BIBLIOTHECA SACRA 154 (October-December 1997): 436-51
REFLECTIONS ON SUFFERING FROM THE BOOK OF JOB Larry J. Waters
Written by an unknown author, possibly the most an- cient
literary account in the Bible,l the Book of Job is a mixture of
divine and human wisdom that addresses a major life issue: Why
do righteous people suffer undeservedly?2 The Book of Job is
also a prime example of Hebrew wisdom literature3 that labors
with the concept of theodicy,4 which is a defense of the
integrity of the justice and righteousness of God in light of
the evil, injustice, and undeserved suffering in the world. Some
writers have sug- Larry J. Waters is Professor of Bible,
International School of Theology-Asia, 1 Ample evidence supports
the claim that the setting of Job is patriarchal. See Roy B.
Zuck, "Job," in The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Old Testament,
ed. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck (Wheaton, IL: Victor,
1985),717, for nine reasons the Book of Job points to a
patriarchal period. Archer and others see the Book of J