000 Allen FMT (i-xxii) - The Presbyterian Leader

190 Proper 22 [27]/Year B
community that generated the book of Job protests the simple equation
of obedience leading to blessing and disobedience leading to curse, and
Jon L. Berquist refers to the book of Job as “literature of dissent.” 55
The prosperity of the character Job in chapter 1 leaves the impression
that Job is obedient and therefore blessed. The horrid conditions that
descend on Job’s life result not from sin and curse but from God allowing
Satan to conduct a testing program to determine whether Job would serve
God even if his world was radically diminished (Job 1:6–12; 2:1–6). In the
book of Job Satan is not the direct adversary of God as in later apocalyptic
literature but serves as something like an attorney in God’s’ court. With
God’s approval, Satan destroys Job’s livestock, servants, and children, and
inflicts “loathsome sores” (Job 1:13–19; 2:7–8).
The lection raises penetrating issues but does not pose a theological
resolution. Indeed, the issues are developed even further in Job 3:1–37:24
and brought to a head only in 38:1–42:6. Is the congregation ready for a
sermon that raises questions but does not answer them? If so, a preacher
could envision today’s sermon as the first in a four-week series on Job that
moves through the lections toward theological climax in 38:1–42:6. The
message today could encourage the congregation to identify situations in
the contemporary world that raise issues similar to Job’s. If a multi-week
series on Job does not fit the congregational context, a pastor might use
today’s reading (or any of the readings over the next weeks) as a point of
entry into the entire story of Job.
Many ministers welcome the book of Job because it calls into question
theological ideas that are still commonplace in many congregations,
namely, notions that obedience does bring about blessing and disobedience
curse. Job poses a sharp criticism of such formulaic approaches to
life. However, preachers need to honor the complexity of such discussions.
Sometimes obedient people do prosper, but sometimes they do not,
and sometimes the disobedient prosper. Sometimes disobedience does
result in suffering. But sometimes, the obedient suffer without apparent
reason while the disobedient enjoy nothing but the high life.
Genesis 2:18–24* (Paired)
Genesis 2:4b–24 is a second story of creation. Its placement in the canon
makes theological diversity a lens through which to engage the rest of the
Bible. The First Testament contains several theological schools (e.g., Elohist,
Yahwist, Deuteronomist, Priestly, Wisdom, apocalyptic). By including
such diverse viewpoints, the Bible implicitly invites the community to