the voice from the whirlwind interpreting the book of job session 1 shirley fong
TRANSCRIPT
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?