[July 2006 journal entry]
What does Job consider to be ‘evil’? The two prologue references (1:1 and 2:10) use the same term. Job might define ‘evil’ in several ways. He might think of breaking moral and/or ritual laws. (The Testament of Job – in circulation in the time of ‘Jesus’ and the beginning of Christianity -- draws particular attention to the latter.) Or he might think of not being faithful in relationships (e.g., not caring for the oppressed). The ‘scrapheap’ Job and his three close friends should be cast as sifting through all such ideas of evil in their efforts to explain Job’s plight.
What does Job consider to be ‘evil’? The two prologue references (1:1 and 2:10) use the same term. Job might define ‘evil’ in several ways. He might think of breaking moral and/or ritual laws. (The Testament of Job – in circulation in the time of ‘Jesus’ and the beginning of Christianity -- draws particular attention to the latter.) Or he might think of not being faithful in relationships (e.g., not caring for the oppressed). The ‘scrapheap’ Job and his three close friends should be cast as sifting through all such ideas of evil in their efforts to explain Job’s plight.
