The Book of Job and Wisdom of Ben-Sira - Essay Example

The Book of Job and Wisdom of Ben-Sira Documents of Faith and Humans’ Relationship With God Introduction The Bible holds the account of the enduringChristian faith from the roots of its history, down to the implications it has for our present society. Being the doctrine of Christianity, it has served several purposes in order to propagate the faith throughout the world. It was used as an instrument to dominate, in the cases of most European nations, and a basis for theology. However varied the purposes of the Bible, it boils down to two concepts: the image of God as the Eternal One with wisdom and kindness unparalleled by any creature, and His love for both saints and sinners. The “Book of Job” and the “Wisdom of Ben-Sira,” are two of the accounts of the Bible which greatly emphasized these two concepts. In this paper, Job’s challenge against ancient wisdom, proceeded by Ben-Sira’s justification about the goodness of God will be taken into account. The Book of Job What Victor Hugo has to say is a reminder of the literary magnificence of the Book of Job. Stating that if all forms of literature would vanish from the Earth, he would save the Book of Job, is a proof that the book is not only an ordinary piece of religious instruction, rather, a source of wisdom with eloquence in pronouncing the teachings of God. Basically, the purpose of the book is to answer the age old question about the nature of man’s suffering and why the righteous should suffer (Copeland 4). Although someone might argue the image of God presented in the Old Testament is an angry, punishing God, He is still the same loving, ever righteous and just God as in the New Testament. However, the great misfortunes of the wicked and the rigid test of faith in the persons found in the Old Testament might be the root of this misconception. Ancient wisdom contends that God is omnipotent and punishes whoever commits a violation of the Commandment. Job, on the other hand, is a man of good deed and yet, he suffered greatly. As a father and a faithful, he believes that God is all-powerful and acknowledges it through sacrifices and teaching his children about the greatness of God. Clearly, he was favored by God in giving him wisdom and wealth, but due to the afflictions made by Satan (with God’s permission), he has changeable convictions about the existence of humans and their relationship toward God. As stated, “Job questions the moral underpinnings of human existence, for he no longer receives proper dividends from above” (ABD, III, 862). Job complains about his innocent suffering. However, adjacent to his complaints are his own assumptions why such sufferings afflict him (ABD, III, 862). He constantly reminds himself and the suffering that God tests one’s faith. His lectures are “wonders of nature argue for a morality that transcends human values and contend that God governs the universe wisely" (ABD, III, 862). In the process of Job’s trials, he questions the ability of God to create or destroy all things if He wishes and at the same time acknowledging the virtues of patience and understanding through the constant acceptance of suffering; although he knows that he is a good man and his deeds have nothing to do with his pains. Knowing the infinite power of God, he directly supposes his sufferings in “the realm of the will” and God would execute justice, if not on Earth, in Heaven (ABD, III, 862). A Response to God’s Reply As changeable as he is, Job accuses the Lord of punishing him, though innocent. As Job is saying that he is treated unjustly, follows by the remarks of his friends, does not please the Lord. Several times Job asks the Lord of his wrongs to deserve suffering but the Lord remains silent and let Satan does his work. At the latter part of the book however, he answers Job through the voices of the whirlwind (King James Version, Job 31:18). God answers him by asking series of questions, implying His infinite power and Creator of all things. By then, Job is restored and the Lord gives back his good life. God answers Job in a way that he will be able to recognize his own faults. He let him acknowledges his power, yet does not force him to bow down to him. It has been in the nature of God to be humble and forgiving, and these are retained in how He answers the questions of Job about his sufferings. The Book of Wisdom of Ben-Sira The Book of Ben-Sira is largely a product of a patriarchal time and space. The language used by the author is purposely written in a masculine language because it is to be taught for young religious scholars (ABD, VI, 944). The entire book can be summarized into six parts where in all parts, Ben-Sira exulted the goodness of the Lord. Wisdom There is a negative impression about the phrase “fear of God” since fear may be an offshoot of something undesirable. However, in the book, fear is treated as “the beginning of Wisdom” (ABD, VI, 941). Through fear, the faithful acknowledges his meekness compared to the great power of God, and Ben-Sira will stress out that “fear is the essence of wisdom” (ABD, VI, 941). It may come from this book the popular notion that wisdom will come in those who fear the Lord and punishment for those who disobey the commandments and unrepentant sinners. The book is a proclamation that God’s wisdom comes with no price and is given free to the people; however, they must do the will of the Lord in order to achieve it. Doctrine of God The book also acknowledges the role of God in the universe, as its prime Creator. All events that happened and about to happen are according to God’s will. As stated, "Each creature exists in Gods plan in harmony and equilibrium with the rest of the creation" (ABD, VI, 942). However, this does not negate the gift of freewill from God. By this context, it can be perceived that the goodness of God comes from his gift of freewill and at the same time providing His people “harmony and equilibrium.” Sin and Freewill Often times, people will blame God of their misfortunes; this is greatly opposed by Ben-Sira saying that "God is no way involved in human sin" (ABD, VI, 942). Referring to the life of Job, God has granted permission to Satan to take away all his fortunes and children. In the end, it is Job’s choice to go back to the Lord, even if he stumbles on his way back. God is not capable of doing wrong things and dreads those who do it. Retribution "There was thought to be no retribution in the afterlife. Adversity and suffering could serve as a test of fidelity" (ABD, VI, 942). God shows his goodness by giving the people a chance to change their ways, as there will be no chances of revival of morals in death. While on Earth, people are challenged mainly because of two things: a wake up call or a test of faith. Retribution is a just punishment upon a person who committed a sin, and will serve as a call to go back to the Lord. Ben-Sira also emphasizes the benefits of those who follow the Lord’s commands, that a gift of abundance and good life will be their prize. Ritual, Social Justice and Morality Ben-Sira looks up to God in a very extensive manner. He offers sacrifices and rituals in order to glorify the Lord’s name. However, he believes that praising God should go beyond rituals and sacrifices, and should reach the personal habits of a person. He is saying that "prayer, temple sacrifice and liturgy are utterly worthless if ones personal morals are not the way it should be, specifically in the area of social justice” (ABD, VI, 943). He contends that pure morals should be first in praising the name of the Lord. Attitudes Towards Women There are many images of a woman which the Book of Ben-Sira has mentioned; most of them see the woman as a source of evil. Ben-Sira is thought to be a misogynist; most of his commentaries about women are negative. “Give not thy soul unto a woman to set her foot upon thy substance” (King James Version, Sirach 9:2). On the other hand, he also sees the women as mothers, wives, and worthy of woes. Before concluding Ben-Sira’s attitude towards women, and giving it a fixed opinion, it must be taken into account that the book was written many centuries ago; a time when women were not treated equally as men. Conclusion The Bible has varied stories of the greatness and goodness of God. It is a reflection of what human is and his relationship towards his creations. The characters in the Bible, just like any human, are subject to sin just like in the case of Job, but this does not mean that humans are destined of frailty and fault. The teaching of Ben-Sira is a proof that God gives His people the chance to repent in order to enjoy the benefits of being His children. Works Cited Copeland, Mark, A. The Book of Job:A Study Guide with Introductory Comments, Summaries and Review Questions. Executable Outlines, 2006. Web. 09 Dec. 2010. . King James Version. Holy Bible. readbookonline.com, n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2010. . Read More