I’m writing a series of brief articles on the Bible which I plan to assemble into a small pamphlet which I will distribute to anybody who tries to convert me. Since I find evangelicals exceedingly annoying, let me state emphatically that this will be rebuttal material only: I’m not going to be handing this out on the street corner or going door to door. It will only be given to those who give me their own Bible literature.
Here’s the gist of it: Many skeptics take a very harsh approach to the Bible. This can be counterproductive. They start out a conversation with “Luke 4:15 contradicts 1 Chr. 7:8, so there!” which immediately puts the Christian on the defensive. Needless to say, this does not convince many people.
After studying a bit of psychology, I’ve decided to try a more “soft-sell” approach to skepticism. Specifically, each article will investigate one issue in the Bible in depth. I will not be shy about pointing out contradictions, but I will explain them, instead of just shouting about their existence. The goal is to show respect for the Biblical tradition while still subtly emphasizing the point that one shouldn’t assume that every word in it is God-breathed.
Well, enough suspense. Here is a sample article. Feedback of all sorts is greatly appreciated. Is it too harsh? Too soft? Too technical? Does it explain the issue well? What should I change? What were the best/worst parts? If you were (or are) a fundamentalist, would this shake your faith in the inerrancy of the Bible the slightest? Shatter it completely? Not affect it at all? Etc.
(Note: all formatting gets lost upon posting–it should look a bit better than this when printed out)
Job and the Wisdom Literature
A popular genre in ancient Judaism was “wisdom literature”: collections of short, pithy sayings which advised people how to live. It covered such diverse themes as business dealings, family relations, charity, and one’s relationship with God. The book of Proverbs is a famous example of the wisdom literature genre, but there are others, such as the Wisdom of Solomon and Sirach, which are not found in the standard Hebrew canon.
One of the prevalent themes of the wisdom literature was that God would reward those who led righteous lives, and punish those who did not:
The blessing of the LORD makes rich,
and he adds no sorrow with it. (Prov. 10:22)
The righteous will never be removed,
but the wicked will not remain in the land. (Prov. 10:30)
The righteousness of the blameless keeps their ways straight,
but the wicked fall by their own wickedness. (Prov. 11:5)
The righteous are delivered from trouble,
and the wicked get into it instead. (Prov. 11:8)
These are but a few examples among the dozens found in the Book of Proverbs.
But not everyone agreed with the wisdom tradition. One such dissenter was the anonymous author of Job, which is a clear rebuttal to the wisdom tradition. Its title character is a “blameless and upright” man who “feared God and shunned evil” (Job. 1:1). This is the type of man who–according to the wisdom tradition–should experience nothing but wealth and prosperity. But as we know, this was not the case.
Instead, as a result of a bet between God and Satan, Job loses everything. The manner of his loss is particularly ironic. A servant tells him that “a great wind came across the desert,” (Job. 1:19) causing his house to collapse on his children. According to the wisdom tradition:
When the tempest passes, the wicked are no more,
but the righteous are established forever. (Prov. 10:25)
And:
The wicked are overthrown and are no more,
but the house of the righteous will stand. (Prov. 12:7)
Job is destroyed in exactly the same way that the wisdom tradition says will not happen to the righteous! The author is careful to note that throughout his ordeal, “Job did not sin” (Job. 1:22, 2:10).
Next, Job’s friends attempt to comfort him. They argue that he must have an undisclosed sin which is arousing God’s anger. If Job were to “put away the sin that is in” his hand, he “will surely forget [his] trouble, recalling it only as waters gone by” (Job. 22:14-16, NIV). Job must be guilty of some offense, his friends are convinced, for:
Who, being innocent, has ever perished?
Where were the upright ever destroyed? (Job. 4:7)
According to the wisdom tradition, Job should listen to his friends:
Listen to advice and accept instruction,
that you may gain wisdom for the future. (Prov. 19:20)
But because the Book of Job is a direct reaction to such ideas, we know this not to be the case here. Instead Job’s friends are not correct. In fact, God tells them that he is angry with them,
for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. (Job. 42:7)
Perhaps the most thorough condemnation of the wisdom literature comes from the lips of Job himself. In his reply to Zophar, he rails against the injustices of the world:
Why do the wicked live on, reach old age, and grow mighty in power?
Their children are established in their presence, and their offspring before their eyes.
Their houses are safe from fear, and no rod of God is upon them.
Their bull breeds without fail; their cow calves and never miscarries.
They send out their little ones like a flock, and their children dance around.
They sing to the tambourine and the lyre, and rejoice to the sound of the pipe.
They spend their days in prosperity, and in peace they go down to Sheol.
(Job. 21:7-13)
Compare these laments to the empty promises in the Book of Proverbs:
The fear of the LORD prolongs life,
but the years of the wicked will be short. (Prov. 10:27)
The good leave an inheritance to their children’s children,
but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous. (Prov. 13:22)
The house of the wicked is destroyed,
but the tent of the upright flourishes. (Prov. 14:11)
The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry,
but he thwarts the craving of the wicked. (Prov. 10:3)
Conclusion
Job is a clear reaction to the wisdom literature. It teaches that suffering (and prosperity) are not the well-deserved fruits of our own behavior, but are instead beyond human comprehension. Its anonymous author saw the errors of the wisdom literature: every day good people suffer while wicked ones prosper. He realized that a better theology of evil was needed and wrote it. In an unfortunate and ironic twist, his rebuttal is now included with Proverbs in billions of Bibles around the world.
Two other articles which I have completed are available online at:
http://members.home.net/anagram/p2.htm
and
http://members.home.net/anagram/p4.htm
P.S. Since this is a poll of sorts, I’ve decided that IMHO was the best place to put it, although it certainly has GD potential. Mods, feel free to move if necessary.