Job and the Theme of Suffering - Research Paper Example

Job and the Theme of Suffering Suffering is perhaps the most complex theme to comprehend or explain in regard to Christianity. However, the bible dedicates an entire section to cover the problem of suffering. Most people often question why a loving and caring God would allow people to suffer. The concept of suffering shifts from being a philosophical one (for those individuals or people who have been afflicted) to being a deep seated emotional and personal one. Through Job’s suffering, the bible gives an insight on how to handle or deal with it. Therefore, this paper will analyze and evaluate the significance of Job in the bible. Subsequently, the paper will highlight how Job symbolizes the theme of suffering. The bible covers the topic of suffering realistically. To illustrate this theme, the bible uses the character of Job (Carney 66). The book of Job commences with a story about Job, a devout righteous man who is faced and looking at imminent tragedy. Job is about to experience a massive loss (he risks losing all his property, wealth, health, and above all his children. Additionally, his good name will also be lost. Job will suffer from all this tragedies simply because god is about to test his (Job) faith and obedience. Thus, Job primarily suffered because God challenged or contested with the Devil/ Satan. However, neither Job nor his friends knew of this ploy. As such, Job’s friends take their time to try and explain his suffering from their ignorant perspectives. Nevertheless, Job does not sway but rests his faith with God and hopes for his redemption. Both Job and his friends could not comprehend the reasons for Job’s suffering or ill afflictions in the beginning. In fact Job’s response when he was confronted by God was silence. The silent response given by Job does not in any way lessen or trivialize the intense suffering, pain and emotional turmoil he is undergoing throught. Rather, the silent response signifies the importance of believing and trusting in god’s redemption whilst suffering. Moreover, the silent response underscores the need to believe and trust god’s purposes even if we don’t comprehend or grasp what those purposes are. Consequently, this implies that like all other human experiences, suffering is directed and controlled by God. Overall, Job implies that although people might never understand or know the reason for their suffering, they should nonetheless trust and believe in God. The bible thus gives this as an answer to the theme or concept of suffering. The book of Job attempts to answer the question why does God let bad things happen to good people? Why does he (God) allow them to suffer if indeed he really loved them? the book of Job further teaches that many things can lead to suffering. For instance, the loss of wealth, the loss of Job’s name, the loss of children and the loss of property. Moreover, suffering can be as a result of sickness. Nonetheless, the book of Job counsels that a person’s suffering does not obviously mean that God is angry with the person. As such, it doesn’t necessarily imply that the person is being punished by God for his/her sins. Job acted as his family’s priest during his era. (Job 1:5). The bible highlights three attributes about Job; first, Job was an exemplary family man. Although he lived in an era where it was common or allowed to have many wives, Job possessed only one wife (Job 2:9). This might be because he respected god’s initial law of marriage which was advocated for in the beginning (genesis 2:21-24). With his wife, Job sired seven sons and three daughters. Secondly, Job was a wealthy and rich man. The bible tends to depict him as being the greatest among all the eastern people (Job 1:3). As such, his vast wealth was composed of thousands of camels, donkeys, oxen and sheep. Additionally, he had a lot of servants. Thirdly, Job was a righteous man. Job 1:1 states that he was a blameless man who steered clear of evil and feared God. Job usually rose up very early in the morning to offer God sacrifices on behalf of his large family. Due to his humility, faith and obedience, God used Job as a good example while challenging Satan (Job 1:8). As a result, Satan argued that Job was faithful and obedient to God simply because he had been blessed. According to Satan, Job would curse and abandon God if his wealth and health were taken away. To prove Satan wrong, he gave him (Satan) permission to test the tenacity, faithfulness and obedience of Job to God. Satan went ahead and tempted him by wiping away his wealth. Next, Job’s children perished in a storm. Whilst all this was taking place, Job dint curse but his faith in God increased abundantly. In addition to these grave tragedies, God allowed the Devil to inflict Job’s body with sores. However, he limited the Devil from taking away Job’s life. This limitation act implies that God is in charge and thus controls the Devil. He controls the Devil’s power and actions. After losing all his wealth and children, Job still refused to curse God (Vitillo 37). His wife’s suggestions for him to curse God and subsequently die fell on deaf ears. In reply, Job argued that just as much as we accept good from God, we should also be ready to accept the bad from Him (God). Hence, he continued to believe in God while refusing to curse and blame God for his woes. The character of Job in the bible is significant because it teaches people a lot of lessons in regard to suffering. First, people should not think that by following God, they will not encounter any suffering or trouble in their lives. Thus, believers can have similar problems and suffering as non-believers. It is immoral to follow God’s holy life solely for beneficial purposes. Secondly, suffering is an emotional and terrible experience (Bakan 23). People or friends cannot comprehend one’s suffering, but only God can and does. Job’s three friends could not understand his suffering. As such, they gave him various opinions which lacked love, sympathy and pity. Only God can help in times of crisis and suffering. Thirdly, people should not think that their physical suffering is as a result of God’s punishment (Gutierrez 45). Many people believe that they are being punished by God when they experience trouble or suffering. All of Job’s friends thought along the line of “what have I committed to warrant this “. However, Job knew that he was sinless and thus innocent. Therefore, Job had not committed any sin to warrant his suffering. Lastly, the character Job signifies that God can use the concept of suffering and pain for good. God can make people better through suffering. In other words, suffering is not a waste of time and effort. Works Cited Bakan, David. "Disease, pain, and sacrifice: Toward a psychology of suffering." (1968). Print Bible, Holy. "King James Version." Texas: National Publishing Company (2000). Print Carney, Josh. "Holding the faith: Lessons on suffering and transformation in the book of Job." Review & Expositor 111.3 (2014): 281-286. Print Gutierrez, Gustavo. On Job: God-talk and the Suffering of the Innocent. Vol. 104. Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 1987. Print Vitillo, Robert J. "Discerning the Meaning of Human Suffering Through the Discourse of Judeo-Christian Scriptures and Other Faith Teachings." Journal of pain and symptom management 48.5 (2014): 1004-1008.Print Read More