Semănătorul (The Sower)
September 2023, Volume 4, Number 1
THE RHETORIC OF SUFFERING IN THE BOOK OF JOB; A BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE BOOK OF JOB ELABORATED IN RELATION TO SOME CLASSICAL AND MODERN INTERPRETATIONS
CĂLIN-IOAN TALOȘ
ABSRTACT
Why do the righteous suffer? The present research aims to examine the answer to this question as it emerges from the spectrum of dialogues in the narrative of the Book of Job. We will examine the dialogues that stand out in its literary perimeter, then, in the end, we will highlight the reason to which Job, the protagonist of the story, gets access to regarding his own suffering. Afterwards, we will probe a number of classical and modern interpretations in order to highlight the fact that the rhetoric of suffering in the Book of Job, like the classical interpretations, points to a high view of God’s power and knowledge and a human attitude of resilience and humility in the face of suffering, whereas the modern interpretations examined tend to highlight a low view of God’s power and knowledge and a critical and accusing human attitude.
KEY WORDS: suffering, book of Job, interpretation, rhetoric, classical, modern.