Prologue of Book of Job and book of job

The Book of Job has a fairy-tale-like, idyllic, opening. Job is portrayed as a righteous and wealthy person, blessed with ten children, who celebrates with them in harmony and enjoys the good things of life. His ordered life is reflected in the spare but sturdy words used to describe him. He is "blameless and upright;" and he "feared God and turned away from evil (1:1-5)."

Enter the Satan. Notice it is "The Satan," which is best translated "The Adversary." The title bespeaks its (his?) role rather than being a personal name for this creature. Who is the Satan? Definitely not the personalized evil force of the New Testament, Dante and Milton. It appears to be more a representative of the heavenly court, who acts with divine permission, and who may have special responsibility to watch over (and oppose?) errant or even faithful humans. Hence, the Adversary--not to God but to humans.

This Adversary brings to God's attention its version of the "chicken and egg" problem. It suggests that Job's piety is a result of his wealth and other blessings and not the foundation of them. The wealth comes first, then the piety. After all, what canny businessman, which Job no doubt was ("the greatest man in the East"--1:3), would endanger a relationship with his "supplier" of goods (God) by not doing things to keep the supplier happy? The Satan proposes that Job be stripped of all these externalities in order to test the true strength of his devotion. Penury will provide the proper context to limn Job's true devotion.

Surprisingly, God agrees to the plan. I say surprisingly because one would have thought that God already knew the answer to the Satan's challenge. That is, since God knows all (or is that an assumption of the author??), God need not put Job through this test to determine his fidelity. But God simply acquiesces in the Satan's request. This brief scene indicates that the "problem of God" will be part of the larger problem of disproportionate suffering in Job.

And so the floods, metaphorically speaking, come on Job. He loses his wealth, his servants, his home, his children. A second blast leaves him covered with sores "from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head (2:7)." His only companion is the potsherd with which to scrape himself, for his wife has urged him to "Curse God and die (2:9)." 'Operation Wipe-Out Job' was completed with surgical efficiency.

In the midst of his distress Job gamely tries to maintain faith. "The Lord gave and the Lord took away; blessed be the name of the Lord," he intones. Is this more of a reflexive than reflective statement? The poetry will later explore the depths of Job's reaction to his loss.

Finally, three of Job's friends learn of the calamity that beset Job and, from their own places, come to visit him (2:11-13). They did not recognize Job at first, but then they wept, rent their robes and sprinkled dust on themselves as signs of mourning and sympathy with their friend. For seven days and seven nights all sat in silence, "for they saw his suffering was very great (2:13)." THAT was probably the most compassionate thing they could have done. Finally, however, Job will break the silence.

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