Deuteronomy

Definition and Meaning

Deuteronomy is the fifth book of the Old Testament and the last book of the Pentateuch, comprising 34 chapters. Its Korean title, written in Chinese characters as 申命記 (Sinmyeonggi), means "a record in which commands are set forth and made clear once again." The name derives from the title given in the Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament), Deuteronomion, meaning "second law." In the Hebrew Bible the book is called Devarim ("words"), after the opening words of the text.

Biblical and Historical Background

Having completed the wilderness journey recorded in Exodus and Numbers, Israel arrives on the plains of Moab. Deuteronomy centers on the addresses that Moses delivered there. Moses reviews Israel's history and teaches the law again, including the Ten Commandments (chapter 5). He also proclaims that obedience to the covenant will bring blessing and disobedience will bring curses (chapter 28). The final chapter, chapter 34, records the death of Moses.

Deuteronomy 6:4-5, which begins "Hear, O Israel," is known in Judaism as the Shema ("hear") and is recited daily. Jesus Christ also cited this passage as the greatest commandment (Mark 12:29-30). When He was tempted in the wilderness, He answered with words from Deuteronomy (Matthew 4:1-11).

Views on authorship differ. Tradition holds that Moses wrote the book, and many conservative evangelical denominations in Korea follow this view. Scholars who adopt historical criticism (a method that studies historically how biblical texts came to be formed) hold that the text was compiled over a long period. Some of them also associate it with the "book of the law" discovered in the temple during the reign of King Josiah (2 Kings 22).

Use in the Korean Church

• The words "thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children" in Deuteronomy 6:4-9 are frequently cited as the basis for the faith formation of children. The passage is a standard text for emphasizing family worship and Sunday school.
• The blessings and curses of chapter 28, especially "the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail" (Deuteronomy 28:13), are widely used in sermons and prayers of blessing. At the same time, interpretations that present this text as a promise of individual material prosperity have drawn criticism, on the grounds that it should be read as a conditional promise given to the covenant community. This issue is also connected to the debate over prosperity theology.
• The tithing regulations (Deuteronomy 14:22-29) are often used in sermons on the tithe, and the question of how they apply today is addressed in the tithing debate. The regulations in chapter 16 concerning the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Tabernacles are cited in sermons for the Barley Harvest Thanksgiving (Maechu Gamsajeol) and Thanksgiving.
• The version of the Ten Commandments in chapter 5 gives deliverance from Egypt as the reason for keeping the Sabbath (Deuteronomy 5:15). Denominations differ over whether this commandment should be read as extending to Lord's Day observance, a question addressed in The Sabbath and the Lord's Day.