penalty. Diametrically opposed to this is the law of
Deuteronomy 23:16-17:
You shall not turn over to his maaster a slave who seeks
refuge with you from his master. He shall live with you
in any place he may choose among the settlements in your
midst, wherever he pleases; you must not ill-treat him.
The partiality of the Torah for safeguarding the rights of
the slave as a human being again expersses itself by according
him the inalienable prerogative of enjoying the sabbath rest."
(N.M. Sarna, "Exploring Exodus: The Origins of Biblical Isreal",
Schocken books, N.Y., 1986). That is further backed up by
Job's plea: (Job 31:13-15).
I think it quite rare for a law maker to write laws to
protect people with whom such a person has no human identity
with. Someone who was a slave, might have some idea of what
it is like to get stuck in an intolerable situation with a
slave master. They might then compose laws to protect other
slaves from the same experience.
So whereas this is not "evidence" in direct sense, it is
surely consistent with the reformed mind of a people who
have directly experienced that awesome power God's divine
salvation and inscrutable Grace.
By Grace alone do we proceed,
Wayne
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Mon Nov 13 2000 - 12:10:24 EST