Dr. Boykin Sanders's Lecture: "My Life in the Ministry"

Dr. Boykin Sanders’s lecture: "My Life in the Ministry." He is Distinguished Professor of New Testament and served 40 years at our school, Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University. He has brought us the spirit of protest, challenging the normative, traditional theological education. He always blew the trumpet with the melody of justice. I have been with him as a dear colleague for the past 17 years. I have quick, free notes of the lecture: 

"I enjoyed not being okay. I am a freedom fighter. Redefine what you do. Pray for what? Black people with white Jesus? What do you know about Jesus? Hear other voices. Start with nothing." #stvu

One pearl of great value (Matt 13:45-46)

[Courtesy of FreeBibleImages.org]

 

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it" (Matt 13:45-46)

In the parable of pearls, Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven with a merchant. So, we have to see the merchant's behavior in the story. This parable differs from the parable of treasure in which Jesus compares the kingdom with the treasure hidden in the field and discovered by accident. But in the parable of pearls, the merchant went out to search for fine pearls. As a merchant, he has to buy many fine pearls, not a single pearl. That must be his business rule number one because he has to store many fine pearls in his warehouse and sell them later with much profit. But something happened when he found one pearl of great value. He sold everything to buy it. Then, he did not search for fine pearls anymore. His action seems silly from the usual business practice, as noted before.

The question is: Would he sell his one pearl of great value? If he sells it, it means the one pearl he found is not so precious to him. Supposedly, one pearl of great value he found must be so priceless that he would not sell it. That is, he may not live without it. Then, what would that be?

If he did not sell it, he would have economic difficulties. Keeping one great pearl looks foolish in some sense.

This merchant is not the same person anymore. He used to be a typical merchant who went out to find many fine pearls (plural) to make more profit.

We may need one vocation of great value, one great love, one great dedication, and one commitment to God. We need to find something without which we cannot live. That is one pearl of great value.

What is something of great value you want to buy and keep by investing all you have?

*My book on the parables of Jesus: Jesus's Truth: Life in Parables (2018).

2 Cor 7:10: Which Grief?

"ἡ γὰρ κατὰ θεὸν λύπη μετάνοιαν εἰς σωτηρίαν ἀμεταμέλητον ἐργάζεται· ἡ δὲ τοῦ κόσμου λύπη θάνατον κατεργάζεται."

"For grief according to God produces repentance for salvation without regret, but the grief of the world produces death" (trans. by Yung Suk Kim).

Here, Paul juxtaposes "grief according to God" (kata theon lupé) with "the grief of the world" (tou kosmou lupé). Part of what I wrote in my forthcoming commentary on 2 Corinthians (2 Corinthians: Contextual Critical Commentary by Cascade):

In Stoic society, showing grief/pain is considered weak, so people endure pain and go to die without hope. They are distressed, disconsolate, and dejected, yet they do not know what to do with their pain, which is left uncared as much as it suffocates them. So, tou kosmou lupé must be worldly grief that does not find hope in God. Without hope in the God of mercy, the end of pain would be death. Likewise, Paul says "worldly grief produces death" (2 Cor 7:10).

Then, what is godly grief? I continue to write about it.

religious study

I learned a lot because of this textbook I used years ago when I taught one course at a community college, in addition to my regular job at my school. At some point in the coming years, I love to use this one for seminary students in my elective course. This book is about the religious study, and the major question to be tackled is why humans are religious. Apparently, it surveys world religions according to their message, rituals, and history. I think theological students need to know basic religious theory and history.

Book writing tips

I have the pleasure of sharing my book writing tips. Since 2005, I have written almost 20 books, editing two volumes.   

1. When you feel ready to write something after enough research and brainstorming, begin to write from your heart and do it non-stop, day and night. Once I start, I write for several hours, and I have enough rest for several hours during which I may do whatever I want: sleeping, watching videos, listening to music, walking in a park, on a couch, or in a massaging chair. Then, my mind becomes clear and rebooted with much energy. Then, I write again and take a rest later. I repeat this tempo and rhythm. If you don't feel like writing, stop it and come back later if you feel ready again. I write what I think is most important for my intended readers. I try to write it clearly as if I were reading for them. This first stage won't take more than 2--3 months, depending on the project. In this stage, the most crucial part is to keep writing and surface the crest of your points, like your storytelling in one sitting.

2. Pause for a week or so after the first round. Then, reread what you wrote, refine it, and make sure about documentation including citations. This second step will take about the same amount of time, 2--3 months, depending on the project.

3. The third stage is to ensure the quality of the manuscript by proofreading and asking for feedback from colleagues.

  

My publication page:

Scholarship Manifesto 2022

I will do my best in my study, being resolute in my work. No one or nothing will stop my work. I may change over time, but my passion for truth won't waver. I am committed to transformative teaching, indomitable scholarship, and effective public service. I have to make hay while the sun is shining.

-Yung Suk Kim (Scholarship Manifesto 2022)

 

 

Four portrayals of Jesus

In Mark, Jesus came not to be served but to serve, giving his life to the poor and the marginalized (Mark 10:45). His death is a moral sacrifice. Jesus is the suffering Son of God, who does not want to die. He is anguished and struggles. But finally, he submits to God's will that he has no other choice but to continue to proclaim the good news. That means he has to face the horrible thing of his death. Here the message is living faithfully is not easy. The Markan community is struggling with this issue. People have fear about their future. Faith is a serious business to them. What would they do in the face of persecution or life-risking moments due to faith? Like women who visited the tomb and heard the good news of the resurrection, would they have to give up telling the good news, only running for their lives?

In Matthew, Jesus came not to destroy the law or the prophets but to fulfill (Matt 5:17). He is a very Jewish Messiah who reinterprets the law and challenges Jewish leaders to adopt a new rule of God. But about his mission boundary, he does not open it to the Gentiles, saying he was sent only to the Jews, rejecting to heal the Gentile woman's daughter. But he changes his mind due to her persistent faith that she also deserves God's food. The message to the Matthean community is a new people of God is through faith seeking God's justice. Jesus was transformed and commissioned his disciples to all nations after the resurrection. The Matthean community, a predominantly Jewish community, needs to open its mission boundary freely to the Gentiles, as Jesus underwent a process of changes.

In Luke, Jesus came to seek out and save the lost (Luke 19:10). They are primarily the Gentiles. In fact, from the beginning of his ministry, Jesus was clear about his mission, which was to proclaim the good news of God to the Gentiles. In his initial sermon at his hometown, Nazareth, he delivered a sermon that unsettled his hometown people. This is because he told them God preferred the Gentiles. That is, Elijah and Elisha were sent only to the Gentiles (a widow at Zareptha and Namaan of Syria) even though there were many widows and lepers in Israel. The message to the Lukan community is Jesus is the Savior/Messiah of the world. This community, largely made up of the Gentiles some of whom are Roman officials, has an interest in spreading the gospel to the whole world.

In John, Jesus came to testify to the truth of God and to give life and light to people living in darkness (John 18:37). For the Johannine community, the fundamental human condition is people dwell in the darkness, which means seeking evil deeds. Jesus came down from heaven and embodied God's truth, delivering the word of God and doing the works of God. He has never claimed that he is God. He always says God sent him to do his work, which is to love his people and to teach them the truth. If they follow him and abide in his teaching, they are truly his disciples (John 8:31-32). They will be made free because they know the truth. As a result, they will live abundantly in Christ. The message to the Johannine community which formed its own community separated from the synagogues is Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. This means the members of the community can feel that they are in the right place. They are children of God, not other Jews.

As we see above, we may see at least four different images of Jesus portrayed by the Evangelists. They may reflect the historical Jesus, but they are not the same as him. Preaching, therefore, needs careful consideration of various images of Jesus in context.

Faith is not knowledge

My students learned things that they have never heard before. They also unlearned many things they held dear or comfortable with. One of them cited this: "Faith is not knowledge but loyalty to God and to Christ. It is vibrant living for God's righteousness through Jesus" (p. 89).

An Ideal Human from a Perspective of Creation Myth

I am thinking about ideal humanity. What is the best life we can live, given the reality of what we are? The conclusion is we need humility, confidence, and empathy. The gist of biblical anthropology may be looked at in Gen 2:7, according to which the human is made up of two elements: dust from the ground and the breath of life. The result is an interesting being, called nefesh in Hebrew. Let us see each element and the result of the combination of the two.

 

First, Gen 2:7 says the human (הָֽאָדָ֗ם) is formed from the dust (עָפָר֙) of the ground (הָֽאֲדָמָ֖ה). So humans are dust (הֶעָפָ֛ר), which returns to the earth (Eccl 12:7). I am weak, fragile, and nothing. "I am no-one." So, humility is what we need.

*C.f., Eccl 1:2: הֶבֶל (hebel); Buddhism: Annica (zhū háng wú cháng, 諸行無常)

Second, also in Gen 2:7, the human is also given "the breath of life" (נִשְׁמַ֣ת חַיִּ֑ים) by the Lord. So humans are also the spirit (רוּחַ), which returns to God (Eccl 12:7). We are more than the earthlings. We must live, looking up to heaven, never giving up easily, valuing and enjoying the time-bound life on the earth. We should be confident in ourselves. "I am some-one." 

*C.f., Buddhism: Anutpanna Aniruddha (bù shēng bú miè, 不生不滅)

Third, the human (Adam) becomes nefesh (a living being or soul, נֶ֫פֶשׁ) with the combination of the dust and the breath of life. This means our being (nefesh) is not perfect. We cannot live alone. We need empathy. We must embrace others as ourselves. "I am one-for-others." 

*C.f., Confucianism: rén zhě rén yě (仁者人也); cè yǐn zhī xīn (惻隱之心)

The above idea of human transformation has been explored in my biblical interpretation.

Study Today

"If you don't study today, don't say there is tomorrow. 

If you don't study this year, don't say there is next year." 

("The Precious Mirror of Bright Mind")

I wrote this piece more than 30 years ago. 

It reflects who I am now.