Teodisee vraagstuk in Job as uitdaging aan die grense tussen samelewing (rein) en wildernis (onrein)

Abstract

The question regarding theodicy in Job as a challenge in regard to the borders between society and wilderness This article focuses on the fi rst divine speech in Job (38-39:33). In this regard the fi rst divine speech serves as polemics against the ruling Zeitgeist in post-exilic Israel. A message of hope, that urges Israel to focus her attention on the one sovereign God sprouts forth from it, morphing the fi rst divine speech into a radical message of cultic and religious encouragement. The animals listed in Job 38-39:33 show similarities when their habitat is taken into account. Habitat outside of society and death as a conceptual location is linked to each other in various ways. The article attempts to show that concepts such as being clean or unclean is created through cultural processes of thought that links being clean with cosmic order and the presence of God. Cultic cleanness is linked with ‘society’. The antitheses of ‘society’ is ‘wilderness’. In Job 38-41 God cares for animals that live in the ‘wilderness’. The negative associations that Israel have towards ‘wilderness’ now stands in direct contrast towards God’s love and care. In this regard Israel’s perception of true cleanness and uncleanness is placed in the spotlight. Clean, unclean and right and wrong seems to be redefi ned and God claims authority over it all. Suff ering, deserved or not and our negative feelings towards suff ering is redefi ned, seeing that what we once thought was wrong and had negative feelings towards, just like uncleanness, now seems to be a part of the one sovereign God.

In hierdie artikel word die Godsredes in Job 38-39:33 bespreek. Hoofstuk 38-39:33 dien as polemiek teen die heersende Zeitgeist in ’n na-ballingskapse Israel. Hierdie polemiek dien as ’n boodskap van hoop en rig Israel tot aanbidding van God. Die boek Job neem moeilike teologiese en Ou-Testamentiese vraagstukke op, spesifiek met betrekking tot die teodisee en die vergeldingsdogma en weier om goedkoop en oppervlakkige antwoorde te aanvaar (Brueggemann, 2003:293). Alhoewel lyding ’n deurlopende tema in die boek Job is, handel die verhaal nie primêr oor lyding nie, maar oor die verstaan van God (Von Rad, 1972:221). Die aktualiteit van die verhaal van Job gaan gepaard met Job en Job se vriende se vrae en redenasies wat ’n simbool word van die geloofsgemeenskap se vrae rondom die aard van God, regverdigheid, lyding, vergeldingsleer en uiteindelik die relasie tussen God en mens.