오경의 정경적 관점으로 본 아브라함 언약 고찰 = A Study on the Covenant Promise to Abraham in its Canonical Setting

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Through this article I try to see the purpose of the covenant promise to Abraham from the canonical perspective of the Pentateuch in order to show that the argument that the Abrahamic covenant focuses on 'the prosperity of descendants' and 'the conquest of land' results from the misunderstanding of the purpose of the covenant. For this purpose I first see Genesis 12:1-3 as constituting the themes of the Pentateuch as given in the structural characteristics of Genesis, and interpret two passages in the canonical context of the Pentateuch that give a significant hint on the understanding of the purpose of the covenant, that is, Genesis 15:6 and Numbers 15:14-16.
In the literary context of Genesis as a whole, it is with Abraham that God restores the divine-human relationship which had been lost by people turning away from God in Genesis 2:4-11:26. This restored relationship begins with the initial divine command "go" that places conditions upon Abraham for the covenant relationship (12:1-3). From this initial announcement onwards, the Abraham narrative structurally develops the idea of holy in a repeated form of 'command-compliance' pairs, until it is proclaimed that Abraham is finally determined to meet the command to holiness laid on him, "walk in fear of God," and thus determined to be "blameless" in relationship with God. In this respect, the Abraham narrative views holiness as a life-long response of faithfulness to the divine command in the context of the covenant promise.
Furthermore, Abrahamic holiness, which is to be realized by a God- fearing walk in the divine-human relationship, is the nature of the blessing that God wants to bring upon all the families of the earth, which forms the theme of the Pentateuch as a whole. This theme is further elaborated when the God of Abraham commands Israel to be holy as He is holy (Lev 19:2), so that the people of Israel function as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation among all nations (Exod 19:6). Therefore, other elements of the covenant promise, no matter how significant they may look, should be interpreted in the context of this overarching theme of the Pentateuch.
Taking the primary purpose of the covenant promise promulgated in Genesis 12:1-3 as the hermeneutical key, a fresh meaning of Genesis 15:16 can be discerned. The role that the Israelites play in the realization of the covenant promise, as they enter the land of the Amorites, is not simply as warriors enlisted to mete out God's punishment on the sinful nation, but more as holy priests to bless those who are doomed to perish because of their sins.
Numbers 15:14-16 sheds further light upon the scope of the covenant people by including the sojourners among the Israelites. When the whole covenant promise is up in the air because of the disobedience of the covenant people, a reversal is announced as God confirms that the new generation will enter the promised land despite the sins of the old generation. Numbers 15:14-16 is significant in that the sojourners as well as the native Israelites are equally commanded to keep the same law. Considering that the covenant relationship is presupposed to the observance of the law, this inclusion of the gentiles may show a possibility of the expansion of the scope of the covenant people.
In conclusion, the purpose of the covenant promise is made clear, that God's desire is to bring blessing upon all the families of the earth through a people who live a life of holiness in covenant relationship with God. For Christians obsessed with such elements of the promise as descendants and land, the current study will give a fresh understanding of the primary purpose of God's calling and of His giving the covenant promise.

국문 초록 (Abstract)

필자는 이 논문을 통해, 아브라함 언약의 초점이 ‘자손의 번성’과 ‘땅의 정복’이라고 하는 주장은 언약의 목적을 잘못 이해한데서 기인한 것임을 밝히고자 아브라함 언약의 목적을 오경의 정경적 관점에서 고찰하였다. 이를 위해, 먼저 오경의 주제를 구성하는 창 12:1-3의 언약을 창세기의 구조적 특성 안에서 살펴보고, 이 언약의 목적을 이해하는데 중요한 단초를 제공하는 두 부분인 창 15:16과 민 15:14-16을 오경의 정경적 틀 안에서 해석하여, 아브라함 언약의 궁극적인 목적은 밝히고자 했다.
먼저, 창세기의 문학 구조적 차원에 있어서 중요한 위치에 있을 뿐 아니라 오경의 주제를 형성하고 있는 창 12:1-3의 연구를 통해, 아브라함 언약의 궁극적 목적은 아브라함의 순종을 통해 천하 만민이 복을 얻게 되는 것이며, 아브라함의 순종의 본질은 그가 하나님을 경외함으로 그 앞에서 겸손히 행하는 거룩한 삶임을 보였다.
더 나아가, 아브라함에게 땅을 주리라고 약속한 이유와 배경이 제시 된 창 15:16의 의미를 창 12:1-3에서 확인 된 언약의 목적에 비추어 해석함으로써, 아브라함의 자손이 가나안 땅에 들어가야 하는 이유가 단순히 죄로 가득한 아모리 족속의 땅을 심판하기 위한 징벌적 토벌이 아니라, 오히려 거룩한 삶의 모델로 제사장 나라의 사명을 감당하여 아브라함에게 주신 언약의 목적인 천하 만민이 복을 얻도록 하는 것임을 보였다.
또한, 민 15:14-16의 의미를 언약과 율법의 관계를 통해 해석하여, 가나안 땅으로 들어가 언약을 성취할 새로운 세대의 범주가 아브라함의 자손인 이스라엘 뿐 아니라 그들과 함께 거주하는 이방인들에게까지 확장될 가능성이 존재함을 보였다.
결론적으로, 아브라함의 자손이 죄악으로 가득한 땅에 들어가는 이유는 단순히 그들을 정죄하고 심판하기 위함이 아니라, 오히려 죄로 말미암아 멸망할 사람들 앞에서 거룩한 제사장으로서의 역할을 감당하여 축복의 통로가 위함이다. 이 논문을 통해 자손의 번성과 땅의 정복에 몰두하여 사명을 잊고 사는 오늘날의 기독교인들에게 언약의 목적과 언약의 백성의 정체성을 재고하였다.

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