The answer
Moses is the author of the Torah …
First:
Moses the Prophet is the most capable and the most suitable and the most qualified to having written the Torah … Our Lord chose him to be His Prophet and His Tongue and His friend … None of woman born was like him … He was part and parcel of the History of the Torah (Pentateuch) (Genesis - Exodus - Leviticus - Numbers - Deuteronomy) Second:
The Talmud … Jewish teachers … The first five books of the Torah are said to have been written by Moses and are referred to as the ‘Books of Moses’ or just ‘Moses’.
Third:
The New Testament historians as Josephus and Filo refer to Moses as the author of the Torah with no reference to anyone else.
Fourth:
The Book of Exodus mentions geographical details of locations in Sinai that could only have been known by someone who lived there for many years like Moses, who actually lived there for 40 years before the exodus.
Fifth:
The Holy Scripture, as inspired by the Holy Spirit, mentions Moses as the author of the Torah.
- And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD. And he rose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars according to the twelve tribes of Israel. (Ex 24: 4)
- These are the words which Moses spoke to all Israel on this side of the Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain opposite Suph, between Paran, Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Dizahab (Deut 1: I)
- Now this is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel. (Deut 4: 44)
- Now Moses wrote down the starting points of their journeys at the command of the LORD. And these are their journeys according to their starting points. (Num 33: 2)
- These are the words of the covenant which the LORD commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, besides the covenant which lie made with them in Horeb. (Deut 29: 1)
Sixth:
Joshua, Moses’ disciple and successor, declared that Moses wrote the Torah. Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. (Josh 1: 7-8)
Seventh:
Our Lord Jesus Christ, and later on His disciples, referred to the Torah as the books of Moses and as the writings of Moses.
- For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.(Mark 7:10)
- saying: “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife, and he dies without children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.” (Luke 20: 28)
- For Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you.” (Acts 3: 22)
Eighth:
All the Old Testament prophets, without exception, referred to the Torah as being written by Moses.
- And keep the charge of the LORD your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn. (1 Kings 2:3)
- But the children of the murderers he did not execute, according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses. in which the LORD commanded, saying, “Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall children be put to death for their fathers; but a person shall be put to death for his own sin. ( 2 Kings 14: 6)
- Now when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the LORD siven by Moses. (2 Ch 34:14)
- Then Jeshua the son of Jozadakja] and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his brethren, arose and built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the Law of Moses the man of God. (Ezra 3: 2)
- They assigned the priests to their divisions and the Levites to their divisions, over the service of God in Jerusalem, as it is written in the Book of Moses. (Ezra 6:18)
- We have acted very corruptly against You, and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses (Neh 1: 7)
- Yes, all Israel has transgressed Your law, and has departed so as not to obey Your voice; therefore the curse and the oath written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against Him. (Dan 9:11)
- Remember the Law of Moses, My servant, which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. (Mai 4:4)
Ninth:
St. Paul refers to Moses as the author of the Torah.
- For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, “The man who does those things shall live by them.” (Ro 10: 5);
- But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says: “I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation, I will move you to anger by a foolish nation.” (Ro 10: 19)
- For it is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.” Is it oxen God is concerned about? (ICo 9: 9)
Thus we see that our Lord Jesus Christ, His disciples and apostles, the prophets and history all refer to Moses as the author of the Torah/Pentateuch. Moses Praising and honoring himself...
As for Moses praising and honoring himself in parts of the Torah, for example:
- Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth. (Num 12:3)
- So the LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, hut his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle. (Ex 33:11)
Moses referred to himself as being “humble” not in way of praise for or being proud of himself … but he was being led by the Holy Spirit and in order for history to record the work of God’s Grace in his life. We should never forget that he mentioned that he had killed an Egyptian (Ex 2:12), broken the two tablets of stone with the ten commandments (Ex 32:19) and hit the rock twice in anger (Num 20: 7 - 12). He did not turn a blind eye to his mistakes and weaknesses. Mentioning these facts in this respect is very important to clarify the great challenge Moses faced in leading that stubborn, difficult nation.
There is mention in the Book of Numbers of an incident that clearly refers to Moses’ humility and his not claiming any privilege:
Then Moses said to him, “Are you zealous for my sake? Oh, that all the LORD’S people were prophets and that the LORD would put ILis Spirit upon them!” ( Num 11: 29) .
We also recall his stance with Aaron and Miriam (Num 12:1 - 3) as he refused to defend himself and kept silent.
The death of Moses …
As for mentioning the incident of the death of Moses in Deuteronomy chapter 34, it is certain that the Holy Spirit, who inspired Moses to document and write everything else, could have informed him of the secrets of his remaining days and guided him to document them as if it were an event in the past. Moses did that having absolute trust in the accuracy of the Holy Spirit … Revealing/Foretelling the future with all its detail is neither strange nor impossible for the prophetic spirit with which the Holy Book is written (for example with the Book of Daniel 2,7,9)
Similarly, it is also quite acceptable for Joshua, very close disciple of Moses, to record the end of his life as well … before he wrote his own Book (the Book of Joshua) … also having been inspired by the Holy Spirit, thus completing the story of Moses and the Book of Torah.
Fr. Daoud Lamei