Reading: The First Act (Video Slides)

#6 Understanding the Dramatic Development of the Book of Job: The First Act

 

Remember the Structure

• The Setting (Job 1-2): mostly prose

• The Dialogues (Job 3-41): almost entirely poetry

First Dramatic Dialogue (Job 3-31)

• • • Three rounds of conversation with three friends

Second Dramatic Dialogue (Job 32-37)

• • • Elihu takes on everyone

Third Dramatic Dialogue (Job 38-41)

• • • God speaks without answering

• The Conclusion (Job 42): mostly prose

 

The Drama of Job

• First Dramatic Dialogue (mostly poetry): Condemnation & Confusion (2:11-31:40)

Introduction: (2:11-3:26)

• • • Job’s Friends attend him (2:11-13)
    • Job’s Lament (3)

Round #1: (4:1-14:22)

• • • Eliphaz’s (“My God is strength!”) Testimony: (4-5)

God is pure & just! (4)

Humans bring trouble on themselves! (5)

• • • Job’s Response: (6-7)

Show me where I’ve sinned! (6)

God, forgive me if I’ve sinned! (7)

• • • Bildad’s (name meaning uncertain) Challenge: (8)

Only the ungodly suffer! (8:1-19)

If the shoe fits, wear it! (8:20-22)

• • • Job’s Response: (9-10)

God is wise and powerful! (9)

God, why do you punish me?! (10)

• • • Zophar’s (“Leaping” or “Chirping”) Plea: (11)

God is in control! (11:1-12)

Turn back to him! (11:13-20)

• • • Job’s Response: (12-14)

I’ve never left him! (12)

You’re no help to me! (13)

God, will you help me?! (14)

Round #2: (15-21)

• • • Eliphaz’ Attack: (15)

Humans are wicked! (15:1-16)

The fate of the wicked is sure! (15:17-35)

• • • Job’s Response: (16-17)

You’re no help to me! (16)

God, I plead my case before you! (17)

• • • Bildad’s Harshness: (18)

Who do you think you are?! (18:1-4)

The end of the wicked is sure! (18:5-21)

• • • Job’s Response: (19)

Have pity on me! (19:1-12)

God, vindicate me! (19:13-29)

• • • Zophar’s Condemnation: (20)

You make me angry! (20:1-3)

The wicked will be cut short! (20:4-29)

• • • Job’s Response: (21)

But many wicked people prosper! (21:1-33)

So all your arguments are false! (21:34)

Round #3: (22-31)

• • • Eliphaz’ Accusation: (22)

Submit to God!

• • • Job’s Response: (23-24)

But I can’t find God!

• • • Bildad’s Rebuke: (25)

You can’t be righteous—nothing is righteous before God!

• • • Job’s Response: (26-31)

God is great and just and wise! (26-28)

Remember how good life used to be?! (29)

But look at me now! (30)

Still, I maintain that I am innocent! (31)

 

Note This:
 The First Dramatic Dialogue seems unfinished!

• Eliphaz and Bildad make their same cases three times over, but in the third round, Zophar is nowhere to be found!
• Job’s response in Round #3 is much longer than it was in Rounds #1 and #2, and seems to plead for another view!
• The three friends immediately disappear as a new character emerges on center stage: Elihu (“You are my God!”)
• Note: the three friends (but not Elihu!) will reappear in the final prose wrap-up
• The implication at this point is that the three friends do not have the answer for Job’s situation, nor provide true religious wisdom; another voice is needed