Episode 34: Job--Not So Innocent, Part I (July 30, 2023)

In this episode of Catholic Seasons, Fr. Leonard Obloy talks about Job--Not So Innocent, Part I (July 30, 2023)

Episode Transcript

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You're listening to WCAT radio your homefor authentic Catholic programming. Our opening prayer
is from the Book of Job.In the land of Oz, there was
a blameless, an upright man namedJob, who feared God and avoided evil.

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Welcome to this series of Catholic seasons. Going to take a look at
the Book of Job, and someof our goals will be to find the
origin of the book, what's behindit in a sense, what are some
of the literary devices that are usedin the book and how they're used,

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some of the basic questions that areraised by the author of the Book of
Job and the answers that are given, and then also to some issues that
are raised in the discussion of Joband his friends. The character of Job
is something that is familiar in generalculture, but there are deeper issues to

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deal with, and so we're goingto go a little bit further, quite
a bit further than the popular thought. We also too want to see how
Job in the Book of Job andthe Old Testament of our Bible relates to
Christianity, and also too to saya little bit about how Job relates to

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one's own life and irrelevance of thisbook of the Old Testament for us today.
But first we need to take alook at some theological background. There
are two theological perspectives in the OldTestament. One looks at the world and
sees a certain order in it,in nature, and more importantly, a

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certain order in human activity. Assome might call this natural law. It
is a sense of justice of fairnessfor people of faith. It is a
belief in God in his providence thatwatches over this world and keeps things in

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order. We need to get inline with this order, then things will
be well for us. This isthe view of the wisdom writers of the
Old Testament, and the Book ofJob is part of the Wisdom literature.
Biblical scholars refer to this perspective ofthe Old Testament as creation theology. God

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is the creator of all the universe, and this universe is not haphazard,
nor is it chaotic. There isorder and purpose. There is a destiny.
While there can be coincidences and chanceoccurrences, overall, this is not

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the rule, but rather the exception. Another perspective for the Old Testament,
its counterpart, not its opposition,but its counterpart, is known as salvation
history theology. In this perspective.One emphasizes Gods entering into the events of

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our world in order to save us. So salvation history theology. This is
the concern of the narrative parts ofthe Bible and the prophets, the calls
of Abraham and Moses, the plaguesand the escape from Egypt, the exile,
and the return to the Promised Landare all part of salvation history.

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And as I said, these twoviews are not in opposition, they are
complementary. They are established by theone God, and Jesus combines both perfectly.
Jesus is called the Wisdom of God, and he entered into our history

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at the incarnation, so he combinesboth of these perspectives and fulfills them as
he does fulfill all of the OldTestament. So those are the two perspectives.
The creation theology stressing God is thecreator and putting order into the world,
and are getting in line with thisorder and salvation history theology that God

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entered into our world in time anddid so in order to save us.
Now, going to this creation theologyperspective and things being in order, what
about when things get out of order, when things go awry, when things

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don't happen the way they should,or at least the way we expect.
Some of this, we can explain. Disasters happen in the world, Accidents
happen. Sometimes we're responsible for thoseaccidents. We can hurt ourselves, we
can hurt others, and now perhapswe have a little bit more of a

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sensitivity that we can hurt nature aswell. But moving a step further,
what of what we call innocent suffering? Even when we can explain something on
a scientific level, oftentimes we stillcan't understand. We question why, and

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we also question how. Sometimes wecan give the answer of how it happened
on a scientific or historical level,Sometimes we can't. And oftentimes the why
is the most difficult. Why didthis happen? Theologians refer to this as

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the question of Theodyssey t H EO, d I c Y. Theodyssey,
basically, the question is how cana good, beneficent God allow bad
things to happen seemingly without reason orpurpose? In other words, what is

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the relationship of a just and goodGod to evil? How can they be
reconciled or can they even? Thisis what the author of Job wants to
explore, and he certainly is notthe first to do so. People through
the ages have wrestled with this conundrum, and people still seek an understanding to

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this day. Perhaps it is phrasedand modern world as how can God let
this happen? Some even phrase itwhy did God do this? It has
even caused some to give up theirfaith in God, people to say,
I can't believe in a God thatwould let this happen. Why would he

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allow this? Or worse, whydid he cause this? Now, there
are theories from other cultures through history. In the ancient world, there were
gods and goddesses, and in thoseancient times, some people thought that the
gods were capricious to one answer,that's why these things happen. Others thought

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that the gods like to see peoplesuffer. A chilling thought, but it's
been proposed others in ancient times thoughtthat one or more of these gods or
goddesses had been slighted, and thereforewe're punishing people. Others have said,

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well, it doesn't really matter.Some of the works that have been examined
and we won't have time to gothrough them here. We want to stay
just on the Book of Job.But I'm mentioning a couple of them,
because the author of job is awareof these books, of these writings,
and wants to answer them. Oneis called a debate over suicide, and

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in this pagan writing, the authorgoes back and forth, this is it
better to live and suffer or shouldyou commit suicide and end it all and
be with the gods in a betterplace? Why not end at all and
be through with the suffering? Butthe writer of this work this debate over

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suicide, in the final analysis,comes to the realization that you don't really
know for sure what will be inthe next life. Think of Shakespeare,
for instance, and his very famouspassage to be or not to be?
And so the ancient author, notShakespeare, but one way before Shakespeare,

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in dealing with this issue, cameto the conclusion it's better to stay alive.
Another ancient work has a master proposingdifferent behaviors to his slave, and
whatever he proposes the slave, theservant will give good reasons to do it.
But then the master will propose theexact opposite, and the servant will

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say, well, that's a goodthing to do too, Maybe it's even
better. The point for that ancientwork was simply that you can argue for
anything, you can make a caseeither way, and so that author came
to the conclusion it doesn't really makeany difference. Another ancient work at a

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peasant being tricked by someone, andthe peasant looks for justice, protests to
the civil authorities, and he's deniedjustice. Like Job, he gets bolder
and bolder. He's rebuked, he'sbeaten up for his trouble, and the
more he presses the case, themore he's beaten up. He can get
no satisfaction from rulers. And sofinally he threatens to go to the gods,

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and this works in his favor andhe gets his justice finally. Yet
another work as a sufferer and hisfriend talking in a similar way that Job
talks and debates with his friends,and so we have some precedents for this,

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and again these were known to theauthor of Job. Yet another one
is a man sort of stepping outsideof himself and debating with himself or debating
with a friend, and they cometo the conclusion, some of them,
that sense everybody suffers, why bepious? What good does it do you?

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And one of the friends in oneof these works says, well,
that insults the gods, and youdon't want to do that. And most
all of these ancient pagan works willsay that we are the clause of our
suffering, never the gods. Andso what you need to do is keep
lamenting to your God, if youhave a personal god, or to the

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gods in general, or one thatyou like, or whatever whoever it might
be, god or goddess, untilthat God or goddess answers you. Yet
a variation on that is that yourGod is in a dispute with another god
and the other God is taking itout on you, or you yourself have

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insulted one or more of the gods. And so these works usually just have
you placate the gods and don't tryto understand why. Some other theories proposed
in ancient times were that the godsare too remote to care about us here
on this earth, or it isbeneath them, or the gods are teasing

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us, or even worse, they'rejust cruel by nature. Now, the
author of Job will look at someof these answers put forth by different cultures
and writers, and that is whatthe author wants to do, wants to
a salmon the answers that have beengiven and to see if they are sufficient

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or not. And so the authoris probing these things. These theories about
suffering the Odyssey were rather well knownas theories about why we suffer, and
so the author of Job does notrecount them in any detail they would have

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been known to his original audience.But he can refer to them, and
he can discuss them in a senseand show where they are lacking. So,
given this background, can take alook at Job himself. Job is
good, he's religious, yet hesuffers terribly. So whose fault is that

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if anyone's is Job owed something forhis offering, and who then owes it?
We can see this even unto ourown day, the reactions that people
will have to disasters. Some willsubmerge their feelings and act very stoically.

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Others will take a simplistic approach andsimply say, well, that's God's will,
We've got to endure it. Yetwe know from our theology, especially
our Christianity and other religions as well, God does not will evil, and
so we have to deal with that. Then we still have the problem.

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There is evil in the world,and what is God going to do about
it? If anything, God doesnot will evil, but he seems to
tolerate it. Many would take thatas an answer. At the other extreme,
you have people but who will lashout at God and lose their faith,

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or go into despair, or useit as an excuse to give up.
Others if it is dealing with nottheir own suffering, but someone else's
may come for the conclusion, well, the person who's suffering some way,
they must have deserved it. Jobwill test all of these reactions and will

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even go further. He gets ananswer, but not one that he expected,
and that's part of the power ofthe story. This is not just
a philosophical discourse the Book of Job, but it is a real life drama.
Now these things are happening to Job. He's got to go through this

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suffering, and that's what gives thestory power. It is not just a
dry treatise. It is a reallife situation, at least for Job.
So a little background about the bookitself. According to most scholars, it
was written after the Exile and theexile this would be of the Southern Kingdom.

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The Northern Kingdom was in seven twentyone BC. The Southern Kingdom was
in five eighty six five eighty sevenBC, the Babylonian exile that we read
so much about in the Old Testament. The Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians,
Jerusalem was destroyed, the Southern Kingdomwas gone, the North had fallen,

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as I said in seven twenty one, and now everything is gone by
five eighty six. So if itis post exhilic, Job can be a
symbolic character for all of Israel.But yet Job is also an individual,
and again this is what gives thestory personal power. We can relate to

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it personally. It's not just somethingcorporate that happened to the nation of Israel.
Job maybe a historical figure. Wedon't really have that much evidence,
but we don't need it really becauseJob is in a sense every man and
every woman. There are similar charactersin secular literature and also in the experience

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of the prophets in the Bible itself, and the Book of Job has often
been compared to Greek tragedy. InGreek thought, there were gods and goddesses,
and they set limits for people.When a person went beyond those limits
due to pride or any other reason, but usually due to pride, which

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was called hubriss, there was anemesis, an agent of divine wrath that
came to punish the pride, thehubris, which caused one to defy the
limits set by the gods and goddesses. And so in some ways Job is
similar to this, or so itwould seem, certainly the author of Job

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is dealing with those kinds of issues, and so pride going beyond limits set
by the gods. And then somekind of or whatever it might be,
depending on the culture, or thatsome kind of return to balance, if

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you want to put it that way, or in some ways some kind of
come uppance. We would say inpopular vernacular. The text of the book
is in Hebrew and the Old Testament, and it's a very difficult text.
There are errors in the transmission ofthe text over the centuries, and it
causes different readings of the scholars debatewhich particular reading of the text is to

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be considered authentic, or at leastas close as we can get to the
original. And remember we have nooriginal manuscript or autograph of any biblical book,
even if the New Testament. Youhave only copies, and some,
especially for the Old Testament, arefar removed from the original. And sometimes

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we can't recover them. Sometimes wecan. There are scholars working in this
area who devote their entire careers tothis work. It's called textual criticism,
and they try to come back asclose as they can to the original text.
Textual criticism could actually be a topicfor this series of Catholic writings,

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and that maybe in the future.There is much vocabulary in the Book of
Joe which is unique is found onlyin the Book of Job, So sometimes
it's difficult to translate or even tounderstand in the original because there's no other
usage which can be consulted to determinethe words meaning. Now the outline of

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the book itself, there is aprologue consists of the first two chapters.
It sets the stage, gives thecontext and actually the pretext for the whole
story. Then there's a middle section, often in Bibles. In the vernacular,
it's set in the form of poetry, although it would be blank verse

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in modern terminology. There are norhyme patterns, and this poetic middle consists
of a series of speeches. Jobis visited by three friends. Each speaks
and Job responds to each. Thiscycle of three speeches and three rejoinders is

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repeated three times in varying lengths.Job ends these cycles stating his position and
summing up the debate that has gonebefore. We then discover that there is
another person who has been listening inand now presents his own views in a

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forceful speech. And then finally,God himself comes and speaks and ends all
the discussion. After this middle section, the book closes with an epilog in
the last chapter. If you askanyone about the story of Job, they

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would give you what is in theprologue and the epilog. Job is good,
he's pious, he's a devout man. He is sorely tried by his
God and remains steadfast. Finally,after much travail and much debate with his
friends, he's rewarded, and evenmore he is given which riches and wealth

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beyond what he had beforehand. He'sactually better off now. The Book of
Job follows the conventional wisdom, whichis simply do good and you will prosper.
There is justice in the world.You get what you deserve. But
yet Job didn't deserve his troubles.He did, in the end prevail and

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was better off. But if youtake simply the prolog and the epilog,
he's very wealthy, very pious.He loses it all, goes through all
kinds of terrible experiences, suffers greatly, but then finally gets it all back.

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But that leaves out the whole centerof the story. Really, that's
really again just the prolog and theepilog, and it's the center, that's
the whole point of the story.It's the probing, it's the asking of
the questions, it's the debate.Job tears into the conventional wisdom. His

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three friends represent this conventional wisdom,and Job will get into acrimonious debate with
them. But even more, we'regoing to find out that Job is not
so guilt free himself. He hasa lot to learn, and so do

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his friends. This is where thedrama and the power of the story lie.
The center part evokes a legal setting. One can look at it as
sort of like a court drama.There are charges and counter charges, witnesses,
a plaintiff and a defendant, across examination that's often sharp, and

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witnesses who are treated as hostile.Evidence is entered into the proceedings. This
motive is found elsewhere in the OldTestament. Writers the prophets use it effectively
at times. For example, inindicting Israel for its failures and its sinfulness,

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Job demands justice, and in away he's putting God on trial.
He blames God for his predicament.Job is asking why and who? Why
is this happening and who is toblame? The prolog will set up the
story and give some background and establishedthe context. We meet Job right away.

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He is wealthy, very wealthy,and he is very devout. His
wealth is found in servants and cattle. This suggests a patriarchal time frame.
He's not living in a big city. His wealth is not in gold and
silver. He is not in ametropolis as a businessman might be. It

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is more rural. He is notnear Jerusalem, either living there nor going
there for his worship. Job isliving in the time before the Kings,
so before one thousand BC. Notonly is Job pious, but he makes
up where its lack in others inhis family. Other characters in the story

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are introduced, We meet the sonsof God, and we even meet Satan.
So it's written in exelic or postexelic times. Again, if it
is post exelic, it could bethe idea of symbolizing all Israel. But
it seems to be far earlier thanthat. It's in patriarchal times, like

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a historical novel might be written todayof an earlier time. Now, it's
in an area that is surrounded bypagan cultures, and so polytheism a multiplicity
of gods and goddesses, as I'vereferred to already, and they were thought
oftentimes in these pagan cultures as meetingtogether upon occasion like a consul. But

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of course for the Jews, forthose of the Old Testament faith, there
could be only one God. Forus Christians, and in a New Testament
a nod also only one God,a trinity of three persons in one God.
So for the Book of Job,keeping the strict monotheism, this consul

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could be looked at like a meetingof God with his angels. It's not
all other gods. Keep that inmind. The writer of the Book of
Job is borrowing ideas that were commonin the culture of his time when he
wrote. At this point, theauthor of the book is not concerned with
theological truths or doctrines, but merelyusing what was common thought in order to

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set the stage for this coming drama. There is no accepting of many gods
and goddesses, nor actually would Satanhave a place at the table. The
theology comes in the middle section,and again the popular thought is exposed and
critiqued. Other answers are noted.It is quite interesting that Satan has a

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place. He arrives late, noless his excuse. He was roaming and
patrolling the earth. Very thought provoking, a chilling thought if you think about
it, the presence of the devilin the world, roaming and patrolling the
earth. Some translations say always onthe watch for a chance to do evil,

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and he can engage in a contestwith God. This is just simply
a way to set up the wholestory. It is not in any way
on the part of the author sayingthat Satan is the equal to God,
or has a presence before God oranything like that. It's a figment,
perhaps a literary device to get thedrama going, a dramatic device, not

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a theological truth, not at all. And it's very clear that Satan is
not equal to God. He mustask permission to do anything the job.
That's another truth that's being safeguarded.God does not do evil. This is
very clear, So the devil mustask permission to her Job, and God

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sets limits to Satan's mischief. Whilesetting the scene, the author preserves some
of these theological points he has toGod is in charge, He does no
evil. These truths are safeguarded.The images are just props in the story
to get it going, to getit moving. The Book of Job deals

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with questions of free will, thewisdom of God, justice, suffering,
and why all of this is theprolog is establishing the pretext to get it
going. So we'll take a lookat this. God does not do evil,
but evil is in the world.We can do evil to ourselves and

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to others. God respects free will. We can harm ourselves and others.
This is the reality. This ispart of what the author is wrestling with.
And so Satan asks permission and isgranted leave only to attack Job's possessions,
not his person. So Job loseshis wealth as it was in those

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days, and he responds with afamous line in chapter one, verse twenty
one, naked I came forth frommy mother's womb, and naked shall I
go back there? The Lord gaveand the Lord has taken away. Blessed
be the name of the Lord.It's chapter one, verse twenty one.

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I'm using the New American Bible translationsimply because it's the most familiar. It's
closest to the electionary in the CatholicMass, and very popular as well for
private spiritual reading and communal reading aswell. So I'm using it simply because
it's familiar and it'll be easier tofollow along. In chapter two, Satan

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comes again, and he ups theanti again. He arrives late. God
himself speaks well of Job, butSatan asked to do more. Now he
gets permission to attack Job's body,but he cannot kill him. Clearly,
God has set limits. Clearly Jobhas not brought this upon himself. But

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Job's wife has her doubts in allof this. Job keeps us cool.
Then Job's three friends come to commiseratewith him. They don't even recognize Job,
so ghastly is his appearance. They'respeechless when they behold him. The
prolog ends with them utterly overcome forseven whole days. Then chapter three begins

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the central part of the book.If you're following along in your Bible,
I will not quote long sections.You can stop the narrative as it goes
on and read at your own paceand then pick it back up. You
can pause, however, you're listeningto this and again, when I quote
the scriptures, I'll be using theNew American Bible, so it may sound

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different from a Bible you're using.So I'll give chapter and verse as well,
so you can keep on your waythroughout the book. The author will
do two things. One, Jobwill push the boundaries and then back off.
We would say he is pushing theenvelope in modern terminology, he takes

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two steps forward and one step back, and he will do this repeatedly.
He's probing. The second thing theauthor will do is to give us clues,
give us hints in Job's questions orclues to the ultimate answer. Keep

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both of these things in mind asyou read through the text and listen to
this commentary. Two things to remember. The author of Job is a great
writer. He has Job pushed forwardand then pull back. This gives a
drive to the narrative. It movesthe thought forward. And also, like
a good mystery, the writer willgive us clue. Now, even if

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you're not a fan, you canappreciate the skills of a mystery writer.
A good one will leave clues throughoutthe work, and after you know the
resolution, you can go back andread the work again and see where those
clues were strategically placed. You cando the same with Job. The author

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of Job leaves us many clues tothe final answer. I will point some
of them out as we go along, and with that then we're finally ready
to start the text itself. Thefirst cycle of speeches, Job starts out
things by stating his case. Andagain, remember it's important to note that

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the three friends are representing the conventionalwisdom of the time, which is found
in the wisdom literature, for instance, of the Bible itself, and found
also in other cultures as well,in different varying forms. Now, all
throughout the book, the three Friendsare going to represent the conventional wisdom.

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Sometimes they'll do it well, sometimesnot so well. We'll see where it
leads to as we go along.This is their role actually in the discourse,
in the debate, to state whatis the given the conventional wisdom.
And this is what the author istesting and pushing against these limits the wisdom.

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He is debating and questioning the conventionalwisdom and its adequacy. Job is
an extreme example of pushing the boundaries. This heightens the drama, and so
Job begins he feels sorry for himself. This takes an entire chapter. The

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whole third chapter is self pity.It can seem a bit melodramatic. After
a while, he curses the dayhe was born and wants to punish that
day itself, as if it werepossible, And so chapter three, verses
three and four. Verse three perishthe day on which I was born,

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the night when they said the childis a boy, verse four, May
that day be darkness, May Godabove not care for it, may light
not shine upon it. So heasked why he was even born. In
his depression, he figures he wouldbe better off dead because he wouldn't have
to suffer. One would say,Joe might be laying it on pretty thick,

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or some other similar cliche. Andhe keeps this up for the entire
third chapter. And some people wouldsympathize with his position in some of this,
both in the ancient world and inmodern times as well. Then each
friend will take up a position basedon the conventional wisdom, but Job will

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answer this by showing its inadequacy.So the author of Job is really questioning
wisdom in this way. This isnot to deny this wisdom, but to
show that it falls short in somecases. Eliphaz responds in chapter four,
verse one to chapter five, verseseven. He starts out gracefully in verse

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two of chapter four, if someoneattempts a word with you, would you
mind? He acknowledges that Job hasinstructed others, tried to help them in
their troubles. But now the rulesare reversed. Job shared his faith and

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piety with others to bolster them intheir troubles. Can not his same faith
help him? Now? The authoris giving us a hint here that will
be developed later in verse three,also two in chapter four, Look,
you have instructed many and may firmtheir feeble hands. Your words have upheld

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the stumbler. You have strengthened falteringknees. But now that it comes to
you, you are impatient. Whenit touches you, you are dismayed.
And finally, in verse six,is not your piety a source of confidence
and your integrity of life your hope? Then? Eliphaz takes issue with Job

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in chapter four, verses seven andeighty sums up his position. Reflect Now,
what innocent person perishes, Where arethe upright destroyed? As I see
it, those who plow mischief andso trouble will reap them. So Eliphaz

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feels that Job's misfortune is as ownfault, the result of his own sinfulness.
This again is the conventional wisdom.We are the cause of our own
troubles, and that's often true,but not always, and not in Job's
case. It seems we'll see thisdevelop more. He stresses through this whole

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chapter the author of Job, andremember it is one of the Bigan theories
as well, that we cause ourown trouble. So Lphile speaks of having
a deep meditation at night, likea revelation often spoken of in the Bible
as coming in dreams, and helearns from this in verse seventeen of chapter

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four, can anyone be more rightthan God? Can mortals be more blameless
than their maker? Even this early, the author has given us a clue
to the final answer, and itcomes from the conventional wisdom, so he's
not disregarding that all together. Soit would be good to take note of
some of this even at this earlypoint. Moving on to chapter five,

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eliphas Consul's job to ask God's forgiveness, no one else will come to his
aid. If he was in Job'splace, that's what he would do.
According to Eliphas, God sees andknows all. He thwarts the cunning,
but aids the humble. He givessome examples of God's providence. He helps

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in time of famine, he protectsfrom danger in wars. If God reproves,
he also rewards, and so Jobshould seek his approval and not his
reproach, then you will be happyand secure. At the end of Eliphas's
first speech, he chides Job alittle in chapter five, verse twenty seven,

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see this we have searched out.So it is we have heard,
and you should know again a subtlehint at what is going to come up
from the author. Job responds.In chapter six he is still pitying himself.

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His anguish outweighs the sands of thesea. He thinks God has struck
him with poisoned arrows in verses oneto four of chapter six, and he
pushes ahead, stating that even ifGod should crush him, he will at
least have the consolation that he Jobis right. Job even starts a brief

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challenge to his friend in verse nine. Even that God would decide to crush
me, he would put forth hishand and cut me off. Then I
should still have consolation and could exaltthrough unremitting pain because I have not transgressed
the commands of the Holy one.Chapter six, verses nine and ten,

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and in verse fourteen I'm sorry.In verse twenty twenty four of chapter six,
teach me, and I will besilent. Make me understand how I
have aired. And in chapter six, verse twenty nine, think it over.
Let there be no injustice. Thinkit over. I still am right.

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He's pushed now. In chapter seven, Job looks at the lot of
animals and compares the futility of hisown situation to theirs. They have no
wisdom, as intelligent beings do,but they give birth to they're young,
and they do our plowing and laborfor us, and not much more.
Job feels his life is about asmuch drudgery as theirs, so his self

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pitying goes on. He won't complainexcept that he is so badly off and
he has a right to make hissufferings known. His days are going like
the wind. Job will switch fromaddressing one or more of his friends to
delivering almost a soloquy to no onein particular, and finally to addressing God.

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So as you read through this youcan watch it will shift as it
goes along. This is seen inchapter six as Job begins addressing his friend.
Then he seems to be speaking tonone in particular continuing into chapter seven,
but by verse twelve of chapter seven, Job is now addressing God.

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This is a device of the authorused in these central chapters chapters five through
thirty one. Beginning with chapter seven, verse twelve, Job complains to God
that he is teasing him, treatinghim unfairly, and it's not only Job.
Job thinks God does this too manypeople. Job seems to be thinking

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the same as those non biblical culturesmentioned earlier, who thought that God really
doesn't care or is teasing, orfurther, some of them thought the gods
were just cruel. Job asks aseries of questions in verses seventeen through twenty
one of chapter seven, even ifhe did wrong, the punishment seems more

(43:29):
than the sin. Here is anexample of the forward and back movement in
the author's treatment. Job is sinlessis a bold step forward. Job has
done nothing wrong, so he doesnot deserve what he has received. Yet
no one is sinless, and sohe retreats a little bit. He admits

(43:50):
to sin, but then forges aheadagain and asks, well, then,
why hasn't he been forgiven yet?Why has he still punished? He did
nothing wrong to deserve all that hashappened to him, and he asked why
God hasn't forgiven him whatever his faultmight be. In chapter eight, Bill
Dad now speaks. He continues theargument of Eliphas. He takes issue with

(44:16):
Job's answer to Eliphas and repeats theargument that Job must have sinned. Bill
Dad puts forth the conventional wisdom aswell, Job must have done something to
deserve all this. If indeed Jobis innocent, then God surely would have
hurt his plea. Bill Dad speaksthis wisdom by reminding Job that experience can

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be a great teacher. In eightverses eight to ten, inquire of the
former generations pay attention to the experienceof their ancestors, as we are but
of yesterday and have non knowledge,because our days on earth are but a
shadow? Will they not teach youand tell you? And under their words

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of understanding? He uses examples fromnature again creation theology perspective that I mentioned
earlier. You will not find muchof, if any, of the salvation
history theology perspective in the book ofJob. It's almost all creation theology.

(45:30):
And Bildad thinks that whatever is happeningnow, God will eventually intervene and set
things right for Job in verses twentyand twenty one. Job responds in chapter
nine, verse two, I knowwell that it is so, But how
can anyone be in the right beforeGod? Verse three? Should one wish

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to contend with him, he couldnot answer him once in a thousand times.
In verse four, chapter nine,God is wise in heart and mighty
in strength, who as what stoodhim and remained whole. Again, the
examples come from creation theology. Godcan move mountains, he can shake the

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earth. He commands the sun andthe stars, and Job gives many similar
examples. And remember also in chapternine, verse seventeen, because we will
see it exactly again later with astorm, he might overwhelm me and multiply

(46:37):
my wounds for nothing. We'll seesomething similar to that, almost identical later
on. Job will look for aresponse, even demand one. It be
amazed when he in fact receives it. Then in verses twenty two and twenty
three, Job presents the idea ofthe non biblical cultures noted earlier, who

(47:01):
thought God was capricious, or thathe was indifferent or even toyed with us.
Chapter nine, Verses twenty two andtwenty three. It is all one.
Therefore, I say, both theinnocent and the wicked he destroys.
When the scourge slays. Suddenly,he scoffs at the despair of the innocent.

(47:27):
Some translations put that he does notfind it unseemly when people suffer.
Here in the New American, themost recent, he scoffs at the despair
of the innocent. Job hopines thatGod punishes both the good and the bad,
and God even laughs at the despairof the innocent. This is seen

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in other cultures, and so Jobis offering the idea following them that God
is capricious. One irks a godor a goddess, and us find out
who it was that they hurt orinsulted, and then placate that deity.
One goes to a priest or otheradviser to find out whom we must appease.

(48:13):
Sometimes he will invoke another friendly Godor Goddess to help him to mollify
the irate one. Israel, ofcourse, could never do this with its
strict monotheism, but the thought wasprevalent in other cultures. So the author
brings it up as a possible answer, but rejects it. It is a
way of answering the solutions put forthby others. Israel rejects them out of

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hand. When we look at sufferingthe scourge of our day, whatever it
is, the same philo philosophical questionsare pondered, how can this happen?
The author of Job presumes a Godor gods. Atheism is not considered today.

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One might reject the notion of Godand consider all things random, or
might think God indifferent or capricious,if indeed he even exists. In some
ways, some think like those ofthe ancients. Job takes the idea of
God as fickle or acting on whimto its logical conclusion. A clue is

(49:22):
found in chapter nine, You can'targue with God. Job states that no
one can fight God. Yet hewon't listen to his own words. Job
is trying to contend with God.This is his hubris, his downfall through
pride. This is going beyond man'sboundaries. Job tells why it is feudal

(49:46):
to go against God, but thenhe backs up and pushes forward, backs
up by stating no one can bejustified before God, but he doesn't heed
his own words in chap nine,verse twenty nine, if no rhyme or
reason to justice, then what's thedifference? In chapter ten, verse three,

(50:10):
Job asks of God if he Godlikes oppressing people? Verse three,
is it a pleasure for you tooppress? To spurn the work of your
hands and shine on the plan ofthe wicked? Job intimates that God would
be spiting his own creation if hetreated it in such a cavalier way.

(50:34):
Why bother to create man only tohurt him. He asks God to leave
him alone and give him a littlepeace and quiet before he dies. Now
Zo far speaks starting in chapter eleven, again the conventional wisdom. He shows
a little more animosity towards Job.The drama is growing in chapter eleven verses

(50:58):
two and three, should not manywords be answered? Or must the guard
you lust man necessarily be right?Shall your babblings keep others silent? And
shall you deride? And no onegive rebuke? His position as what the
others is that Job must have sinned, he just doesn't know in what it

(51:22):
was. He offers the idea thatif Job knew his sins, he wouldn't
be so obstinate. So so farwill tell Job to admit his wrongdoing,
then all will be well. Sofar us his creation theology as well,
and gives a clue to verse sevenChapter eleven, verse seven, can you

(51:44):
find out the depths of God?Or find out the perfection of the Almighty?
And in chapter eleven, verses thirteento fifteen, if you set your
heart all right and stretch out yourhands toward him, if iniquity is in
your hand, remove it, anddo not let you injustice dwell in your

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tent. Surely, then you maylift up your face in innocence. You
may stand firm and unafraid. Allthe friends are of one mind. Job
must have sinned to deserve all thathas happened. But Job is right at
this point at least he is innocent, and the conventional wisdom has no answer

(52:30):
for this. In chapter twelve,Job responds to all three friends in the
style of the best defense is agood offense. He lashes out at all
three friends in chapter twelve, versetwo, he is a sarcastic reply,
no doubt with you, the peoplewith wisdom shall die, and he claims

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they are making sport of him ratherthan commiserating with him. Verse four seems
to be quoting the cheers of Job'sother neighbors. I have become the sport
of my neighbors. The one whomGod answers when he calls upon him,
the just, the perfect man isa laughing stock. But then he backs

(53:16):
up and he admits God is allpowerful. Even beasts of the field know
that much. God controls all creation, everything in it, and all events
as well. Job even gives examplesagain from creation theology. God can reverse

(53:37):
the situation of anyone. Kings canend up slaves, the wise counselors,
priests can be sent away. Inchapter thirteen, Job claims to know just
as much about wisdom as his friendsas he gave that sarcastic jab at them
that wisdom is going to die withthem, but he says, no,

(53:59):
they are trying to speak for God, but they're doing a poor job of
it. He pushes forward by thinkinghe can hold his own in front of
God. Chapter thirteen, verse three, But I would speak with the Almighty.
I wish to reason with God,and in verse eighteen, I have

(54:19):
prepared my case. I know thatI am right, a definite legal courtroom
motif this courtroom setting, Job feelshas not done him justice, so I'll
take him to court, he wouldsay, we would say today I know
my rights. Job wants to sueGod of all people, take him to

(54:40):
court, But then Job steps back. He wants God to promise not to
hurt him or terrorize him, andthen he pushes again. Says either he
Job or God can go first inverse twenty two, and Job doesn't wait
for an answer. He goes first. In this chapter and verse twenty three,

(55:04):
he challenges God to tell him hissins. Then he backs up and
again and uses examples from nature.He acknowledges that no one can be found
without sin. God sees and knowseverything. It's an interesting comparison that he
uses. He cites a tree,you can cut it down and a piece

(55:28):
a spring can grow, and itcan begin again. But when a person
dies, he won't come back tolife, at least not on earth.
It's over. The author is notconcerned about any afterlife or any existence after
death, and certainly not ready fora discussion of resurrection. The concern is
only about this life on earth andits misery. He contains it to those

(55:52):
parameters. The afterlife is not considered. He's not denying it. It's just
not part of the discussion at thispoint, and the answer is not to
just simply wait for a better lifein heaven. The second cycle of speeches
begins with chapter fifteen. Eliphast beginsit again and his tone is sarcastic.

(56:16):
He is upset with Job and hisreasoning. He takes Job to task for
challenging God. Job is offending pietyand lessening devotion by his stance. His
own mouth condemns him in verses sevenand eight. We have a clue.
Do you know the consuls of God? Verse seven? Were you the first

(56:37):
to be born? Were you broughtforth before the hills? Do you listen
in on God's counsel and restrict wisdomto yourself? Does Job no more than
anybody else? Another clue? Inverse fourteen, How can any mortal be
blameless? Anyone born of woman berighteous? Eliphas says Job only foolishly hurting

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himself. In chapter sixteen, Jobreplies to Elipha's job can be just as
sarcastic. I have heard this sortof thing many times. Troublesome comforts all
of you. In verse three,Is there no end to windy words?

(57:22):
What sickness makes you rattle on?No real answer is given here. He's
just fed up with what his friendsare saying. They are kicking him while
he's down. They're not helping.He's looking for sympathy instead, and God
has let this happen too. Inverse ten, Chapter sixteen, verses ten

(57:45):
and eleven, they gape at mewith their mouths. They strike me on
the cheek with insults. They areall enlisted against me. God has given
me over to the impius, intothe hands of the wicked. He has
cast me. Job wants the shoulderto cry on, and he's not getting
it. But God is letting othersinsult and humiliate him instead. So as

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you read this chapter, note whereJob is speaking to his friends and where
he seems to be addressing God.In verses twenty and twenty one. He
says it is his friends who havelet him down, and God sees this
chapter seventeen, Job feels everyone ismocking him for his troubles no one takes

(58:30):
up his cause. He feels alot of self pity. Chapter seventeen,
Verse one, my spirit is broken, my day's finished, my burial at
hand. Surely mockers surround me attheir provocation, my eyes grow dim,
And in verse six, I ammade a by word of the people.

(58:52):
I am one at whom people spit. Job imagines things to be worse than
they are. Bill Dad speaks forthe second time in chapter eighteen. He
adds nothing new to the argument.He keeps to the conventional wisdom and simply
states that usually it is the wickedwho suffer, and keeps that thought throughout

(59:15):
the whole chapter. Bill Dad willthen give examples of one rushing headlong into
a net or a noose hidden inthe ground that trips one up, one
who loses all in a fire,like a plant that drives up to the
roots. Job replies in chapter nineteen, then he feels that they have been
unfair to him in verse two,how long will you afflict my spirit?

(59:39):
Grind me down with words? Evenif he has at fault, they have
taken advantage of him. Even more, God has been unfair as well in
verses five through seven. If youtruly. If truly you exalt yourselves at
my expense and use my name asan argument against me, know then that

(01:00:01):
it is God who has dealt unfairlywith me and compass me round with his
net. If I cry out violence, I am not answered. I shout
for help, but there is nojustice. God has even caused his friends
to turn on him, and alsohis servants are their acquaintances, even the

(01:00:22):
kids in the neighborhood. In versesnine through nineteen. In verse twenty one,
Job asked for pity because of whathe sees as God's doing against him.
Pity me, Pity me you,my friends, for the hand of
God has struck me. Job pushesthe boundaries. God does not do evil
it Job seems to think he doesit for no apparent reason at all,

(01:00:47):
if not purposely. In chapter twentywe have so far as second speech,
he tells Job he should know thatthe prosperity of the wicked is short verse
four. Do you not know thisfrom of old? Since human beings were
placed upon the earth. The triumphof the wicked is short, and the

(01:01:09):
joy of the impious. But fora moment the wicked will disappear quickly.
In verses six and seven. Thoughhis pride mounts up to the heavens and
his head reach to the clouds,yet he perishes forever, like the dung
he uses for fuel, and onlookerssay where is he? But he's still

(01:01:30):
looking for the faults of Job.He tells Job that he should have known
that God would get him sooner orlater. God always punishes the evil person,
as usually sooner than later. Hebolsters this with many examples. He
sees God as sending these calamities.This is all the way people saw God

(01:01:52):
acting. It can be disconcerting tous, especially when seeing God does no
evil, as noted earlier, butit reflects they're thinking and the stage of
their development. At the time,there was a closer connection between cause and
effect. They saw God having amore active role in the suffering of mankind.

(01:02:13):
We hold that God does not activelyhurt people, but we live in
an imperfect world. This is partof what the author is trying to deal
with. We will see how theauthor works this out at the climax of
the book. Now we see onlyhints and clues. In fact, we
may wonder if there is even anyanswer possible. Through Job, the author

(01:02:37):
is probing, offering possible hypotheses,rejecting others, especially those of other cultures.
He may reject the solutions offered byother cultures, yet still he has
to address them as they were prevalentto varying degrees. We can take some
time for reflection along our way throughthis. Certainly, the questions have been

(01:03:00):
raised throughout the long history of mankind, and these viewpoints perdure to today.
Not a few people will see Godpunishing those they consider wicked by visiting calamities,
natural disasters, or whatever upon them. To their way of thinking,
these wicked people get what they deserve. God'll get you for that. Rather,

(01:03:21):
we should look to God to helpus bear our misfortunes and for consolation.
Otherwise, wouldn't it seem futile topray to God in times of trouble?
If He indeed was the agent ofthe trouble, it would appear illogical.
And we'll stop this first episode andresume our debate and our discussion,

(01:03:46):
and the next time, Hello,God's beloved. I'm Annabel Mosley, author,
professor of theology, and host ofthem Sings My Soul and Destination Sainthood
on w c AT Radio. Iinvite you to listen in and find inspiration
along this sacred journey. We're travelingtogether to make our lives a masterpiece and

(01:04:11):
with God's grace, become saints.Join me Annabel Mosley for then sings My
Soul and Destination Sainthood on wc ATRadio. God bless you. Remember you
are never alone. God is alwayswe hear. Thank you for listening to

(01:04:33):
a production of w c AT Radio. Please join us an omission of evangelization,
and don't forget Love lifts up whenknowledge takes flight.