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Delahoyde & Hughes
Orpheus
THE BOOK
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Initial Questions:
The Book of Job is considered a literary masterpiece. It belongs to the
genre of "wisdom literature," or "speculative wisdom" as it questions
commonly held principles and assertions. Here, the universal question is
tackled:
If there is a God, why do the innocent suffer? (Buddhism tackles this
too.)
A "Theodicy" is set up, but . . .
Prologue: [Chapters 1-2]
Job: stands for Israel? (No other mention of Israel, nor of covenant
or of a saving history.)
Historical situation reflected? Can question justice of God.
Babylonian exile or post-exilic. Product of troubled time.
Eliphaz says the righteous do not suffer, only the wicked.
Dramatic speeches offer emotional reaction to theological problems.
Almost blasphemous: surprising to find in scriptures an admission of how
little reason there is to believe in God or trusting in his goodness.
Questions the ethical nature of God, challenging the doctrine that
virtue is rewarded and vice punished, thus a discrediting of the
Deuteronomic thesis.
Also a revolt against Wisdom Literature: not passive, patient, and
resigned like wisdom books are in tone and as they advise.
The dilemma? Not the problem of evil entirely, but a problem of faith
(how is it possible?). All seems arbitrary, and God doesn't seem to
interpose. Not mourning emotionally or physically, but existentially.
An anguish of faith.
Difficult reading: plunged in and find it difficult to keep track of
the larger perspective or to see where the moment fits into a larger
scheme -- like Job's difficulty!
Suffering is a warning against sinning, then repetition of the three
friends.
Verbose and overconfident pretentiousness (32:2-4).
Exquisite language tells of the wonders of creation. Beautiful poetry,
a recitation in catalogue form of natural wonders but doesn't answer
question and doesn't assure us of the inherent goodness of God. Finally
no theodicy -- no justifying God's ways in face of evil.
Just a contrast of human perspective with the power and wisdom of the
deity. But what about the innocent suffering? No concrete solution.
In the absence of a comprehensible divine ethic, humans have to create
their own meaning (40:8)?
Appears in a whirlwind -- symbol of chaotic amoral forces?
Magnificence and horror of the fashioned universe: God still tolerates
the chaotic forces of Behemoth and Leviathan (formerly thought to be
hippopotamus and crocodile; just ludicrous?). [See Leviathan for more on this mythical
sea-creature.]
The irrelevance of God's ethical nature? Vast indifference to human
need (vs. Genesis anthropocentricity)?
Who is the author's hero? Job? God? Neither?
A tacked-on fairytale ending and anticlimactic in its orthodoxy after
difficult questions raised previously. Even supports the charges Satan
made initially!
Only sense of resolution: Yahweh prefers honest doubt and searching to
convenient orthodoxy.
Works Cited
The Book of Job. The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces, Volume
I. 7th ed. NY: W.W. Norton & Co., 1999.
Harris, Stephen L. Understanding the Bible. 3rd ed. Toronto:
Mayfield Publishing Co., 1992.
Wilkie, Brian, and James Hurt, eds. Literature of the Western World,
Volume 1. 5th edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.,
2001.
2) Do you think God answers Job? Why or why not? [or: How is God's
response both an answer and not an answer?]
stands for everyman? (Prophets explains suffering on a national
scale; this is individual.)
'Yahweh' and Satan ('Adversary'): folktale, anthropomorphic quick
cosmic set-up. Job attracted interest of Satan; proud God backed into
corner (like Greek gods sitting around making bets and backing mortals,
meddling in their lives from on high). Job's loyalty is simply for
material reward? (Consider the story of Joseph.) Test this, then add
pain too; still no complaint against God, we are told.
Bildad insists God does not pervert justice.
Zophar claims Job is not being punished as much as he deserves; God is
merciful and so treats people better than they deserve.
Job defends himself: either point out evil deed or admit that he is
created human and how can he be blamed for that?
Job challenges Yahweh to appear before him and to see things from a
human vantage point (9-10).