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The Regressive Prophet: Understanding Jonah's Journey through the Motif of Descent and Ascent

Kyoung Sik Kim | 2025, 31(4) | pp.25~57 | number of Cited : 0

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The Anthropology of Qoheleth: The Man of ‘Anxiety’ and the Man of ‘Wú wéi’

Soon-Young Kim | 2025, 31(4) | pp.58~90 | number of Cited : 0

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The core of this study is an anthropological inquiry into the Book of Ecclesiastes, focusing on the integration of Qoheleth’s reflection on human toil (or anxiety), the cyclical repetition of human life oscillating between the rhythms of opposing seasons(as articulated in 3:1-8), and Laozi’s concept of wu wei(無爲). Qoheleth encapsulates his concern for the human condition-tormented by labor and anxiety-into a concise question: “What profit do people gain from all the toil at which they labor under the sun?” (1:3). This question expresses a skeptical view of humanity’s inherent desire for gain and achievement. While this inquiry is linked to passages that invalidate all human endeavors “under the sun” (1:12–2:26), it is simultaneously connected to the poem of times(3:1–8) and its subsequent reflection in 3:9–15. In these verses, the alternating poles of affirmation and negation tied to the passage of time poetically portray the enigmatic pattern of life-one that compels humanity to accept even the times they wish to evade. Time here is structured as a multifaceted flow that approaches humanity from various directions. Qoheleth accepts these polarities of time as "natural," revealing a potential convergence with Daoist thought, particularly Laozi’s philosophy of wu wei (無爲), which stands in contrast to artificial human striving (ren wei, 人爲). This is because wu wei signifies balance or harmony achieved by refraining from forcing action against the natural order's flow. Accordingly, this paper explores the intimate relationship between human labor (toil) and the practice of wu wei within the flow of time, while reflecting on the human condition poised between eternity and the moment. Ultimately, it illuminates the theological implication of “everyday salvation” through the hope of a humanity entangled in anxiety yet capable of finding rest in wu wei.

An Iconographic Approach to Old Testament Interpretation: Song of Songs 6:11-12 as a Case Study

Yeseul Kim | 2025, 31(4) | pp.91~123 | number of Cited : 0

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Song of Songs 6:11-12, particularly verse 12, is widely recognized as one of the most challenging passages to interpret in the Song of Songs. Ancient translations, modern translations, and commentators offer divergent interpretations, and numerous emendations to the Hebrew text have also been proposed. The interpretive difficulties stem not only from the ambiguity in the Hebrew text but also from the unclear motivation behind the expression of surprise at the abrupt transition from the garden setting to the chariot context. This study first examines the history of interpretation of this passage, then proposes an alternative reading utilizing an iconographical method. Iconographical methods, not yet well known in Korean scholarship, can be applied to biblical studies in various ways. This paper focuses specifically on its application to interpreting particular biblical passages or metaphors. After briefly introducing iconographical methodology, the study presents an interpretation of Song 6:11-12 as an example of applying this approach to biblical text interpretation. In this course, biblical texts are thoroughly interpreted by comparing them with other textual sources, while images are analyzed by comparing them with related images. Only after completing these separate comparative analyses are the results from both inquiries synthesized. The study concludes that two concepts appear both in the Song of Songs text and in various images from Egypt, the Levant, and Mesopotamia: ‘woman can be compared to military power’ and ‘vegetation and chariots, or life/love and war, though seemingly contrasting, are different aspects of the same power.’ Thus, Song 6:11-12 reflects a worldview widely prevalent in the ancient Near East. By actively engaging ancient Near Eastern images through iconographic methodology in Old Testament interpretation, we can expect a significantly broadened horizon of interpretation based on cultural-historical information available through visual sources.

Artificial Intelligence and Christian Spirituality: Opportunities, Challenges, and Directions

Jinkyu Kim | 2025, 31(4) | pp.124~162 | number of Cited : 0

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This study analyzes the theological significance of artificial intelligence from an Old Testament perspective and proposes guidelines for the responsible use of AI in the church. As AI technology rapidly advances, unprecedented theological challenges have emerged for Christian ministry, including pastoral counseling, sermon preparation, Bible study, and theological education. However, existing discussions tend to approach AI either as a mere tool to be utilized or as a threat to be rejected, representing a binary approach that lacks a comprehensive theological framework. Using a theological literature review methodology, this research examines three key dimensions of Old Testament theology. First, creation doctrine (Genesis 1-2, 11) establishes the ontological position of AI: while AI development can be affirmed as an expression of the cultural mandate given to humans created in God's image (imago Dei), the Tower of Babel narrative warns against technological hubris. Second, wisdom literature (Proverbs, Ecclesiastes) distinguishes between the information AI provides and true biblical wisdom: authentic wisdom begins with "the fear of the LORD" (Proverbs 9:10), which cannot be programmed into algorithms. Third, the golden calf incident (Exodus 32) warns against "conceptual idolatry"—attributing to AI the attributes that belong only to God, such as wisdom, understanding, and spiritual guidance. The findings reveal that AI presents both significant opportunities and inherent limitations for the church. AI can democratize access to biblical resources, accelerate Bible translation, support personalized spiritual formation, and extend pastoral care. However, AI threatens the relational essence of Christian spirituality through its inability to provide embodied presence, poses risks of theological distortion and hallucination, raises privacy concerns regarding intimate spiritual data, and may create new forms of spiritual inequality through the digital divide. Based on this analysis, the study proposes practical directions for the church: developing biblical understanding of AI's strengths and limitations, cultivating Word-centered spiritual discernment, recognizing AI's supplementary role in pastoral ministry, and integrating AI literacy with critical thinking in theological education. The core thesis maintains that AI, while useful as a tool for the cultural mandate within creation order, cannot replace true wisdom that begins with the fear of the LORD, and becomes a conceptual idol when mistaken as the ultimate source of wisdom. The church must exercise theological discernment rather than mere technical utility when engaging with AI technology.

Egypt and the Old Testament: A Critical Review of Thirty Years of Biblical Egyptology in Korea

배희숙 | 2025, 31(4) | pp.163~194 | number of Cited : 0

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Psalm 91 as Janus: Moses’ or David’s Psalm?

Kyung-Wook Byun | 2025, 31(4) | pp.195~230 | number of Cited : 0

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The Divine Name YHWH and Recognition in the Old Testament: Centered on God’s Being-With (Mitsein Gottes)

이순범 | 2025, 31(4) | pp.231~268 | number of Cited : 0

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This paper examines the relationship between the divine name ‘YHWH’, the concept of ‘recognizing’ (jāḏa‘), and ‘God’s being-with’ (Mitsein Gottes) in the Old Testament. It demonstrates how these three concepts come together to form a cohesive theological framework by examining the divine name alternation in Genesis and Exodus. The main methodology used in this study is structural-literary analysis. Rather than following the traditional Documentary Hypothesis approach, the study focuses on the literary structure and theological intention of the final form of the text, analyzing key passages such as Jacob’s Experience at Bethel (Gen 28:10-22) Moses’ calling narrative (Exod 3-6), and the theological synthesis of Deuteronomy (Deut 4:32-39). The study uses the ‘being-with’ formula (Beistandsformel) to show how the experience of divine presence is inseparably connected to the recognition of YHWH’s name. The chiastic structure in Genesis 28 and the tripartite revelation structure in Exodus 3 (Elohim → 'Ehyeh 'Asher 'Ehyeh → YHWH) reveal that God’s being-with functions as the crucial mediator in divine name revelation. The grammatical use of the niphal form in Exodus 6:3 emphasizes that YHWH-recognition is granted by God himself. The contrast between Israel's promised recognition (Exod 6:7) and Pharaoh's non-recognition (Exod 5:2) shows that knowing YHWH requires covenantal commitment and relational acknowledgment. From individual (patriarchal) to communal (Exodus), royal, prophetic, and finally universal dimensions, God’s being-with gradually expands until it reaches the monotheistic confession found in Deuteronomy: YHWH, He is the God. This study confirms that the recognition of YHWH is intimately connected with experiencing God’s presence and his being-with. God’s being-with is a dynamic theological concept in the Old Testament that expands individual to universal dimensions. Recognition is achieved through God’s self-revelation in tangible historical experiences rather than human initiative, and it forms a theological theme that progresses steadily throughout the Old Testament and offers fundamental insights into Israel’s monotheistic faith.

Hermeneutical Controversy Regarding Circumcision, Passover, and Manna (Joshua 5:2-12): Are There Hermeneutical Differences Among the Manuscripts, and Do These Indicate Editorial Activity?

Eunwoo Lee | 2025, 31(4) | pp.269~310 | number of Cited : 0

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This study analyzes Joshua 5:2-12 through textual and redaction criticism, focusing on three key motifs: circumcision, Passover, and the cessation of manna. By comparing the Masoretic Text (MT), the Septuagint (LXX), the Dead Sea Scrolls manuscript 4QJoshᵃ, and Samaritan Pentateuch(SP), this paper demonstrates that the passage is not a single unified tradition but a multilayered composition shaped through successive editorial stages across diverse historical contexts. The earliest stratum, represented most clearly in the LXX, consists of a concise narrative describing Israel’s collective circumcision, the celebration of Passover, and the end of manna at Gilgal—signifying a theological transition from wilderness wandering to settlement in the Promised Land. Subsequent redactional developments reflect distinct ideological and theological agendas: the Assyrian-period layer (7th century BCE) mirrors restoration ideologies such as Josiah’s reforms, employing the wordplay on Gilgal (“to roll away”) in v.9 to proclaim Yahweh’s sovereignty over imperial shame; the Babylonian exilic layer (6th century BCE) reorganizes the text according to the Deuteronomistic theology of history, portraying the death of the disobedient generation and covenant renewal by a new one; and the Persian-period Priestly layer (5th century BCE) integrates liturgical regulations drawn from Leviticus 23 and Exodus 16, emphasizing the ritual restoration and identity formation of the postexilic community. Finally, the MT exhibits theological expansion through repetition, temporal precision, and etymological wordplay-revealing the postexilic editors’ intention to reconstruct communal identity through the “restoration of law and tradition.” The 4QJoshᵃ manuscript mediates between the LXX and MT, sharing omissions with the former and expansions with the latter, thus representing an intermediate phase in textual transmission where interpretive amplification had begun but not yet reached full canonical form. The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), harmonized with Genesis 17, reinterprets circumcision as both covenant fulfillment and communal identity. Thus, the textual evolution from LXX → MT, with intermediate variants in 4QJoshᵃ and SP, reveals a gradual transformation from a simple ritual narrative to a complex theological document. Joshua 5:2-12 encapsulates Israel’s continual “rewriting” of faith, embedding within the traditions of circumcision, Passover, and manna its theological journey from wilderness wandering to the establishment of a covenantal Torah community.

Reader-Response Criticism: A Study of Ecclesiastes 7:23–29

Cha-Yong Ku | 2025, 31(4) | pp.313~345 | number of Cited : 0

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This study aims to introduce Reader-Response Criticism, a relatively unfamiliar interpretive method in Korean theological scholarship, and to explore its applicability to biblical interpretation. While Reader-Response Criticism is not the only valid method of interpretation, this paper argues that a competent reader’s close reading of the text can foster a productive dialogue with existing interpretive traditions, deepen exegetical engagement, and ultimately yield interpretations that resonate with the reader’s lived context. The paper proceeds as follows. First, it provides a general introduction to the basic concepts of Reader-Response Criticism, focusing on three key theoretical elements. The first concerns textual theory, which highlights communication between the real author and the implied reader, as well as between the actual reader and the implied author—a central concern of Reader-Response Criticism. The second element is the interpretive strategy of close reading by the competent reader, which constitutes the core of this approach. The third is the existential significance of the Word of God when read through the lens of Reader-Response Criticism, particularly its actualization in the present. Subsequently, the study presents the major theoretical contributions of Hans Robert Jauß, Wolfgang Iser, and Stanley Eugene Fish, outlining their key concepts and examining both the potential and the limitations of Reader-Response Criticism as a hermeneutical method. As a case study, this research applies the method to Ecclesiastes 7:23–29. The passage is first analyzed from the perspective of the competent reader, using close reading and consultation of Hebrew lexicons to formulate an initial interpretation. This is then carefully compared with interpretations offered by authoritative scholars. In this process, most of the initial reading is retained, though certain aspects are revised or refined as needed. Ecclesiastes 7:23–29 is considered one of the more difficult texts in the book, particularly due to the two statements concerning “the woman” in the middle of the passage. Through a careful structural analysis of this text, the study argues that the description of the woman serves as a warning: the human pursuit of wisdom can, at times, lead to death, and the results of such efforts remain humanly constructed, lying beyond the limits of human cognition.

Patriarchal Authority and Communal Restraint: A Social-Historical Understanding of Deuteronomy 21:18–21

Kee, Min Suc | 2025, 31(4) | pp.346~378 | number of Cited : 0

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Old Testament Narrative Criticism and the Practical Application of the Text: Genesis 47:27~50:26

Do-hyung Kim | 2025, 31(4) | pp.379~408 | number of Cited : 0

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A Structuralist Critical Reading of the Yael and Sisera’s Mother Narrative(Judges 4-5)

Kyung-Sik Park | 2025, 31(4) | pp.409~438 | number of Cited : 0

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Canonical Criticism: A Canonical Interpretation of Proverbs and the “Fear of YHWH”

Keun Jo Ahn | 2025, 31(4) | pp.439~486 | number of Cited : 0

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he purpose of this study is to introduce the theoretical framework of canonical criticism and to apply it to the interpretation of Proverbs 9:10, which highlights the “fear of YHWH” as the foundation of wisdom. This study explores the concepts of canon and canonization, emphasizing that Brevard S. Childs and James A. Sanders—representative figures of the canonical approach—understand canon and canonization not merely in doctrinal terms, but primarily in canonical terms. In articulating the canonical dimensions of Scripture, both scholars consistently consider the historical and theological processes involved in canonization. Ultimately, they seek to identify canonical rationale(s) that prompted the formation of the present shape and arrangement of the Jewish and Christian canons. Yet, If Childs emphasizes the dimension of the canonical form, Sanders places greater weight on the functional dimension of the canon community. Whereas canonical authority and revelatory character represent the normative form of Scripture for Childs, for Sanders they highlight the identity and renewal of the canonical community. Nevertheless, a significant point of convergence remains between the two scholars in grounding their interpretive framework in the canonical context. By synthesizing the canonical reading theories of the two scholars, this study proposes an alternative model of canonical criticism, termed “the canonical- heuristic reading of text and community.” The study seeks to establish principles of canonical interpretation from two perspectives: first, a literary reading attentive to the rhetorical structure of the text; and second, an examination of how the canonical community formulated canonical principles from the text’s message for the discovery and maintenance of its identity. As rabbinic midrash proceeds through a dialectical reading of both ‘halakhah’, the normative dimension, and ‘aggadah’, the narrative dimension, so this approach attempts to discern how the literary and normative forms of the text are brought into dialogue with the teachings and narratives that renew the identity of the canonical community. As a case study of canonical reading, this research investigates the meaning of “the fear of YHWH” in Proverbs 9:10 within three canonical contexts: the entirety of chapter 9, the theological unit of Proverbs 1–9, and the broader canonical perspective of the Old and New Testaments. The study finds that the concept of fearing YHWH constitutes a core religious ordinance that preserves holiness against Israelites’ continual temptation toward “longing for what is foreign.” In other words, in the contrasting voices of Woman Wisdom and the Dame Folly in Proverbs, the “fear of YHWH” delineates the boundary of faith, revealing the ways of life and death, and functions as “discerning heart”(1 Kgs 3:9) that protects God’s people from idolatry and from any desire for what is foreign, thereby preserving their holiness.

A Rhetorical Reading of the Samson Narrative (Judges 13–16)

In-Chol Yang | 2025, 31(4) | pp.487~517 | number of Cited : 0

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2025, Vol.31, No.4 All Issues