Exodus

Definition and Meaning

The Korean title of Exodus, Churaegupgi (出埃及記), means "the record of coming out of Egypt." It is the second book of the Old Testament, belongs to the Pentateuch, and consists of forty chapters. In the Hebrew Bible it is called "Names" (Shemot), after the opening words of the book. The Greek translation of the Bible (the Septuagint) called it "Going Out" (Exodos), and the Korean title follows the meaning of this name.

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 makes a covenant with Israel.
• The Tabernacle and Worship (chapters 25–40): God gives instructions for building the tabernacle. In the midst of these instructions the golden calf incident takes place (chapter 32), and the book closes with the completion of the tabernacle.

Views differ on the book's authorship and date. Tradition holds Moses to be the author, and conservative denominations and seminaries generally follow this view. Other scholars, however, hold that the book was compiled from multiple sources edited over a long period. The date of the exodus is likewise disputed, with some favoring the fifteenth century BC and others the thirteenth century BC. The former view rests on the chronological notice in 1 Kings 6:1, while the latter appeals to archaeological evidence.

Practice in the Korean Church

• The Ten Commandments: The Ten Commandments of Exodus 20 are used, together with the Apostles' Creed and the Lord's Prayer, in the teaching and worship of many churches, and they are also printed in Korean hymnals. The way the commandments are numbered varies by denomination. 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 respectively. The Lutheran Church in Korea, following Luther's catechisms, combines the two into one.
• Passover and the Sacraments: Many churches interpret the Passover lamb as a foreshadowing of Christ's death and address it in sermons during Holy Week and at the Lord's Supper. On the basis of 1 Corinthians 10:1-2, the crossing of the sea is also read in connection with baptism.
• Tabernacle Studies: Expository teaching and Bible studies on the tabernacle, which interpret its structure and furnishings as figures of Christ and of the life of faith, have long been widespread in the Korean church.
• Differences in Interpretation: Since the 1970s, progressive theological movements such as Minjung theology have emphasized the exodus as the archetype of liberation from oppression. Conservative denominations tend to read it primarily for 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. This topic is treated in more detail in the article Sabbath and the Lord's Day.