by Mark Stenberg
Old Testament Reading: Job 38:1-7
For Sunday, October 21, 2012: Year B—Ordinary 29
If you consider Job a formal theodicy that gives definitive, systematic answers about evil, Satan, suffering, and ethics you are barking up the wrong lotus tree. Job has more soul than that.
Job is funny, engaging, primitive, and playful—a tall tale told around the campfire—that provokes some serious critique about what we tell each other when things go wrong. Good luck constructing a theodicy out of that.
The Three Amigos
The opening dialogue between God and Satan gets all the attention. But for my money the most notable exchanges in the book are between Job and his three so-called friends.
Frankly, Job's three amigos keep giving him useless, ridiculous, and shaming advice. The wisdom of Job thus presents a biting lesson in what not to say to those in the midst of grief and pain. And, in the end, The Lord chastises the three friends, saying "My wrath is kindled against you. For you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has."
Fascinating stuff. That Job, who cursed the day of his birth, was closer to the truth than the three self-righteous friends who gave him pithy, self-righteous advice. HA! Take that, all you churchy people who say just the wrong words to those who are grieving or in pain.
The Lord HAS HAD IT UP TO HERE with You Kids
Finally, on to the Job text for the day, which some commentators have labeled "God's answer to Job." Finally fed up with Job's complaint, the Lord bellows, "out of the whirlwind" no less: "Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up your loins like a man, I will question you, and you shall declare to me. Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?" Then God rampages on with a rambling poem on sea monsters and rocky crags and oxen.
Shut Your Piehole
What kind of an answer is that?
It's more like asking your best friend why he suddenly disappeared from your life and having him respond by ripping off his shirt, oiling up his chest, flexing his biceps and saying "Look at how strong I am." Or your cranky Aunt Edna, saying: "I do and I do and I do for you kids and this is the thanks I get?" This is not an answer. It's a ridiculous show of power. "Look what I can do?" "Until you are as powerful as me, shut your piehole."
The Hardest Question
The Lord's "answer" is nothing but an appeal to the ability to do stuff that is powerful or magical or tricky. Thus, our hardest question: What does the text’s case for the wonder and majesty of creation have to do with our very real and worthy complaint about human suffering?
Mark Stenberg is a trained academic theologian who got side-tracked planting churches. He started House of Mercy House of Mercy, with co-pastors Debbie Blue and Russell Rathbun in 1996 and ten years later he left that call to launch Mercy Seat Lutheran Church along with his current colleague, Kae Evensen. Mark holds a Ph.D. from Northwestern University where he studied philosophy with the likes of Jürgen Habermas. He is also an adjunct professor at Luther Seminary, teaching in homiletics and in the D.Min. program. Mark lost his spouse to cancer in March of 2007 but is profoundly grateful for every moment he gets to spend with his amazing children, Angela and Mateo.
