The Voice from the Whirlwind

Interpreting the Book of Job

Session 1Shirley Fong

Author & Date

Though the story of Job has its setting outside Israel to the east and south (Uz), most people believe that the author of Job is a Hebrew.

There is no history reference in the book to determine its time or circumstances.

Purpose of the Book To show the inadequacy of the

traditional theory of retribution (2-Ways Doctrine)

Job is the exception of the norms .Is the doctrine of retribution oversimplified life experiences?

The voice of Job challenges the traditional Hebrew thinking (Proverbs)

Theological Themes

The Book concerns with the question of faith in a Sovereign God.

Can God be trusted?

Is God good and just in his rule of

the world?

OutlinePrologue (Ch 1-2)

The Job’s lament (Ch 3)

First Cycle of argument with three friends (Ch 4-14)

Second Cycle of argument with three friends (Ch 15-21)

Third Cycle of argument with three friends (Ch 22-27)

Wisdom Psalm (Ch 28)

Job speech (Ch 29-31)

Elihu speeches (Ch 32-37)

Divine speeches (Ch 38-41)

Job’s reply (40:3-5; 42:1-6)

Epilogue (42:7-17)

Basic Genres and Literary Form Prose/Narrative Frame:

Prologue-Cycle of Speeches-Epilogue Lamentation/Monologue of Job (Ch. 3) Dialogue/Dispute

between Job and his friends (Chs. 4-27);

between the Lord and Job(Chs. 38-42:6)

Basic Genres and Literary Form Complaint (Monologue) (Chs. 29-31) Wisdom Poem (Ch 28) Speech (Chs. 32-37) Judicial process (Job engages in a

judicial process against God) Rhetorical Questions (Chs. 38-39)

Interpretative strategy

Different voices to represent different thinking and theologies

Job does not represent an individual sufferer, rather a collective voice of suffering humanity

Nature of suffering Nature and purpose of the Divine speech

Features a figure suffers without cause comforts are given by friends a complaint/lament by the sufferer dialogue/dispute between sufferer and

friends Deity reveals trust appealing to God when in distress eventually restored by the deity

Prologue

Through the commends of God and narrator to bring out the upright personality of Job (to lay the foundation of the argument: the righteousness

suffers for no reason) The key question:

Will man worship God without reason?

Prologue The spiritual realm (things above the

sun) – a competition between God and the One against Him. The one under the sun (Job) has no clue on the things above. Is it fair to Job to be used as a testing object in this competition?

“Have you considered my servant Job?”

God initiates all the suffering of Job?

Why?

Prologue The purpose/significance of God

drawing the boundary of attacking/destruction

The response of Job (as the sufferer), his wife (as the sufferer and the beloved one) and his friends (the surrounding people and community of the sufferer)

Reflection What is your reason of worshipping

God? (For who He is? For what He has done for you? For what you want/expect Him to do for you?)

What will be your response if the one who suffers is you? Is your beloved one? Is in your extended family? Is your friend? Is among your faith community?