Deuteronomy is the last of the first five books of the Old Testament, known as the Pentateuch or Five Books of the Law. Greek and Latin tradition call it the “second law,” but it is not secondary in importance. It is a treaty of renewal to the Israelite people as they stand poised on the threshold of the Promised Land. Rather than focusing on ritual and law, Moses places emphasis on the first and second commandments, which would one day become the basis for Jesus’ preaching.
