Job 38:1-7, (34-41)
Proper 24 (29) - Year B
We do like to make up meaning. Urban legends abound to explain something or other. Once a quote is in place it is difficult to dislodge it.
I was struck by these two items in the New Interpreter's Study Bible.
In the text they characterize this section of Job under the title, "The Lord Answers Job."
In the note they move in a different direction:
"This section (38:1-42.6) is the 'Divine Encounter' in which God finally speaks. It is unclear to whom God is speaking. Since it is Elihu who had the last word, God's initial questions appear to have been elicited by his speech rather than by anything Job has said. Traditionally, these rather condemning words of God (chaps. 38-41) have been understood as a redress of Job's accusations against the deity. The problem with this interpretation is that the divine rebuke of Job's protestations contradicts the conclusion of the story, where God declares Job to have been right and the friends wrong. However, if God's anger originally was directed at Elihu, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, then the story's ending makes more sense. Perhaps this portion of the text represents another example of editorial rearrangement of materials for theological reasons. The text even seems to support a different approach to the divine speeches. Since 40:1 has a second introduction of the Lord's words to Job, perhaps the preceding divine address was directed against Elihu and, by association, Job's three friends. Then, 40:1-42:6 would contain the actual dialogue between the Lord and Job. This would also explain the delay of Job's first response to God until 40:3-4. This hypothesis does not resolve all the problems inherent in this section, but it does reconcile some of them."
So, how much stuff are you carrying along (text) just because it is easier to follow tradition instead of considering alternatives (note)? Let's see if we can catch ourselves perpetuating a meaning with our lips without it reflecting our hearts. It's really not too hard, just yesterday, walking in the forest amid the colors I got tired on an upward trek and reverted back to an old male only reference to G*D. Fortunately my beloved caught it and I was able to better say what I meant.
Perhaps the text title is just an example of the church being too tired to say what it means and so we get ourselves into all manner of unnecessary disputes.
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2003/october2003.html
Job 38:1-7, (34-41) or Isaiah 53:4-12
Psalm 104:1-9, 24, 35c or Psalm 91:9-16
Hebrews 5:1-10
Mark 10:35-45
Job is berated for not knowing that which came before humankind (Genesis 1 version) or for not having paid attention to what came after humankind (Genesis 2 version). Unfortunately to berate that made in one's image is to recognize one's own limitation. G*D simply has no adequate response to the reality stated in Isaiah, "It was the willingness of the Lord to crush with pain." There is no amount of fancy dancing and holy intimidation that will get G*D off the hook.
Likewise is it in community. There is nothing that will get James and John off the hook of looking for an inappropriate edge -- we will trap Jesus from the inside, he can't refuse our request; a Pharisee's trapping request, perhaps, but not ours.
Both G*D and the disciples need to hear again, "It is not to be so among us. Whomever desires honor must live it, day in and day out."
- - -
yea, we are able
affirms our affirmation
that we are images
able to imitate
that which we imagine
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2007_10_01_archive.html
Verses 1-7 can be compared with the Gospel pericope. Listen to the tonal difference between the response Job got for basically the same question James and John asked.
Things get equally interesting with verses 34-41. Imagine Job hearing that, yes, he could do these but of more import is whether he will do what he can to care for creation (the servant thing) regardless of whether he is prospering or in the midst of travail.
And then even more interesting material arises as we move away from verses from the Bible and into your Life and mine. In what way are we G*D-like, Jesus-like? In what way are we not (hint: this is not a qualitative difference, simply content based on particular opportunities). In our similarities and differences there is one important direction to be headed - to sing together with joy by caring for one another and all. The ways in which we do that will vary, but the direction is the same.