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Theodicies in the Book of Job

There are many theodicies in the book of Job. A theodicy is the spiritual justification of the goodness of God in regards to his power. It tries to explain why He does what He does. The central biblical importance of (the book of) Job is the fact that he was the only Biblical character whose righteousness was not questioned at all. The essential story of Job is the following: God is bragging about Job, and his righteousness and reverence, to Satan. Satan counters with the fact that Job reveres God because he is blessed with wealth, protection, possessions and respect. Satan asks God to place Job in his power to test the man (to see if Job will curse God), and God agrees on the condition that Job himself not be harmed. And Job loses everything near and dear to his heart, but does not curse God. Satan asks again for harsher treatment, and God agrees, with the exception that his life be spared. Satan smote Job with boils, top to toe. Three friends come to console him after his monumental losses, and to try to find a reason why he lost everything. All the theodicies found in Job can be found in the conversation (and subsequent argument) the friends have with Job. However, before they arrived, Job's wife, in a rather pessimistic view, said to him, "You still keep your integrity! Blaspheme God and die!" (2:9) His response, a verse later, curses his wife for cursing God, and asks her if people should take only the good things from God and refuse the bad. The three friends arrive, and each have ideas about what to do, now that Job has lost all that can be lost. People should comfort and console other people after bad things happen, regardless of the cause; maybe God wants us as human beings to do this, because tragedy can and does bring friends and acquaintances together.

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