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A Study of the Value and Recognition of Work in the Old Testament

Youn Hyung 1

1장로회신학대학교

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ABSTRACT

The purpose of this article is to understand, how work is appreciated in the Old Testament. The method of study focuses on the textual interpretation of Hebrew words, and the canonical approach is appropriated for understanding the context. The concept and value of work is a cognitive one, not a technical (economic) problem. The value of work differs according to the perspective, through which work is seen. Unfortunately, work is perceived negatively in today’s world; however, upon study, the Old Testament understanding of work is significantly different. When we consider the ancient writings in general, we find a counter factor to our misapprehensions. It is an administrative principle within God’s world. This study examines three books in Hebrew Scriptures: the Pentateuch, the Prophets and the Writings. First, the Pentateuch presents direction for the workers, the work environment, and the Sabbath. In this study, we found, that workers reflect the image of God, which is closely correlated with the workplace (earth), and the Sabbath is a key to appreciating the value of work. The book of Prophets presents the concept of ‘justice,’ another critical factor in valuing work. Finally, in the Writings, fear of the Lord plays a vital role in the work ethic. In conclusion, we found a renewed vision: Fear of the Lord is to be needed, rightly for recognizing the value of work.

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.

This paper was written with support from the National Research Foundation of Korea.
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