2013, Vol.19, No.3

Re-reading ‘the Abraham-Sarah Story’ from the feminist-theological perspective

Lee Hee Hak | 2013, 19(3) | pp.14~41 | number of Cited : 9

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From the story of Abraham, a Hebrew patriarch, Abraham appears as a perpetrator of discrimination and violence in many cases. He abandoned his wife Sarah twice, and then handed her over to another men(Gen 12:10~20; 20:1~18). Moreover, he conspired with his wife to drive Hagar out to the desert(Gen 16). He was the indirect perpetrator who kept silent at the violence that his wife had done. Abraham forced Hagar and Ishmael into the desert again and led them to suffer deadly threats(Gen 21). Abraham and Sarah inflicted the merciless violence upon the slave woman and her son. The Old Testament texts mentioned above are saying the message in common. Sarah, Hagar, and Ishmael, who were the victims of oppression and violence, were rescued by God. God does not want anyone to be oppressed by distorted society or the strong. God was the one who rescued Sarah from Pharaoh of Egypt. Thus, Sarah was the first object of salvation, pointing to the salvation of Israel. God solve her problem of sterility and also changed her unbelieving ridicule into true pleasure(Gen 21:6). He consoled Hagar who had been driven out to the desert with tears, and also gave her a message of redemption. He did not discriminate her on the basis of her Egyptian origin or slavery. While God continued to be the problem solver, Abraham was the perpetrator of violence. God is the only the one who are able to resolve the problem of class discrimination as well as sexual violence. He takes care of the oppressed people all the time. To experience the true liberation in the situations of oppression and pain is possible only when God directly interferes with the scene of history. Abraham, who lived in the Patriarchal age, was a victim as well as an offender under the discriminating social structure. He was not evil in origin but social structure made him act as such. That is why it appears that the biblical text defends him. Although he was related to many discriminatory thoughts and behaviors, he was the first noble patriarch of Israel!

The Arguments of Women Liberation in the Deuteronomic Reforms

Han, Dong-Gu | 2013, 19(3) | pp.42~66 | number of Cited : 3

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The 8th century BCE was a time when Israel‘s national and economic power reached at its peak. In contrast, however, it had brought forth social upheaval as well. The rich were able to accumulate their wealth, taking advantage of their social positions and economic power. Meanwhile, the socially underprivileged were suffering harder persistently. When Assyria had invaded the Syria-Palestine regions at the late 8th century BCE, the social and economic polarization was escalating. The overall crisis was evidently appearing. The political breakdown of northern Israel led its people to migrate into southern Judah, in which, in the mean time, people in the rural area were moving to the urban. In this historical context, the deuteronomic revolution carried out to protect the nation from the military invasion and, at the same time, to make the nation a coherent society. Various parts of society underwent reforms, and women under oppression also somehow enjoyed liberation. In the context of the nation's crisis(under Assyrian threats in this case) the socially weak suffered more hardship. Women were of course placed in socially weaker position than men, and there existed threats of sexual harassment toward women. The Israelite history has shown both oppression to women and protection for women. Particularly there were concerns of women's social safety in the deuteronomic movement as part of caring the socially disadvantaged. The present article examines the history of women's oppression and also their liberation, along with exegetical analysis of the relevant passages in Deuteronomy that imply liberation of or protection for women. The social background of the passages is also dealt with in terms of social history. Special attention is paid to a prohibited command for the king, “He must not take many wives” in Deuteronomy 17:17aα in order to explore its meaning in a social history. The attempts of social reforms in the deuteronomic movement were more than humanitarian purpose caring the weak in society; it had historical significance. Under the military threats from Assyria, the deuteronomic reform tried to create coherence in society while eliminating anti-community traits in Israel. In one sense, liberation of women was meant to control the king's authority.

Womanist Theology, Study of the Old Testament History Books: Lee Kyoung Sook’s Theology

Park, Shin Bae | 2013, 19(3) | pp.67~95 | number of Cited : 2

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RenéGirard on Jephthah’s Daughter’s Sacrifice

Yoon Kyung Lee | 2013, 19(3) | pp.96~122 | number of Cited : 11

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Vashti, Esther, and Zeresh: Women’s Leadership in the Book of Esther and Its Complicated Legacy

Yoo,YeonHee(Yani) | 2013, 19(3) | pp.123~151 | number of Cited : 3

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This essay attempts to evaluate women's leadership presented by the narrator of the Book of Esther. The narrator presents distorted images of women's leadership through the description of Vashti, Esther and Zeresh. Vashti is a woman leader who is independent and has high self-esteem. But she is an example of a lousy woman who does not support her husband and makes him look bad in public. This kind of woman deserves punishment and women readers are not to emulate her. Esther is helpful to men and gives everything good to men, although she has to risk her safety. She is an ideal woman leader to the narrator. Zeresh is also helpful to men. She offers counsel to her husband when asked. But she speaks against her own interests. The readers have been divided in regard to interpreting the biblical women. Some feminist readers praise Vashti for her independence and criticize Esther for working for men in their terms. Others give credit to Esther for using what is available to her with wisdom and courage to meet her ends despite the limits of the times. Most scholars do not even deal with Zeresh. We see Zeresh as the brain behind her husband's political activities. All these women are separated from one another and never talk to one another. Each is like an island drifting alone in men's sea. The narrator makes the reader compare and contrast the women characters and take a side. Focusing on a woman character or comparison or contrast among them only results in separating them even more. Women readers will also be divided into two. Seeing Vashti as a better leader than Esther risks the same danger. The women's leadership described by the narrator misleads the readers. It leaves complicated heritage to Korean church women. Most Korean preachers not only follow the narrator, but intensify and magnify it in the patriarchal context of the Korean church. Their understanding of biblical women's leadership is in direct proportion to modern women's leadership status in the church. In fact, among women in the church there is separation and conflict among Vashitis and Esthers. Thus, sensitive readers can see the need for the women character in the Book Esther and church women need to be incorporated into one respectively. We see Vashti in Esther when the latter breaks a royal rule. We see Zeresh in Esther when the latter acts like a sage. Church women also have all these women in them, being Vashti rebellious against the opaque church management, being Esther obedient to the end, and being Zeresh speaking against her interests. A healthy incorporation of the three will strengthen the church.

From the Othered Body to the Living Body: Centering the Body Images in the Song of Songs

Park, Ji-Eun | 2013, 19(3) | pp.152~177 | number of Cited : 1

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Reading of God in the Old Testament with Feminist Eyes

Lee, Yeong Mee | 2013, 19(3) | pp.178~205 | number of Cited : 4

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Divorce in the Old Testament: Breaking the permanent covenant?

LeeEunAe | 2013, 19(3) | pp.206~233 | number of Cited : 2

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A study on the Ethical Imperative of the Deutronomic Theology in Job 29

hangeuncho | 2013, 19(3) | pp.262~292 | number of Cited : 6

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This study aims to demonstrate the influence of the ethical imperative of the Deuteronomic theology for the poor in Job 29. In this paper, I investigated ethical imperative for the poor in the postexilic times reflected in the Book of Job. For the purpose of the study, I used sociological criticism as a tool interpreting the texts. And I studied social classes to locate the position of the needy in the time of the Book of Job. Also I investigated personal situations of the editor and the problems of the society, which are reflected in Job 29. Deuteronomy stresses social and individual responsibility for the poor. But, the post-exilic community did not observe the laws. The Israelites failed to abide by the words of God regarding the poor throughout their history. In this historical context, Nehemiah tried social reform for the poor at the Second-Temple period(Neh. 5:1-15). Historically, in the postexilic period, the community of Judah showed a great gap between the haves and have-nots. But the community failed to overcome the huge gulf between the rich and poor. The Book of Job provides information about the poor's social position and situation in peculiar historical context in the post-exilic times. Especially, Job 29 shows how the ethical imperative of the Deuteronomic theology for the poor was adapted in post-exilic society. In this paper, I have demonstrated considerable similarities between the Book of Job and Deuteronomy regarding the attitudes for the weak and the poor. In the time of the Book of Job, the Judahites did not protect the poor. Particularly, the aristocrats took bribery, by doing so perverted justice. Job 29 demonstrates how Job, the righteous noble, had diligently helped the poor(Job 29:14). In fact, Job 29 goes further than the Deuteronomic laws in terms of showing the authentic meaning of protecting the poor.

A Reconsideration of the Temple Controversy in Isaiah 66:1-24

Keun Jo Ahn | 2013, 19(3) | pp.293~322 | number of Cited : 2

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Eschatology in the Book of Daniel revealed through the indication of Chronology

Chong Hun Pae | 2013, 19(3) | pp.323~347 | number of Cited : 6

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Death - the most beautiful human Existence: A Study of Death in the Light of Creation and Wisdom Tradition of the Old Testament

Cha-Yong Ku | 2013, 19(3) | pp.348~375 | number of Cited : 7

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This paper is intended to show how significant the meaning of death is to man, particularly to his present life, through the creation and wisdom tradition of the Old Testament. Gen 2-3, Ecc 11-12 and Ps 104 are selected for the Text to be analyzed. Among them, Gen 2-3 display the creation of man in subtly structured composition. Firstly, the death of man, at least with regard to his existential basis, is already mentioned before the Fall of man. Secondly, the life and death of man are arranged together in contrasting structure. !gh-#[ lkm(2:16) is an illusion to life and is connected with [rw bwj t[dh #[m(2:17), which clearly symbolizes death. This composition progresses to 2:9 and the verse can be divided into #[ lk as available to man and ~yyxh #[/[rw bwj t[dh #[ as unavailable to man. The unavailable trees, which enable man not only to die but also to live, symbolize the presence and the realm of God. Man is not allowed to invade there. Furthermore the concept of eternal life is characterized differently between the Creator and man. The Creator is immortal, whereas man is able to continue his existence only by the childbirth. It is because man is originated from earth and must return to earth. Thirdly, man was created in two processes. God formed (rcy) the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. The first process signifies that man has no qualitative difference from animals and the second one means that God is the Giver of man's life. It is expressed based on the concept of ‘ed’ (da, in 2:6) as well as the description of the river, which flowed from the Garden of Eden and separated into four Headwaters. It was set up in the Garden of Eden that death of man is originated from God, the Creator Himself. Therefore, death is definitive to man. Human's limited capabilities became concrete and man was clearly distinguished from God, the Creator. And such understanding about the human nature is in line with other traditions of the Old Testament, especially the concept of the death of the wisdom literature. In particular, Ecc 12:7 and Gen 2:7 form the beginning and the end of the existence of man on the earth. The instruction to a young man in Ecc 12:1 that he should remember his Creator before the days of trouble can be interpreted as he must seize the present life as being stated in Ecc 11. Ps 104 shows the same concept. Thus, death functions positively there and allows man to recognize not only his own limitations but also possibilities before God's existence, which transcends death. God sends man back to the realm of life and helps him maintain a positive attitude towards life. Therefore, death of a man is the most beautiful human existence in the Old Testament and can be seen as an extremely positive feature.

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Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies 2023 KCI Impact Factor : 0.67

2013, Vol.19, No.3