How to write a
background of the book of Job.
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Answer:
The Book of Job
Dennis Bratcher
Overview of the Book
I. A wisdom book (See The Character of Wisdom)
A. shares some characteristics with Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon
B. highly poetic and metaphorical
C. deals with mature reflection on issues of everyday living
D. in contrast to Proverbs, but like Ecclesiastes, Job must be read in its entirety to understand its message; single verses often contradict the overall message of the book
E. the theological stance of Job counterbalances, even challenges, some perspectives of Proverbs
F. typical of wisdom thinking, Job views the world from the perspective of human need and concern rather than God's requirements
II. Historical Background
A. author is unknown
B. three theories about time of writing: 700 BC, 550 BC, and 400-300 BC
C. place of writing is unknown
D. three theories about Job:
1) a historical figure who spoke all the words attributed to him;
2) a literary creation by the author as a teaching parable;
3) historical kernel adapted by the author to address certain issues. (see Introduction to Job)
E. none of these unknowns or theories play a major role in the book or effect its theological message
III. Structure and Features (see Literary Structure of Job)
A. two major parts: a narrative framework surrounding a series of dialogs
B. the framework and the body are not directly related in details
C. the satan only appears in the opening narrative
D. heavily metaphorical, including mythical elements as symbols (Rahab, Yamm, Leviathan; see Speaking the Language of Canaan, especially the section The Ba'al Myth and the Physical World)
E. the cycles of speeches are incomplete
F. some chapters appear to have been added, such as the speech of Elihu and the poem about Wisdom (ch. 28)
IV. The Message of the Book
A. righteous people suffer unjustly
B. orthodox or traditional answers are not always true or appropriate
C. God will tolerate honest questions (See Commentary on Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:1-4)
D. sin is not always the cause of evil and suffering in the world (doctrine of retribution)
E. God should be served simply because He is God
F. God, and the world, cannot be put into easily definable categories
The Literary Structure
I. Prologue 1:1 - 2:10
A. Setting the scene (1:1-5)
B. The heavenly council (1:6-12)
C. The satan’s trial (1:13-21) [22 narrator]
D. The stakes are raised (2:1-6)
E. The satan’s second trial (2:7-10b) [10c narrator]
F. The three friends (transition to the dialogs; 2:11-13)
II. Dialogs with "friends" 3:1 - 42:6
A Job’s opening soliloquy (3:1-26)
B. Dialogs with "friends" (4:1-27:23)
1.First cycle (4:1-14:22)
a. Eliphaz speaks (4:1-5:27), Job responds (6:1-7:21)
b. Bildad speaks (8:1-22), Job responds (9:1-10:22)
c. Zophor speaks (11:1-20), Job responds (12:1-14:22)
2. Second cycle (15:1-21:34)
a. Eliphaz speaks (15:1-35), Job responds (16:1-17:16)
b. Bildad speaks (18:1-21), Job responds (19:1-29)
c. Zophor speaks (20:1-29), Job responds (21:1-34)
3. Third cycle (22:1-27:23)
a. Eliphaz speaks (22:1-30), Job responds (23:1-24:25)
b. Bildad speaks (25:1-6), Job responds (26:1-27:23)
III. Monologues 28:1 - 37:24
A. The inaccessibility of Wisdom (28:1-28)
B. Job’s concluding soliloquy (29:1-31:40)
C. The speeches of Elihu (32:1-37:24)
IV. Dialog with God 38:1 - 42:6
A. God speaks (38:1-40-2), Job responds (40:3-5)
B. God speaks again (40:6-41:34), Job’s second response (42:1-6)
V. Epilogue 42:7-17