맥추절(חכ הקציר) 용어 번역의 문제

Abstract

The goal of this study is to suggest an alternative term for the Korean biblical term “Maeg Chu Jeol” (Exo 23:16a) (which means the feast of barley harvest) which is also referred to as “Chil Chil Jeol” (the feast of weeks) and “Oh Sun Jeol” (Pentecost). Many Korean churches have confused “Maeg Chu Jeol” with the Korean traditional thanksgiving feast of barley harvest which most Korean churches observe in July each year.BR The study explores three different approaches to analyzing the translation of “Maeg Chu Jeol”: 1) a linguistic approach in the translation of the word תנ הקציר 2) a socio-cultural approach to the feasts of the Old Testament for which the people of God offered seasonal agricultural products; and 3) a hermeneutical approach to the three major feasts.BR The translation of “Maeg Chu Jeol” in Exodus 23:16a is an incorrect rendering considering the meaning of תנ הקציר which simply means the feast of harvest. Hence, תנ הקציר can be better translated to the feast/festival of harvest as represented in the majority of English Bible translations. פפורי קציר חמיםר (Exo 34:22a) has been mistakenly translated to the feast of the first fruits of barley harvest (NKR; KRV). The word קציר חמיםר. does not mean barley harvest but wheat harvest. It would therefore be more accurately translated to the first fruits of wheat harvest as translated in the majority of English Bible translations.BR Considering the agricultural products that the people of God offered for the feasts, the type of grain that the Israelites offered for the feast of weeks was not barley but wheat. Thus, the term “Maeg Chu Jeol” itself (which means the feast of barley harvest) does not accurately represent the biblical feast.BR When it comes to the hermeneutical meaning of feasts in the Old Testament, the feast of weeks was not linked to a thanksgiving feast of barley harvest, but to the celebration day of the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. Therefore this term brings about a more serious hermeneutical problem because of Korean churches’ confusion of “Maeg Chu Jeol” as the thanksgiving feast of barley harvest. If they observe the thanksgiving feast of barley harvest in this sense, they should also keep the Passover Festival and the Feast of Booths in a literal sense. Hence, “Maeg Chu Jeol” should be replaced by a new term.BR Once the feast of barley harvest is replaced by a new term the feast of harvest, it may significantly reduce the Korean churches’ confusion of the thanksgiving feast of barley harvest as the feast of weeks.BR