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Old Testament Assignment PDF
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Added on 2021-06-17
Old Testament Assignment PDF
Added on 2021-06-17
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Running head: THEODICYTHEODICYName of the StudentName of the UniversityAuthor note:
1THEODICYThe book of Jobs is a part of the Hebrew Bible, and the first poetic book of the OldTestament. The Old Testament is the narrative which has endeavoured in establishing thejustice of God as ultimately fare even in front of the sufferings of humanity. The Book ofJobs especially serves this purpose by addressing the issue with the suffering of humanity andthe complain that God is unjust1. The Book of Jobs has a rich perspective on various facets oftheological discourse and theodicy. The book has vivid description and high quality use ofliterary qualities. The speeches between Job and his friends has been attributed by religiousscholars as important sources of early Hebrew religion2. The friends of Jobs are Eliphaz,Bildad, and Zophar. The speeches between Jobs and his friends represents a scenario ofGod’s deliverance of justice even if the situation is otherwise materially in front of the eyesof the beholder. This is done in the “light” of Job’s circumstances. The speeches anddiscourses ultimately declare that the Lord will deliver the final justice by “blessing therighteous and punishing the wicked”. In the Book of Jobs the main part and the core of the book comprises of Jobs and histhree friends engaging in discourse and debate about the present condition of Jobs. Thearguments most of the time does not lead to any particular solution however the argumentsand speeches present some very important aspects of theodicy. It gives the readers variousperspectives about the Old Testament and the Hebrew Bible and the theological discoursesthat has been presented in it. The discourse ended with Jobs welcoming a divine wrath onhim if he was wrong in his part and he had said something wrong. The friends of Jobs begintheir argument in a courteous note. There have been a positive vibration about the discoursein the beginning when the friend’s are very courteous and they present their argument andwait for Jobs to speak. Jobs speak more than his friends all along the speeches and present1 Priddy, David Wayne. "Sensing the Vexation: an Embodied Reading of the Book of Job." PhD diss., WakeForest University, 2016.2 Gray, John.The Book of Job. Sheffield Phoenix, 2015.
2THEODICYphilosophy to them about justice of God. It is generally held that the three friends who hadgiven long speeches about the unjust system of God, had been “condemned” as consequence.There was a instance when Job had to exclaim by uttering “You are miserable comforters, allof you!” (Job 16:2)”. Now there have been a long debate about the insights and ultimaterealisations that can be achieved by understanding the discourse. The theodicy presented inthe book of jobs in Christian and Hebrew religion as well. The dialogue within the books are framed and composed in poetic renditions. Thereare monologues as well. The narrative and discourse is the main part of the book. The bookopens with a monologue of Jobs himself that takes the readers towards the dialogues andprepares the context. There are three cycles of dialogues that happens between the threefriends and Jobs. There are three monologues, “A poem to Wisdom in chapter 28” that isdebated about whether it is spoken by Jobs or it is the author’s narrative, there is an endingmonologue and the Elihu’s Speech3. There is also the Speeches by God himself and theresponse of Jobs. The context of the dialogue begins with Jobs being wealthy and having ahappy family. God in heaven asks Satan about the condition of Jobs to which Satan answersthat the only reason that Jobs is in that condition is because he is having a lot of mercy andblessings from the Lord, the moment all that is taken away Jobs would not mind in accusingGod to which God permits the Satan in taking away everything about which Jobs is happyincluding his sons and the wealth he had4. Remarkably even when everything is lost Jobsdoes not fail to praise the Lord, “Naked I came out of my mother's womb, and naked shall Ireturn: the Lord has given, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”,or “Shall we receive good from God and shall we not receive evil?"”.3 Andersen, Ragnar. "THE ELIHU SPEECHES: THEIR PLACE AND SENSE IN THE BOOK OFJOB."TYNDALE BULLETIN66, no. 1 (2015): 75-94.4 Murphy, Roland Edmund.The Book of Job. Paulist Press, 2014.
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