Job Part One Deep Dive

JOB | RYAN KERRISON

The Book of Job locates itself within the Sapiential Tradition (Wisdom Books within the Hebrew Bible), in a wider set of genres known as Wisdom Literature. Wisdom literature was commonplace within the ancient Near-Eastern world and can be found throughout ancient Mesopotamian and Egyptian societies. It is within this technical grouping that the Book of Job is set, chiefly due to the presence of ‘dialogue, discourse, narrative, hymn and lament’ styles of writing. These are woven together into a poignant piece of wisdom literature.

The content and questions surrounding the Book of Job offer an array of difficulties and excite even the most latent curiosity within its readers. However, one must ask whether or not these same curiosities lay within the original audience of the day. Given the ancient world’s apathy towards the identity of authors and compositional dates, the fact that text itself offers little, if anything, to the conversation is of no surprise. It lacks any reference to historical information that might aid in identifying the date of composition. This, alongside the book’s theological focus on the experience of suffering, Yahweh’s policy of righteousness and the question of Wisdom all coalesce to present a book with universal appeal. The text transcends time and culture by focusing on the, only exterior sources can be relied upon for historical dating.

Furthermore, the scholarly discussions surrounding the Book of Job include the book’s composition and method of contributors. Chapters 3-31 form a conversational basis for the rest of the book. Prevailing theories suggest that an assortment of authors employed pre-existing prose as a framework for the book–exploring topics of wisdom and divine speeches–aiding the discussion of a multiplicity of authors over a longer period of time. Others pin the book’s composition within the Solomonic period (1270 to 1636 BC), while still others elect to leave the question of the date open and unanswered.

A brief aside on the authorial context; “It is a mistake to infer the age of the writer from the circumstance of the hero of the book” (Driver & Gray, 1921.) What we can see is that Job falls within the category of the Patriarchal stage, not unlike Abraham. This is indicated by certain socio-cultural elements of the narrative, for example, measurement of wealth including livestock, family status, servants etc.

One thing to remember regarding this discussion of compositional date & authorship is that this information is of little to no significant consequence. The timelessness of the themes explored within the text such as loss, suffering, and righteousness lend flexibility to the applicability of the content of this book. The fact that scholarship lacks consensus has very little bearing on the inspiration and applicability of the modern reader, but rather enables the text to speak beyond the ‘limits’ of the historic & social confines of ancient near-Eastern literature.

Ryan Kerrison, originally from Darwin, came to Sydney to study and hasn’t left. Ryan works at C3 College as the Head of Bible and Theology, and lectures in Advanced Theology, Creation to End Times and many more subjects. As one of the founding writers and team members of TYB, Ryan is one of the smartest people we know. He has his Masters in Theology and will no doubt have his Doctorate and running Academic Colleges around the world in no time!

Job Part One Deep Dive

JOB | RYAN KERRISON

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