[Luke 24:44] has been used by some to argue that the
canon was already divided into three sections, with Psalms designating the
third division of the Hebrew OT later known as the Writings by means of
synecdoche. (For the similar treatment of the evidence from Philo see page 79.)
However, the facts militate against this view:
1. As was seen in the previous chapter, especially in the
discussion of 4QMMT (see page 69), this expression means the book of Psalms
only. Since this was established practice, it is unlikely that Luke is
innovating here. He most likely is using a well-established expression.
2. Ψαλμοι is
never used in any other first century documents to mean a third section of the
canon. It can mean the book of Psalms or describe other songs, but not a
section of the canon.
The reading ψαλμοι as
a synecdoche for the latter section known as Writings is a retrojection back
into history from later evidence from the Talmud and even later sources. Such a
procedure risks an anachronistic reading of the evidence. A more reliable
method is reading history forward, not backward. While it is true that already
in the first century Law can be synecdoche for the entire canon (e.g.,
John 10:34; 12:34; 15:25), there is no evidence from the first century that Psalms
is used as synecdoche for the Writings. However, there is evidence from
both 4QMMT and Philo . . . They contain expressions parallel to Luke 24:44,
suggesting that its third division contains only the book of Psalms.
In summary, Luke 24:44 at best demonstrates a threefold
division of the canon identical to that found in Philo’s The Contemplative
Life (see the discussion beginning on page 79) where the third section of
the canon consists only of the book of Psalms. However, the most common
designation for the canon is still the Law and the Prophets at
this time. The section designated Prophets includes books later placed
in the Writings. This also is in general agreement with Philo, who commonly
views the canon as bipartite. (Andrew E. Steinmann, The Oracles of God: The
Old Testament Canon [Saint Paul, Miss.: Concordia Publishing House, 1999], 90-91)
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