《约伯记》解读

《约伯记》TheBookofJobWhyme?(BookofJob)byEinarHákonarsonIntroduction（TheStory)Jobconsistsofaproseintroductionandconclusion-whichmayhaveexistedseparatelyfromtherest,andofalargepoeticcore.Satan-whoseemsnottobethesameasthedevil,merelyanopponent-tellsGodthatJobwouldnotobeyifhewereafflicted.GodgivespermissiontoafflictJobgreatly.SoJob'ssufferingispermittedasatest-anideathatisabitnew,forusuallysufferinghadbeenconsideredasadivinepunishmentforsin(anditcouldbethat).ThreefriendsofJobcome,butdonotreallyconsolehim:theysayhemusthavesinnedortheafflictionwouldnothavecome.Jobinsistsonhisinnocence.ThefactthatGodcouldafflictaninnocentmandisturbsJob,healmostbecomesangrywithGodatsomepoints.FinallyheaskstheAlmightytoanswerhim.Goddoesspeakfromastorm:WouldJobcondemnGodsohe,Jobcouldseemjust?Jobconfesseshehasnotreactedwell,hehastriedtodealwiththingsabovehim,herepentsindustandashes.GoddirectsJob'sfriendstoaskJobtoprayforthem,sotheirfaultmaybepardoned.IntheproseconclusionJobgetsbackmuchmorethanwhathehadlost.WhatisthethemeofJob?TheBookofJobisconcernedwiththeproblemofsuffering.Onlypartofthetruthhadbeenrevealedatthattime.Before,peoplehadtendedtothinksufferingwasapunishmentforsin.Itsometimesisthat,butnotalways.YetthatbeliefpersistedevenintothetimeofChrist.Cf.thequestion:whohassinnedThismanorhisparents?(Jn9.2-3).Jobcontradicts?M.Duggan,inTheConsumingFire(Ignatius,1991)hassomeunacceptablestatementsonJob;1)Onp.435:thatthedebatetheveryjusticeofGod.SoJobasksGod:...isitrightforyoutoattackme,incontemptforwhatyouyourselfhavemade....?(10.3).ButJobismerelythinkinghiswaythroughthepuzzle.HeisnotreallyattackingGod.IfheweredoingthatthenattheendGodwasangryatthefriendsofJob,andsaid(42.7)...youhavenotspokenrightofme,asmyservantJobhasdone.2)Onp.436DuggansaysJobsuspectsGoduseshispowerforpurposesmoredestructivethanconstructive--Godcastsdownmountainsinanger,shakestheearth'spillars.--buttheseexpressionsmerelybringoutJob'sunderstandingoftheawfulmajestyandpowerofGod.ThelanguageisborrowedlargelyfrompoemsofUgarit,whenalsocamepowerfuldescriptionsofGod'smajestyinthePsalms.3)Onp.436againDuggansaysthatJobwantshisdayincourt,whenhecanprovetheinjusticeofGod!--butJobismagnificentpoetry,semiticexpressionsatthat,inwhichJobventshisfeelings.Again,hedoesnotreallychargeGodwithinjustice--hadhedonethatGodwouldnothavesaidin42.7thatJobhadspokenrightly.--Afullerexplanation,basedontheologicalmethod,forthesetextswillbegiveninourcommentsonchapters9-10,below.GenreIsJobmeanttobehistorical?Notlikely.JustasPopeJohnPaulIIsaidGenesis1-3wasmyth-notmeaningfairytale,butratheranancientstoryputtogethertobringoutsomethingstrueinthemselves(Cf.isOriginalUnityofManandWoman.St.PaulEditions,1981p.28andnote),soitislikelywiththebookofJob.Itsrealpurposeistoexploretheproblemofsuffering,ofwhichwespokeabove.TheTextsofStoryIntroduction:WelearnthatJobwasamanofUz.Itslocationisunknown.SometodayputitsomewhereinthedesertsouthoftheDeadSea,perhapsnearEdom(Lam4.21.Cf.Jer25.20).OthersfollowJosephusandChristiantraditioninputtingitsouthofDamascus.Cf.Gen10.23.Butlocationisnotimportant.forthestoryisaswesaidabove,justavehicleforpresentingsometruthsinbeautifulpoetry.1乌斯地有一个人，名叫约伯；那人完全正直，敬畏神，远离恶事。2他生了七个儿子，三个女儿。3他的家产有七千羊，三千骆驼，五百对牛，五百母驴，并有许多仆婢。这人在东方人中就为至大。1:1TherewasonceamaninthelandofUzwhosenamewasJob.Thatmanwasblamelessandupright,onewhofearedGodandturnedawayfromevil.1:2Therewereborntohimsevensonsandthreedaughters.1:3Hehadseventhousandsheep,threethousandcamels,fivehundredyokeofoxen,fivehundreddonkeys,andverymanyservants;sothatthismanwasthegreatestofallthepeopleoftheeast.Atthestart,Jobisfabulouslywealthyandblessedinsonsanddaughters.ButthenwearetakentothecourtofGod.thesonsofGodarethere,seemingly,angels.ButtheSatanisalsothere-theHebrewwordisjustageneraltermfortheopponent.InNumbers22.22(cf.22.32)anangelwhoblocksthewayforBalaamiscalledangelandalsoiscalledtheSatan,theonewhoopposes.InJobthewordhasnotyettakenonthespeciallatermeaningofachiefdevil.Heismerelyanopponent.GodasksSatanifhehasnoticedJob.Satanreplies:JobhasnotroublefearingGod:Godhasgivenhimeverything.Buttakesomethingawayandseewhathewilldo.Godgivespermission,andSatantakesawayeverythingfromJob.ThenGodsays:SeewhatIsaid!Satanreplies:Yes,butletmetouchhimpersonallyandsee.Soitisdone.Jobstrickenwithloathsomesoresfromheadtofoot.Hesatinashesscrapinghimselfwithapotsherd.Hiswife,afoolishwoman,urgedhimtocurseGodanddie.Jobofcourserefused.7于是撒但从耶和华面前退去，击打约伯，使他从脚掌到头顶长毒疮。8约伯就坐在炉灰中，拿瓦片刮身体。9他的妻子对他说：“你仍然持守你的纯正吗？你弃掉神，死了吧！”10约伯却对她说：“你说话像愚顽的妇人一样。哎！难道我们从神手里得福，不也受祸吗？”在这一切的事上，约伯并不以口犯罪。2:7SoSatanwentoutfromthepresenceoftheLORD,andinflictedloathsomesoresonJobfromthesoleofhisfoottothecrownofhishead.2:8Jobtookapotsherdwithwhichtoscrapehimself,andsatamongtheashes.2:9Thenhiswifesaidtohim,Doyoustillpersistinyourintegrity?CurseGod,anddie.2:10Buthesaidtoher,Youspeakasanyfoolishwomanwouldspeak.ShallwereceivethegoodatthehandofGod,andnotreceivethebad?InallthisJobdidnotsinwithhislips.ThenthreefriendsofJobheardofhistrouble,EliphaztheTemanite(probablyanEdomite.Gen36.4saysanEliphazwasthefirstbornofEs