On the Diversified Roles of Old Testament

Through the synthetical analyses of representative results by early modern and contemporary western biblical scholars on prophetic books of the Old Testament, it is proposed that the prophets thereof assume diversified roles. On basis of the findings of the prophetic book from traditional approaches, prophets in the Old Testament can be viewed as predictors of future events, theological ethicists and theologians, poets and mystics, oracle announcers. From modern academic viewpoints, however, the prophets are seen as authors and editors as well as the interpreters of the prophetic books.