Theophany and the divine discourses of job

[摘要] English: The divine discourses of Job 38-42 are usually interpreted from one of two points of view.The traditional reader understands the effect of it as a moment of repentance in the life ofthe main character, which can be proved from his final reaction in 42:6. In contrast tothis, the sceptical reader uses the same evidence but from a different perspective to showhow the way in which God handles Job had the opposite effect when Job rejects the Lord.A literary study on the divine discourses proposes that it should be explained as an OldTestament theophany in two senses: As religious phenomenon the true nature andcharacter of the theophany is studied, by distinguishing it from other phenomena of divinemanifestations, like the epiphany and the prophetic oracle which usually is reported in theform of dreams and visions. The theophany is also analysed as a literary report which canbe identified in some texts of the Old Testament. This literary report of the theophanytype-scene consists offive elements: (i) The background to the manifestation, (ii) themanifestation of the divine and the way the human recipient reacts to it, (iii) the dialogueand contents of the theophany report as the aim of the divine manifestation, (vi) theelement of intrigue which is present in every theophany in some mysterious aspect of thedivine, as well as (v) the conclusion to the theophany type-scene. The literary type-sceneof the theophany is used as a framework to be applied to the divine discourses of Job.When the divine discourses is explained as a theophany in both senses as a religiousphenomenon and literary report of the type-scene of the theophany, the findings show boththe traditional and sceptical interpretations of the divine discourses to be of a one-sidednature. After the Lord had revealed his order and justice in creation to Job by means ofthe theophany and it the specific way of the theophany type-scene, Job reacts to the divineneither in terms of repentance nor in rejection. The existing faith of Job is insteadstrengthened by the Lord, because of the character of the divine discourses as theophanicphenomena and the dramatic report thereof that provides Job of a new and revolutionaryform of insight about the greatness of the Creator as well as the contingency andinsignificance of man in the creation of the Lord.

[发布机构] University of the Free State