2014, Vol.20, No.2

A History of Translation and Interpretation of Genesis up to 1800

정중호 | 2014, 20(2) | pp.12~40 | number of Cited : 0

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The purpose of this study is to launch a Korean history of interpretation of the Old Testament beginning in the late 16th century, not in the 20th century. In this study the focus is on the stories of the Creation and the Fall, which were the most well-known Old Testament stories in the early years of Christianity in Korea. These stories were essential in order to introduce the Almighty Creator God. Among the catechisms written in Hanja (Chinese characters), Chunjoo-sillok(天主實錄), Gyoyo-seoron(敎要序論), and Jindo-jajung(眞道自證), are compared to the Old Testament and analyzed. There is a focus on scholars of the Chosun era, since they were literate in Hanja. The story of Creation was explained in order to introduce the Almighty Creator God, and it was interpreted in an oriental way by utilizing the concept of Gi(氣). The seriousness of the Fall is presented with an emphasis on the concept of the original sin. Heaven is described, utilizing the astronomical knowledge of the time, as the nine-fold sky, which contains gods and devils. The contents of Genesis, including the story of Creation, were transmitted through science manuals such as Jikbang-woegi(織方外紀), Gigi-doseol(奇器圖說), and Manmul-jinwon(萬物眞原) which were written in Hanja by Catholic priests. Because Koreans were thirsty for Western learning, these science and technology books enabled the contents of the Genesis to be accepted without much resistance. The Seonggyo-yoji(聖敎要旨) and the Joogyo-yoji(主敎要旨) were also analyzed. Stories of Cain and Abel and the great flood are appeared in the Seonggyo-yoji. Since it was written in Hangeul(Korean script), the book Joogyo-yoji was widely read. By summarizing the catechism of the 18th century and utilizing the popular Korean materials and experiences, the book helped Koreans to understand Genesis. In addition, the book is more faithful to the contents of the Old Testament than any other catechism. The contents of Genesis were communicated even through books that were mainly critiques of Catholic doctrines. Examples of such books are Ojoo-yeonmoon-jangjeon-sango(五洲衍文長錢散稿), Byukwee-pyun(闢衛編), and Cheonhak-moondap(天學問答).

A new Study on the 'Love and Treay' in Deuteronomy

Choi Jong-Won | 2014, 20(2) | pp.42~72 | number of Cited : 6

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The present research is to argue that the covenant concept of love in Deuteronomy is preserved in the northwestern semitic treaty tradition and the idea is developed as a distinctive concept of Deuteronomy with a traditional treaty-motive. Therefore, this article is to study how the concept of ‘Love and covenant’ is used in the forms and vocabularies of the ancient treaties throughout the Old Testament and the ancient Near East. Deuteronomy’s command to love JHWH is closely connected with the tradition ofLove in the book of Hosea. This image is found in Deut. 6:4- 5 as the key theme of the whole Deuteronomy. In v. 4, ‘Shema’, a treaty terminology, serves strongly to indicate the command of obedience. The imperative ‘hear’ is connected to the perfect tense of the verb ‘love’(bha), which is used as a form of ‘waw-consecutive’. Here the second person ‘You’ is used for a collective idea of the Israelite. The command to love indicates the status of those who have to obey(‘hear’). The use of the word ‘love’ describes Israel’s relationship to JHWH. It is noteworthy that this command to love JHWH is used along with an idiomatic phrase ‘Heart, soul and might’. This phrase represents the relationship between the physical organs(the heart) and their psychological role. It demands the full devotion to JHWH. The connection of the verbal use and phrase is found in the ancient Near-Eastern treaty texts. A striking example is found in the inscription of Sefire. Also the command to love and similar phrases appear in the inscription of Kilamuwa. In this research ‘the command to love JHWH’ is shown to be closely related to national treaty inscriptions. The form of imperative ‘love’ and the phrase ‘heart, soul and might’ were passed down from the northwestern semitic treaty-tradition. We come to a conclusion that the deuteronomic covenant term is different from the notion of the assyrian treaty-tradition, and it rather fits with the northwestern semitic treatytradition.

Saul as a Descendant of the Benjanite Residents of Jerusalem (1 Chron. 9:35-38; Cf. 1 Chron. 8:29-32)

Changyop Lee | 2014, 20(2) | pp.73~93 | number of Cited : 6

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“Central Contents of Job 38-42 Reconsidered in Relation to the Call Narrative(Isaiah 6)”

Cheol-Woo Park | 2014, 20(2) | pp.94~126 | number of Cited : 5

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Was Qoheleth an Anti-Feminist?: Ecclesiastes 7:25-29

Cha, Jun-Hee | 2014, 20(2) | pp.127~155 | number of Cited : 2

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The Subversive Theology in the Song of Songs

Lee, You-Mee | 2014, 20(2) | pp.156~185 | number of Cited : 4

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Although the Song of Songs(SoS) is included in the canon, the book is filled with the erotic imagery but is NOT mentioning God and theological themes. This being so, allegorical interpretation dominated the reading of the SoS for ages. Allegorical interpretation helped to read the SoS as a religious book, but it ignored what the text said and made arbitrary interpretations. Against allegorical approach, literal approaches made an appearance. They read literally the erotic language of the SoS. But they faced with the problem of the canonicity. This thesis attempts to supplement these approaches’ faults. The SoS was not originally a non-religious love song but a religious one. At the same time, I emphasize that it is secular love song(not allegory). First of all, I assert that the SoS is not a anthology but a love song which has an author(poet). Through a literary device ‘refrain’, I show the unity of the SoS. The SoS apparently sings the human love. But the way of expression about love is different with other books in the canon. The poet attempts the reversal of the traditional views, and then suggests a new theological interpretation. The Old Testament was surely written in the patriarchal circumstance. So the Old Testament tradition perceived the man-woman relationship as a hierarchical structure. And the relationship was applied to God-human(Israel) relationship(esp. the Prophets). The human love and sex/gender motifs were used for the religious motifs. But the poet intended to the demythologization of human love and attempted ‘a new theological work.’ The poet reinterpreted the love, body, gender/sex, and authority in the subversive way. The poet ultimately recovered the meaning of the essential human love and sex/gender. The SoS is the wisdom literature. This book does not deal with the traditional theological themes, but it is concerned with the universal oder and principle(creation theology). That is the characteristic of the wisdom literature. And its subversive feature is analogous with the Job and Ecclesiastes in the wisdom literature. Finally, The SoS is simply not a song of human love. Rather, it contains the profound theological consideration about the Human through the love theme.

Apocalyptic Eschatology in Joel 4 and Its Function: Highlighting Yahweh’s Reigning as King in Zion and Coming of the New World

Hong, Seong Hyuk | 2014, 20(2) | pp.186~216 | number of Cited : 10

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The book of Joel presents us with difficult historical and interpretive problems. The date and unity of the book’s composition have been very controversial issues. Another debate persisted, revolving mainly around the location of the apocalyptic motif in the book of Joel and its function. Scholars have generally been occupied by bifurcation of the book of Joel, which has divided the book at the end of Joel 2:27. Namely, they considered Joel 1:1-2:27 to be Joel’s account of a historical locust plague, while they attributed Joel 3:1-4:21 to a later apocalyptic works. As for the function of the apocalyptic motif, the scholars regarded the conflict between the central priestly group and the peripheral visionary group as the major reason for the appearance of the apocalyptic. This study starts from doubt about the aforementioned standpoint. This study shows that the book does not sharply divide into two sections at the end of Joel 2:27, because the apocalyptic motif appears even in the first section, e. g. Joel 2:1-11. The motif is scattered throughout the book. Even if the locust plague may have had some effect on the emergence of the apocalyptic idea, the locust plague was not decisive in the production of the apocalyptic idea. The event that is decisive to the production of the apocalyptic idea is the ceaseless control of the big enemy country. In this regard, the function of the motif is not related to the conflict between the central cult members and peripheral groups. Its function rather refers to the struggle of the post-exilic religious community featured by the central priest group’s encouraging the people who were deeply discouraged under the persistent oppression of the heathen imperialism to hold onto hope. In oder to arrive at this conclusion, I will first analyze the content and function of the apocalyptic motif through the integration of historical and literary analysis. Then I will be focused on the analysis of the apocalyptic motif of eschatology on the basis of Joel 4 which makes prominent the reigning of Yahweh and the coming of the new world. I will also mention how the literary structure of Joel 4 highlights an aspect of the apocalyptic eschatology. Finally, I will mention how the motif of the apocalyptic eschatology socially functioned in the post-exilic cultic community between 515 and 450 BCE.

Establishment of Correlative Work Theology: Control and Dependance

Youn Hyung | 2014, 20(2) | pp.217~243 | number of Cited : 1

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

2014, Vol.20, No.2