Legalism in "Job"


Job and his friends adopt a legalistic attitude toward their relationship with God, and as a result, God is displeased. God injures Job, not as a consequence of any sin he has committed, but because the Adversary doubts Job's motivation for living a "blamelesss and upright life." (1:8) The Adversary states to God about Job "Have you not hedged him round on every side with your protection, him and his family and all his possesions?" (1:10) The Adversary's argumentia that Job has a good relationship with God because he has not had his faith challenged.  Job leads a good life, and has no reason to be displeased with God. The Adversary claim s that to know Job's true feelings, God must test him, and that Job will fail the test. "But just stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and see if he will not curse you to your face (1:11). God agrees to test Job, and Job's response is legalistic because he maintains that the suffering he endures is unwarranted by his actions. How can God be unfair to him? Hasn't he earned God's grace?

Job's friends take the position that Job's suffering must be deserved, and that he needs to repent. Eliphaz tells Job "For consider, has any innocent person ever perished? (4:7, which is legalistic because it takes the position that God does not allow harm to come to those who are "innocent".Zophar adopts the same position, stating "when he sees inequity, does he not take note of it/ (11:11 )  Elihu believes that Job must deserve his pain because "The truth is, God would never do wrong, the Almighty does not pervert justice (34:12). The friends do not believe that Job's suffering is not the consequence of his own behavior, and urge him to repent in order to make things right with God. Such an attitude is transactional and legalistic because it  establishes God as beholden to the law. In fact, Gpd is above the law. He can choose to reward the pious or allow them to suffer, he is not tied to the restrictions of the consequences of postive or negative behavior. All of Job's friends feel that God operates on a legalistic model, that "ininquity" God sees is followed up by a fair response based on a person's worthiness. 'Does he not take note of it" means that God will not allow injustice to be uncorrected. At the end of the book God  denounces the legalism of Job's friends (you have not spoken as you ought about me (42:17)) but adopts  more forgiving attitude toward Job, even though throughout the book he takes a legalistic stance as well.

Muich of this book isgiven up to Job's embracing of the unfairness of his burden as seen through his legalistic filter. He feels that his suffering is unearned and desires to make his case before God: "Listen, now, to my arguments; attend while I put on my case (13:6). " "If only the grounds for my resentment might be weighed, and my misfortunes placed with them on the scales!" 6:2)  "There in his court the upright are vindicated, and I should win from my judge an outright acquittal; (23:7)"  and  "If only I know how to reach him , how to enter his courts, I should and set out my arguments in full" (23:3-4). Despite his stance that God should allow him to make his case, Job acknowledges the futility of arguing with God: "if I appeal for help, I get no justice" (19:7), "no one can win his case against God. If anyone does choose to argue with him, God will not answer with a question in a thousand" (9:2-3). In doing so, Job acknowledges God's position as above the law. "God will not answer" becsuse God has no requirement to do so.

God's response to Job's pleas affirm his negation of legalism. "The fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to turn from evil, that is understanding!) 28:28. As such, wisdom is not located in the strict adherance of the law, but in one's respect for God. Gopd's response to Job about why Job should accept God's  actions is lacking in any direct addressing of legalism. God's speech to Job focuses on the power of God, especially his acts of creation: "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundations"(38:4) and "Who supported the sea at its birth (38:8). God refers to events that Job could not have been present for, and as such, Job has limited knowledge. In wanting to plead his casse before God, Job assumd a position of knowledge that God disavows. Job believe he has the power to sway God: "There in \his court the upright are vindicated, and I should win from my judge an outright accquittal (23:7). By stating this Job is claiming that he has the power to influence God, under the auspices of the law. God rejects this stance on the basis that Job lacks the standing that God occupies in the universe. God, as creator, is beyond the law, and is free to subject Job to whatever conditions he deems appropriate. God's extended description of the crocodile marks this stance. It is God's fnal word on Job's problems, and it asks multiple question about Job's ability to conquer "the chief of beasts" (40:15). God asks "Can anyone blind his eyes and take him or pierce his nose with the teeth of a trap? (40"24) God asks "Who ever hss attacked him and come out of it safely? (41:11) The answers to these questions are rehetorical; no man no man holds sway over the crocodile. God, however, describes the crocodile as "chief of God's works" (40:19)/ This establishes a ladder of power with God at the top, the crocodile in the centter, and ,an at the bottom. To paraphrase God, "you must accept me without question because the results of my creation are more powerful than you". This places Job in his (more huimble) place, and Job accepts God's response. When Job says "I knew of you then only by report, but now I see you with my own eyes"(42:5) he i acknowledging that God's power is not held in the abstract role of arbiter of the law. but in the concrete position of creator. As such, God holds power above everything. "By report" refers to God's reputation, as understood through the filter of the law. "My own eyes" refers to the entire worls around him, which Job sees that God has made. Job sees God in the constructed/ created nature of the world, above it all and  not just playing the role of judge.

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