Exodus

Definition and Meaning

Exodus is the second book of the Old Testament and part of the Pentateuch. It has forty chapters. In the Hebrew Bible it is called "Names" (Shemot), after the book's opening words. The Greek translation of the Bible, the Septuagint, called it "Going Out" (Exodos), and the English title comes from that name. The book narrates Israel's departure from Egypt.

Biblical and Historical Background

The book falls into three major sections.

• Departure from Egypt (chapters 1–18): The people of Israel suffer oppression in Egypt. God calls Moses from the burning bush (chapter 3) and sends ten plagues. The Passover is then instituted (chapter 12), and the people cross the sea (chapter 14).
• The Sinai Covenant (chapters 19–24): God gives the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17) and various laws, and he makes a covenant with Israel.
• The Tabernacle and Worship (chapters 25–40): God gives instructions for building the tabernacle. During this section the golden calf incident takes place (chapter 32), and the book closes with the completion of the tabernacle.

Scholars disagree about the book's authorship and date. Tradition holds that Moses wrote it, and conservative denominations and seminaries generally accept this view. Other scholars hold that the book was compiled from multiple sources and edited over a long period. The date of the exodus is also disputed. Some place it in the fifteenth century BC and others in the thirteenth century BC. The earlier date relies on the chronological notice in 1 Kings 6:1, and the later date relies on archaeological evidence.

Use in the Church

• The Ten Commandments: Many churches use the Ten Commandments of Exodus 20 in teaching and worship, together with the Apostles' Creed and the Lord's Prayer. In Korea, the Ten Commandments also appear in the Protestant hymnal. Denominations number the commandments in different ways. The Reformed tradition, including Presbyterians, counts "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" and "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image" as the first and second commandments. The Lutheran Church in Korea follows Luther's catechisms and combines the two into one commandment.
• Passover and the Sacraments: Many churches interpret the Passover lamb as a foreshadowing of Christ's death and preach on it during Holy Week and at the Lord's Supper. Based on 1 Corinthians 10:1-2, some also link the crossing of the sea with baptism.
• Tabernacle Studies: Korean Protestant churches have long held expository teaching and Bible studies on the tabernacle. These studies interpret its structure and furnishings as figures of Christ and of the life of faith.
• Differences in Interpretation: In Korea, progressive theological movements such as Minjung theology have presented the exodus since the 1970s as the archetype of liberation from oppression. Conservative denominations usually emphasize its spiritual meaning: salvation from sin and becoming the people of God.
• The Sabbath Question: The Seventh-day Adventist Church keeps Saturday as the Sabbath on the basis of Exodus 20:8-11. Most Protestant churches observe Sunday, the day of the resurrection, as the Lord's Day. For more detail, see the article Sabbath and the Lord's Day.