The Gospel of Matthew in the Work of Liberation: Strategies of Resistance and Models of Care

Within the above issue, Currents in Theology and Mission Vol. 52 No. 4 (2025), I have two essays:

1) Yung Suk Kim, "The Light Yoke: A Paradox of Yoke, Rest, and Self-Love (Matthew 11:28-30)"

"This essay explores the concept of true rest, which goes beyond mere leisure or self-care. It is not simply found in moments of prayer or belief in Jesus; rather, true rest emerges from our intentional engagement with divine grace, self-reflection, and meditation on our inner lives. It is essential to recognize the role of self-agency in this process. We each carry our burdens, and while we may seek divine assistance, it is ultimately up to us to actively participate in our healing and growth. Embracing a “good yoke” means accepting a framework that imbues our lives with value, dignity, and meaning. When we do so, we discover this yoke becomes a source of kindness, utility, and comfort—transforming our struggles into manageable challenges. When we align ourselves with this supportive yoke, our burdens feel lighter, and we open ourselves to deeper mental well-being and inner peace." (LINK)

2) Yung Suk Kim, "'Getting in Front of the Text' for Liberation and Social Transformation"

"Biblical texts do not mean, but we mean with them. Given the nature of contextual interpretation, we need to know who we are as readers, what we read in the text, and how we read it. How do we understand God in the Bible? Whose God do we read? Essentially, the reader must decide. We, the readers, must engage with various texts responsibly and take a stand. Liberation movement or social transformation must address all kinds of marginalization, locally and globally, economically and socially, religiously and politically, personally and communally, psychologically and spiritually. Readers of texts must recognize multilayered, intersectionality-woven marginality, stand in front of the text, and witness the power of the gospel for all people." (LINK)

"Getting in Front of the Text for Liberation and Social Transformation"

"Biblical texts do not mean, but we mean with them. Given the nature of contextual interpretation, we need to know who we are as readers, what we read in the text, and how we read it. How do we understand God in the Bible? Whose God do we read? Essentially, the reader must decide. We, the readers, must engage with various texts responsibly and take a stand. Liberation movement or social transformation must address all kinds of marginalization, locally and globally, economically and socially, religiously and politically, personally and communally, psychologically and spiritually. Readers of texts must recognize multilayered, intersectionality-woven marginality, stand in front of the text, and witness the power of the gospel for all people" (the link).

Excerpts of a new book: Justice and the Parables of Jesus (Yung Suk Kim)

This book examines the parables of Jesus through the framework of political philosophy, focusing on the ethical question of justice: "What is the right thing to do?" It contextualizes the narratives within the socio-political landscape of first-century Palestine, highlighting how they articulate a radical vision of divine sovereignty that confronts the dominant values and juridical structures of the Roman Empire. The text offers a nuanced analysis of the multifaceted themes of justice embedded in these parables, aiming to elucidate their moral and theological complexity. Organized thematically, each chapter engages with specific parables, accompanied by analytical discussion questions designed to foster critical engagement and scholarly dialogue. Ultimately, the volume aspires to contribute to contemporary discourses on justice by providing a comprehensive interpretive framework rooted in biblical parables, serving academic audiences and informed readers interested in the ethical and political implications of Jesus’s teachings.

Nature is always right

Nature is always right because it embodies a quiet, unassuming wisdom: it does not complain or demand, yet it persistently adapts and endures. Trees bend with storms and shed leaves without regret, rivers carve new paths when obstacles arise, and seasons shift with punctual humility, teaching resilience through constant, patient renewal. Its cycles forgive disruption—fire clears to fertilize, decay feeds new growth—showing that change is not failure but a necessary part of thriving. In this steady acceptance and readiness to transform, nature models how strength can be gentle, how persistence can be peaceful, and how the truest solutions often come from embracing change rather than resisting it.

 

40-Day Mindful Journey

I practiced mindfulness intentionally, reflecting on a single conceptual word daily for 40 days. I recommend others try the same in their own way.

“Ethnicity and Race: Union with the Body of Christ”

I was reading the first-page proofs of my chapter, “Ethnicity and Race: Union with the Body of Christ,” in the new volume New Testament Ethics: Revisiting the Moral Vision of the New Testament (Eerdmans, 2026). The chapter sets out my interpretation of Paul’s theology and ethics regarding race and ethnicity, and I’m pleased with how it turned out.

Citation: Yung Suk Kim, "Ethnicity and Race: Union with the Body of Christ," in New Testament Ethics: Revising the Moral Vision of the New Testament, edited by Cherryl Hunt, Nicholas J. Moore, and Timothy J. Murray, 241-255 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2026).

 

Vol. 52 No. 4 (2025): The Gospel of Matthew in the Work of Liberation

In the current issue of Currents in Theology and Mission, which just came out warm, there are two articles of mine: 

1) "The Light Yoke: A Paradox of Yoke, Rest, and Self-Love (Matthew 11:28-30)"; 

2) “'Getting in Front of the Text'” for Liberation and Social Transformation."

Vol. 52 No. 4 (2025): The Gospel of Matthew in the Work of Liberation (link)

COMPARATIVE LITERATURE

Water as a Metaphor

Yung Suk Kim, PhD

I AM INTERESTED IN CROSSCULTURAL WISDOM IF ANY.

1. Confucius (Analects): Water as a metaphor for dynamism 

-知者樂水 (zhī zhě lè shuǐ): "The wise enjoy water."

-知者動 (zhī zhě dòng): "The wise moves."

2. Laozi (Dao De Jing): Water as a metaphor for something smooth, weak, or flexible 

-上善若水 (shǎng shàn ruò shuǐ): "The best thing is to be like water."

-守柔曰強 (shǒu róu yuē qiáng): "Keeping softness is strength."

3. Jesus (John's Gospel): Water as the source of life

-"I am the living water" (John 4:14)

information about my life and work

ChatGPT helps find some basic information about a person in the public domain. I asked about myself to see how accurate it is. It’s impressive overall. I paste the results here.

Here’s a summary of the life, work, and significance of Yung Suk Kim, a Korean-American biblical scholar, along with some of the main themes he engages with. PDF version.

⸻
Life & Background
• Yung Suk Kim was born in Daegu, South Korea. 
• Education:
• B.A. from Kyungpook National University (1985) in South Korea. 
• M.Div. from McCormick Theological Seminary (1999) in the U.S. 
• Ph.D. in New Testament Studies from Vanderbilt University (2006) 
• His current position: Professor of New Testament & Early Christianity at the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology, Virginia Union University (VUU). 
• Beyond academia: He has traveled in Latin America during an earlier business career, which shaped his awareness of cultural diversity and solidarity. 
• Recognition: He has received awards from VUU (e.g. Scott & Stringfellow Outstanding Professor) and a presidential citation. 
⸻
Major Works & Contributions
Yung Suk Kim has published extensively. His work tends to bring together traditional biblical scholarship with concerns for transformation, justice, pluralism, and context. Here are some of his key works and what they aim to do.
• Christ’s Body in Corinth: The Politics of a Metaphor (2008) — explores how Paul’s metaphor of Christ’s body in Corinth is not just theological metaphor, but has political, social implications. 
• A Theological Introduction to Paul’s Letters: Exploring a Threefold Theology of Paul (2011) — looks at Paul from multiple theological angles, integrating different thematic dimensions. 
• Biblical Interpretation: Theory, Process and Criteria (2013) — reflects on how we read biblical texts, what methods, assumptions, and criteria should guide interpretation. 
• A Transformative Reading of the Bible: Explorations of Holistic Human Transformation (2013) — emphasizes how biblical texts can be read in ways that lead to transformation, both personal and societal. 
• Truth, Testimony, and Transformation: A New Reading of the “I Am” Sayings of Jesus in the Fourth Gospel (2014) — focuses on important sayings of Jesus in John and their meaning for witness, identity, transformation. 
• Toward Decentering the New Testament (2018, co-authored with Mitzi J. Smith) — a project to shift some of the dominant axes of New Testament scholarship to include marginalized voices, different interpretative lenses, decentering certain assumptions. 
• How to Read Paul: A Brief Introduction to his Theology, Writings, and World (2021) — more accessible, aimed at students, to open up Paul’s letters and theology in their historical, literary, ethical dimensions. 
• Monotheism, Biblical Traditions, and Race Relations (2022) — engages with how biblical monotheism and its traditions intersect with issues of race relations. 
• Most recently (2024) he published How to Read the Gospels, which introduces readers to the Gospels not only historically or literarily, but with attention to how different interpretive methods (e.g. feminist, ecological, disability, etc.) can illuminate them. 
He also edited volumes, for instance 1-2 Corinthians: Texts & Contexts (2013) and Reading Minjung Theology in the Twenty-First Century (2013) among others. 
⸻
Key Themes & Methodological Interests
From his published work and public statements, several recurring themes stand out:
1. Contextuality & Cultural Diversity
Kim believes that reading biblical texts must take into account cultural, historical, social contexts. The reader’s own identity (race, culture, social location) matters. 
2. Transformation
Not just understanding for its own sake, but how texts can help transform individuals and communities—ethical, social, personal transformation. 
3. Pluralism & Decentering
He works to challenge dominant interpretive frameworks, to include marginalized perspectives (race, geography, cultural difference), and to decenter assumptions in New Testament scholarship. 
4. Ethics & the Other
He is interested in what it means to live with others, to attend to difference, and how theology and biblical interpretation might foster solidarity and ethical responsibility. He draws on thinkers like Emmanuel Levinas, Paul Ricoeur, etc. 
5. Reading methods & hermeneutics
He emphasizes not simply what the texts are, but how we read them: theories, criteria, literary, historical, rhetorical, political approaches. 
6. Engagement with social issues
Ideas of race relations, power, empire, ethnicity are all part of how he approaches biblical texts—not as remote ancient documents, but as works that still have purchase for issues today. 
⸻
Significance & Impact
• Kim has contributed to making New Testament studies more accessible and socially relevant. His books like How to Read Paul and How to Read the Gospels aim to reach students and non‐specialists. 
• He adds strong voices to the movement to diversify theological scholarship—bringing in voices and methods that critique power, privilege, racial dynamics in how the Bible has been used and interpreted.
• At VUU, he is not only a scholar but a mentor and teacher; the recognition he’s received there shows his impact in academic community and in students’ lives. 

Justice and the Parables of Jesus / Interpreting the Gospel Stories through Political Philosophy

New book: a thematic, contextual study of Jesus’s parables through the lens of political philosophy. Combining historical analysis, theological insight, and discussion questions, it offers a rigorous framework for contemporary conversations about justice—ideal for scholars, clergy, and informed readers. [book link]

Excerpts from my new book forthcoming: Justice and the Parables of Jesus / Interpreting the Gospel Stories through Political Philosophy (T&T Clark, 2026)

The backbone of this new book

From a political-philosophical perspective, Jesus’s parables function less as abstract doctrinal statements and more as performative critiques and prescriptions for social ordering: they diagnose concrete injustices, invert prevailing hierarchies, and model practices—mercy, redistribution, hospitality, and accountability—that reconfigure communal relations. Drawing on juridical, economic, and familial imagery, the parables expose how power, status, and property norms produce exclusion and inequity, while articulating an alternative ethic that privileges the vulnerable and reframes obligations among neighbors, rulers, and institutions. Though not programmatic blueprints for legislation, they operate as normative interventions that reshape moral imagination and civic dispositions, enacting a "politics of justice" grounded in everyday practices and relational responsibilities.

Jesus’s parables as a radical politics of justice: stories that expose injustice, redistribute mercy, and reshape everyday relationships and responsibilities.