1. The Book of Job

3. Last Week… Wisdom Literature Prose & Poetry Anonymous author; exilic period? The man, the myth, the legend Prosperity Gospel/Doctrine of Retribution Theodicy The Book of Job in Joplin: A Resilience Story

4. The Satan HaSaTaN – the accuser, an angel who works FOR God, not against YHWH is the Judge, the Satan is the D.A. – must get the judge’s permission to begin a sting “For Gd, the Bible, and for Judaism, to have an entity that competes with Gd, that has power and authority of his own in opposition to Gd, is to violate the basic biblical idea of monotheism. Gd is One.” – Rabbi Stuart Federow

5. The Satan Development of Satan – 2 Samuel 24:1 – 1 Chronicles 21.1 Later Jewish and Christian tradition develops the Satan into the devil – Serpent in Genesis – Daystar in Isaiah

6. The Prologue, 1:1-5 Once upon a time… “…greatest of all people in the east.” – greatness measured in possessions Uz/Job not Israelite, but worships the one true God Just-in-case sacrifices

7. The Prologue, 1:6-12 The Satan acts as God’s eyes & ears on earth YHWH brings up Job, declares he is the best Is Job pious because of the reward he gets? God accepts the challenge and allows the Satan to act against Job

8. The Prologue, 1:13-22 Back to Earth 4 messengers, 4 directions: Job attacked from all sides – Sabeans from the South – Chaldeans from the North – Lightning from the West (Mediterranean) – Wind across desert to the East Mourning ritual V. 21 language of birth and faith – Job praises YHWH for good and bad

9. The Prologue, 2:1-10 Back to Heaven Repetition – Job is still faithful Job removes himself from society; mourning Sin with lips doesn’t imply he sinned in his heart, it disproves the Satan’s theory Wife has lost everything too; stays with Job – Hebrew/Masoretic text has longer speech.

10. The Prologue, 2:11-13 Sitting Shiva – 7 days of mandated mourning – No distractions (mirrors covered) – Low chair (in the depths) – Friends take care of your needs – Cannot speak to mourner until spoken to; mourning comes first

11. Reflections What is your initial reaction to the Prologue? How is your answer influenced by the knowledge that the Book of Job is not recording historical events?