Job, Wisdom, Suffering and Mystery
One of the beautiful things about the Book of Job is that its wisdom puts us humans in our place in never giving an answer to all the “why” questions. Hubris drives us to formulate platitudes, slogans, and memes to answer some of the world’s most pressing issues, or to settle some deep theological, philosophical, or political debate. But these never really work. As for Job’s case, certain extenuating circumstances remain hidden, i.e. the dialogue between Yahweh and Satan in chapters 1-2, and the reason why the God of the universe permits the righteous man to lose children and property is left to mystery.
Much of the Book of Job is poetic dialogue four men—Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar, and Elihu—who want to convince Job all the calamities were some sort of divine retribution. Eliphaz, for example, says, “As I have seen, those who plow iniquity | and sow trouble reap the same. | By the breath of
God they perish, | and by the blast of his anger they are consumed (Job 4:8-9).1 Bildad contends,“Can papyrus grow where there is no marsh? | Can reeds flourish where there is no water? | While yet in flower and not cut down, | they wither before any other plant. | Such are the paths of all who forget God; | the hope of the godless shall perish” (Job. 8:11-13). Harsh rebuke is uttered by Zophar, “For you say, ‘My doctrine is pure, | and I am clean in God’s eyes.’ | But oh, that God would speak | and open his lips to you, | and that he would tell you the secrets of wisdom! | For he is manifold in understanding. | Know then that God exacts of you less than your guilt deserves” (Job 11:4-6). Then there is Elihu, who says, [God] does not keep the wicked alive, | but gives the afflicted their right” (Job 36:6).
When I read the statements of Job’s contenders, I can see the logic behind the argument about God bringing about calamity on account of sin. There is wisdom in them. I remember growing up my parents or sister might say, “Bachi,” after something bad happened. This is short for the Japanese expression, bachi ga ataru, which has to do with some sort of cosmic retribution. If you did something bad, something bad will happen to you. The English dynamic equivalent would be “What goes around comes around.” Stubbed my toe, spill a drink, slip or fall, then comes the remark, “Ah, bachi!” Of course, I know they said this in tongue-in-cheek fashion. Some of yearn for the universe to work this way. But this is tied into a common belief that when bad things happen, one must have done something wrong to bring them about. We can wish the man who teases the sufferer of palsy to experience the same. Perhaps the experience might get the insensitive fool to learn empathy and compassion. On the other hand, life rarely works this way. There is truth and justice behind calamities befalling a sinner as a form of retribution; however, this is far from the only reason for why bad things happen, and somethings are to be left up to mystery. The God of the universe does exercise providence over creation, but He never tells us why things come about one way or another.
Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar, and Elihu argued the calamities came account of personal sin, but Job maintained his innocence. The collective wisdom of Job and company explored various reasons behind all the calamities, but none came to realize something cosmic was taking place and Yahweh kept these things a mystery.
Now, God does something unexpected and extraordinary. He enters into the stream of history and remains Job and company of their real ignorance on the subject of why all the calamities took place. Yahweh even tells Job’s friends, “My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servant Job has” (Job 42:7).
We never really know why God brings about fiery trials; however, we do know those tribulations often bring out our true colors, as in the case of Job, who really was truly faithful to God, instead of being faithful on account of being privileged to partake in the wealth of delights on the Master’s table. Job loved the Master as opposed to the stuff on the Master’s table.
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1. All Scripture cited from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), unless noted.
Much of the Book of Job is poetic dialogue four men—Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar, and Elihu—who want to convince Job all the calamities were some sort of divine retribution. Eliphaz, for example, says, “As I have seen, those who plow iniquity | and sow trouble reap the same. | By the breath of God they perish, | and by the blast of his anger they are consumed (Job 4:8-9).1 Bildad contends,“Can papyrus grow where there is no marsh? | Can reeds flourish where there is no water? | While yet in flower and not cut down, | they wither before any other plant. | Such are the paths of all who forget God; | the hope of the godless shall perish” (Job. 8:11-13). Harsh rebuke is uttered by Zophar, “For you say, ‘My doctrine is pure, | and I am clean in God’s eyes.’ | But oh, that God would speak | and open his lips to you, | and that he would tell you the secrets of wisdom! | For he is manifold in understanding. | Know then that God exacts of you less than your guilt deserves” (Job 11:4-6). Then there is Elihu, who says, [God] does not keep the wicked alive, | but gives the afflicted their right” (Job 36:6).
When I read the statements of Job’s contenders, I can see the logic behind the argument about God bringing about calamity on account of sin. There is wisdom in them. I remember growing up my parents or sister might say, “Bachi,” after something bad happened. This is short for the Japanese expression, bachi ga ataru, which has to do with some sort of cosmic retribution. If you did something bad, something bad will happen to you. The English dynamic equivalent would be “What goes around comes around.” Stubbed my toe, spill a drink, slip or fall, then comes the remark, “Ah, bachi!” Of course, I know they said this in tongue-in-cheek fashion. Some of yearn for the universe to work this way. But this is tied into a common belief that when bad things happen, one must have done something wrong to bring them about. We can wish the man who teases the sufferer of palsy to experience the same. Perhaps the experience might get the insensitive fool to learn empathy and compassion. On the other hand, life rarely works this way. There is truth and justice behind calamities befalling a sinner as a form of retribution; however, this is far from the only reason for why bad things happen, and somethings are to be left up to mystery. The God of the universe does exercise providence over creation, but He never tells us why things come about one way or another.
Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar, and Elihu argued the calamities came account of personal sin, but Job maintained his innocence. The collective wisdom of Job and company explored various reasons behind all the calamities, but none came to realize something cosmic was taking place and Yahweh kept these things a mystery.
Now, God does something unexpected and extraordinary. He enters into the stream of history and remains Job and company of their real ignorance on the subject of why all the calamities took place. Yahweh even tells Job’s friends, “My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servant Job has” (Job 42:7).
We never really know why God brings about fiery trials; however, we do know those tribulations often bring out our true colors, as in the case of Job, who really was truly faithful to God, instead of being faithful on account of being privileged to partake in the wealth of delights on the Master’s table. Job loved the Master as opposed to the stuff on the Master’s table.
_______________________
1. All Scripture cited from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), unless noted.
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