κενός (kenos) means "empty," πλήρης (plērēs) means "full", and κοινός (koinos) means "common." Kenosis (the act of emptying) is the first thing we need before God. It is our humility. Then, we will be filled by the Spirit. With this Spirit, we can share a fellowship (koinonia) with others, based on common sense that we are all weak.
Tuesday, August 9, 2022
Saturday, August 6, 2022
Cascade Contextual Critical Commentary
2 Corinthians (Cascade, 2024 est)
Table of Contents
1:1—2:13 (+7:5–16; +13:11–13) A Letter of Reconciliation
1:1–2 Salutation
1:3–11 Blessing and Thanksgiving
1:12—2:13 Reflection and Advice
7:5–16 Joy of Ministry
13:11–13 Final Greetings
2:14—7:4 A Letter of Defense of Paul’s Ministry
2:14–17 Thanksgiving
3:1–18 Ministers of the New Covenant
4:1—5:10 Assurance of the Gospel
5:11–21 Ministry of Reconciliation
6:1—7:4 Exhortations
8:1–24 A Letter of the Collection
9:1–15 Another Letter of the Collection
10:1—13:10 A Letter of Tears
10:1–18 Defense of Paul’s Ministry
11:1–15 False Apostles
11:16–33 The Fool’s Speech
12:1–13 Weakness and the Power of God
12:14—13:10 Final Appeal
Tuesday, August 2, 2022
Mock Interview: Rereading Galatians
A Literary and Theological Commentary
(Cascade, 2019)
Presskit
Buy at Amazon
1. Why did you write this commentary on Galatians?
This book is a short literary and theological commentary. I don't repeat lots of the good stuff from the traditional commentaries. I read Galatians from the perspective of Paul's gospel that emphasizes God's gospel, Christ's gospel, and the Christian gospel. I hope readers may understand this letter freshly, seeing the importance of Christ's faithfulness and Christian participation in the gospel.
2. What is the method that you applied to read the letter?
My main method is a literary reading of the letter. I don't follow a typical rhetorical analysis. I explore the theme of the gospel in Galatians: "the origin of the gospel; the clarification of the gospel; the root of the gospel; the advantage of the gospel; the mandate of the gospel." These are five features of the gospel in Galatians.
3. Why do you think Paul wrote this letter to the Galatians?
Some in the church confused the gospel of Christ he proclaimed. They claimed that Jewish elements such as circumcision should be a mandate to become children of God. But Paul argues that the gentiles don't need circumcision because it is a cultural, religious thing that is not essential to the faith. His point is faith is what all people need. This fact has been true ever since Abraham trusted God. Otherwise, Paul does not argue that his gospel is law-free. Rather, the law is fulfilled through Christ who loved his neighbor (see Gal 5:14: “For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’”). Paul does not attach any strings or conditions to his gospel other than faith, which has been working since Abraham.
4. How different is your interpretation from others?
My interpretation is different from the traditional one. I argue that "pistis christou" is Christ's faithfulness. Christ revealed God's love and justice and he was obedient to God. Accordingly, his sacrifice is the result of his faithfulness for God’s love. It is not a vicarious redemptive death that he died instead of sinners. Likewise, Gal 2:16 is interpreted differently: "We are justified not by the works of the law, but through Christ's faithfulness." Here justification requires Christian participation in Christ.
5. What can you talk about "justification by faith"?
Strictly speaking, "justification by faith" is a correct one that is argued by Paul. But the question is by whose faith or what kind of faith. Primarily, the needed faith is Christ's faith, which is the basis for Christian faith. Then the content of faith is not merely to accept Christ's vicarious death but to imitate him.
6. You also read Romans from the same perspective of Paul's gospel. Are there common themes between the two letters?
Although the context of Romans is different from Galatians, Paul's view of the gospel is the same. Likewise, in Romans, we see the importance of the gospel involving three aspects: God's gospel, Christ's gospel, and the Christian gospel. The concept of faith and justification in Romans is congruous with Galatians. There is no conflict about Paul's theology.
7. Can you talk about your book briefly? What is it about?
This book approaches Galatians from a threefold-gospel perspective: God, Jesus, and those who live faithfully. For Paul, the good news is rooted in God’s promises to Abraham and confirmed through the faith of Christ Jesus. Those who share his faithfulness are set right with God and become children of God. All the above is the good news that Paul preaches to the Galatians.
Saturday, July 30, 2022
Mustard Seed
The parable of the Mustard Seed is not about ambition or success. It teaches that small should not be ignored. We should note that Jesus uses a mustard seed as a metaphor for the reign of God. It grows to become bushes, serving birds and people who need them. He would have used a cedar tree, a symbol of glory and success, for the reign of God. But he chooses a tiny seed of mustard to show that marginalized persons have the potential to realize.
Friday, July 29, 2022
John 3:3: born again or born from above?
Then, Jesus answers him again and restates birth from above: "Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit" (John 3:5). "Being born of water and Spirit" may be understood in the context of water baptism when one receives the Spirit from above.
Here, the kingdom of God is the reign of God in which people abide, depending on God or the Spirit to continue to live a new life. Birth from above means spiritual birth, which needs a constant connection with the Spirit.
The spiritual birth (from above) is not complete once and for all. It requires a constant commitment to God, seeking the truth of God. It differs from physical birth that has a birthdate. In this regard, the popular evangelism question "Are you born again?" seems weird and judgmental.
Thursday, July 28, 2022
True wisdom?
Tuesday, July 26, 2022
Black Seminary and Experience
Saturday, July 23, 2022
Redaction criticism (the water baptism of Jesus)
There are at least two plausible concerns or questions raised by some members of the Matthean community:
Wednesday, July 20, 2022
Definition of Research in Humanities
"Research means digging into subjects deep and wide, connecting them with today's world, and thinking together about the future that is yet to unfold. Good or bad, all research projects involve certain levels of ideology. What we need is not so much objectivity as responsibility." (Yung Suk Kim, PhD)
Jesus and Confucius: "Human-centered thinking"
Jesus: "The Sabbath was made for humankind and not humankind for the Sabbath" (Mark 2:27).
Confucius: "The person widens the way; it is not the way that widens the person" (Analects 14:35).