New Book:
A Literary Analysis of the Book of Job
from a Christian Perspective
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| Sunset over Gulf, Photo by me |
Excerpt:
. . . It’s
a deep study! The Book of Job is the oldest known
literary script of Western literature. Older than Sophocles’ Antigone
and Homer’s Odyssey. As a matter of fact, it’s rumored that these Greek
writers took the structure of Job and applied it to their own writings. They
considered the Book of Job a canon, a standard of measurement by which
other art is measured for its greatness.
And while we can
perform a pedantic analysis of virtually any
piece of literature, this one is different – God has included this book as part
of Scripture. So, we will maintain the anchor that “all Scripture is breathed
out by God” (2 Timothy 3:16 NKJV).
This
understanding leads to another important truth: God’s Word is truth (John 17:17
NKJV). Literary analysis can be applied to both fiction and nonfiction, and nonfiction
is rewarding to study. Nonfiction writers often revise, edit, and restructure
their work many times to create something meaningful and well-crafted. Strong
nonfiction writers welcome analyses. Even more, writers inspired by
God-breathed words desire for us to study their works closely.
We have literary
genres today such as mysteries and historical fiction, and genres existed in the
Ancient Western Literary era as well. The Book of Job could be
classified in two genres -- Hebrew poetry and wisdom literature. The author of Job is uncertain. Job himself may
be the author. Or another man in the Book of Job, Elihu, may have been
the author. And although some lean toward Moses being the author, contextual
clues suggest it wasn’t him. However, Moses may have played a role in
translating the work from its original language of Aramaic to Hebrew.
The time period
for the events in Job took place around 2000-1500 B.C., during the end of
Abraham’s lifetime. This unfolds interesting questions: In Abraham’s older
years, could he have known Job? Perhaps they were acquainted? Did Job know
Abraham’s son Isaac?
Let’s establish an anchor before we start Job. We’ll focus on two
primary themes in the book. A theme is typically defined as the message from
the author. But take it deeper – themes of stories invite us to bring a
universal truth of life to the surface and ponder it.
The first theme: Mankind hungers
to know and understand God and will accept a struggling quest to find God.
The second theme: God reveals
His magnitude to the church.
Pay attention to where these themes, among others, rise to the surface as
you read.
We have three
purposes for writing this book: #1, we learn to read the Bible with a depth
that will change everything in your walk with God; #2, we, of course, gain
great understanding of the Book of Job;
and #3, your reading skills will advance to a noticeable level. The reading
tactics taught in this analysis will be repeated throughout your life of reading.
Use these tactics in all your readings. You will be equipped to see more in
Scripture, to know and understand God more, and acquire knowledge and see an
improvement in your reading and writing skills.
Alongside your
analysis of the Book of Job, share what you’re learning with others.
Having intentional conversations about Scriptures’ content gives you a richer
knowledge and understanding.
Have a blessed
journey,
Katy Foster