God's Problem (39 page)
Authors: Bart D. Ehrman
1.
As you might imagine, the literature on Job is vast. For an introduction to some of the most important critical issues, see the discussions and bibliographies in Collins,
Hebrew Bible,
505–17; Coogan,
Old Testament,
479–89; and James Crenshaw, “Job, Book of,” in
Anchor Bible Dictionary,
3:858–68.
2.
See the works cited in chapter 6, note 1.
3.
See the works cited in chapter 6, note 1.
4.
This, of course, would have been impossible, as my reader Greg Goering has pointed out to me, since Ecclesiastes was written later.
5.
See the discussions of Ecclesiastes in Collins,
Hebrew Bible,
518–27; Coogan,
Old Testament,
490–95; and James Crenshaw, “Ecclesiastes, Book of,” in
Anchor Bible Dictionary,
2:271–80.
Chapter Seven: God Has the Last Word: Jewish-Christian Apocalypticism
1.
There is an abundant literature on apocalypticism (and the literary genre “apocalypse”). See the discussions and bibliographies in Adela Yarbro Collins, “Apocalypses and Apocalypticism,” in
Anchor Bible Dictionary,
1:279–92, and in John Collins,
The Apocalyptic Imagination: An Introduction to the Matrix of Christianity
(New York: Crossroad, 1984).
2.
For an introduction to the Maccabean period, see Shaye Cohen,
From the Maccabbees to the Mishnah
(Philadelphia: Westminster, 1987).
3.
See John Collins, “Daniel, Book of,” in
Anchor Bible Dictionary,
2:29–37; Collins,
Hebrew Bible,
553–71; and Coogan,
Old Testament,
536–43.
4.
For other interpretations, including the view that the “one like a son of man” is an angelic figure who receives the kingdom on behalf of God’s chosen people, see the studies cited in the previous note.
5.
For this understanding of Jesus as an apocalypticist, see the following books (which represent a tiny fraction of the scholarly literature on the historical Jesus but agree with the majority view that Jesus was an apocalypticist): Dale Allison,
Jesus of Nazareth: Millenarian Prophet
(Minneapolis: Fortress, 1998); Bart D. Ehrman,
Jesus: Apocalyptic Prophet of the New Millennium
(New York: Oxford Univ. Press, 1999); Paula Frederiksen,
Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews: A Jewish Life and the Emergence of Christianity
(New York: Knopf, 1999); John Meier,
A Marginal Jew: Rethinking the Historical Jesus
(New York: Doubleday, 1991–; three volumes have so far appeared); E. P. Sanders,
The Historical Figure of Jesus
(London: Penguin, 1993).
6.
In the Gospel narratives, Jesus uses the phrase “Son of Man” to refer to himself. In my book
Jesus: Apocalyptic Prophet of the New Millennium,
I give the arguments that have convinced many scholars—myself included—that the historical Jesus did not use the term as a self-reference, but instead anticipated that someone
else,
a divine figure from heaven, would come in judgment on the earth as the Son of Man.
Chapter Eight: More Apocalyptic Views: God’s Ultimate Triumph over Evil
1.
A brilliant exposition of this view, by one of the great Pauline scholars at the end of the twentieth century, is in J. Christiaan Beker,
Paul the Apostle: The Triumph of God in Life and Thought
(Philadelphia: Fortress, 1980).
2.
For a brief discussion of Paul’s life, see Ehrman,
New Testament,
ch. 19 (and the bibliography cited there); for a fuller, but still introductory treatment, see E. P. Sanders,
Paul
(New York: Oxford Univ. Press, 1991).
3.
There is an extensive literature on the Pharisees. See especially E. P. Sanders,
Judaism: Practice and Belief, 63 BCE–66 CE
(Philadelphia: Trinity Press International, 1992).
4.
See my fuller discussion in Ehrman,
New Testament,
ch. 21.
5.
See Ehrman,
New Testament,
ch. 20.
6.
On the book of Revelation, see Ehrman,
New Testament,
ch. 29. For a lengthier treatment, see Adela Yarbro Collins, “Revelation, Book of,” in
Anchor Bible Dictionary,
5:694–708. A fuller treatment can be found in Adela Yarbro Collins’s
Crisis and Catharsis: The Power of the Apocalypse
(Philadelphia: Westminster, 1984).
7.
On the various ways of interpreting the book of Revelation, see Bruce M. Metzger,
Breaking the Code: Understanding the Book of Revelation
(Nashville: Abingdon, 1993).
8.
This has been recognized by scholars since the second Christian century. Modern scholars have pointed out that the view of the end times is radically different in the Gospel of John and in Revelation—the former has none of the apocalyptic emphases of the latter but understands “eternal life” to be a present (not a future) reality. Apart from theological differences, there are also obvious differences in the writing styles of the two books (in Greek). The Gospel of John was written by someone fluent in Greek; the book of Revelation is not well written and appears to have been composed by someone for whom Greek was not a first language.
Chapter Nine: Suffering: The Conclusion
1.
I am using the translation of Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky. Fyodor Dostoevsky,
The Brothers Karamazov
(New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1990).
2.
Harold S. Kushner,
When Bad Things Happen to Good People
(New York: Schocken Books, 1981).
3.
Arthur McGill,
Suffering: A Test of a Theological Method
(Philadelphia: Westminster, 1982). I am indebted to Fuzzy Siker for this reference.
Note: Entries in this index, carried over verbatim from the print edition of this title, are unlikely to correspond to the pagination of any given e-book reader. However, entries in this index, and other terms, may be easily located by using the search feature of your e-book reader.
Abraham, 168–70
Adam and Eve story, 64–65, 101, 120
AIDS crisis, 161–62, 171, 199
Amos of Tekoa, 34–42, 98–99, 214, 264
Antichrist, 250–51, 253
Antiochus IV, 207–8
apocalypticism: as ancient kind of theodicy, 256; background of, 202–5; Daniel’s night vision as, 208–14; Jesus Christ and, 219–26, 233–35; in John’s Revelation, 211, 227, 246–55; as Paul’s perspective, 236–37; relevance of, 225–27; solution to suffering in, 202–27, 258–60; suffering in context of, 214–15.
See also
the end
apocalyptic thinking: description of, 204–5; in the Gospels, 219–26, 233–35, 255–58; origins of, 201, 205–8; transformation of, 255–58; underlying tenets of, 215–19
atonement doctrine, 83–86, 142–53, 235, 236.
See also
salvation
Auschwitz, 22, 25
Auschwitz Report
(Levi), 22–23
Babylonian conquest, 33, 77
Bathsheba, 105–6, 137–38
Black Death, 161
book of Amos, 34–42, 98–99, 214, 264
book of Daniel: apocalyptic tradition of suffering in, 214–15; night vision described in, 208–14
book of Job: folktale of suffering as test in, 164–68; poetic dialogues on suffering in, 167, 172–89, 195, 275; problem of suffering answers found in, 16; suffering described in, 162–64, 204
book of Revelation: apocalyptic tradition in, 211, 246–48; audience of, 251–54; comparing John’s Gospel and, 283n.8; ending calculated on prophecies of, 227; narrative flow of, 248–51; suffering described in, 254–55
Bourne, Peter, 199
The Brothers Karamozov
(Dostoevsky), 265–70
Cain and Abel story, 101–2, 120
Cambodian genocide, 92–96, 122, 277
Candide
(Voltaire), 11–12
character building explanation, 263–65
children: Abraham’s “offering of Isaac,” 168–70; death of David and Bathsheba’s child, 137–38; death of Job’s, 168, 171–72, 275; Dostoevsky on crimes against, 267–68; Herod’s slaughter of the innocents, 103–4; killed during Holocaust, 22, 24–25; lack of justification for crimes against, 270
Christians: atonement doctrine of, 83–86, 142–53, 235, 236; persecution of the, 146–48; perspective on Jewish suffering by, 203–4; willing to endure suffering test of, 170–72
crucifixion, 107–8, 150
Daniel: interpretation of night vision of, 211–14; night vision of, 208–11
David, King, 72, 105–6, 120, 137–38, 281n.23
“deconversion” experience: author on his own, 1–3, 125–31; as emotionally wrenching, 125
Deuteronomistic History: on consequences of sin, 100–106; on law and obedience, 66–74
Devil.
See
Satan (“the adversary”)
disobedience: additional biblical references to, 62–64; Deuteronomistic History of Israel on, 69–74; Pentateuch theme of, 64–69; prophetic view of suffering due to, 27–31, 34–42, 61–62.
See also
sin
Dostoevsky, Fyodor, 265–70
dualism, 215–17
Ecclesiastes: on ephemeral view of life, 189–95; suffering explanation in, 195–96, 276
Edwards, Elizabeth, 261
Edwards, John, 261
Eighty-eight Reasons Why the Rapture Will Occur in 1988
(Whisenant), 225
the end: Paul’s teaching on, 242–44; Revelation prophecies used to calculate, 227, 247.
See also
apocalypticism
Enlightenment, 10, 26, 121, 269
evangelical theology, 128–31
evil: Dostoevsky on suffering due to, 265–70; lack of intervention in face of, 232–33; Satan personification of, 163, 165–68, 215–16, 251.
See also
sin
faith: Job’s suffering as test of, 164–68, 275; loss of, 1–3, 125–31; other biblical tests of, 168–72; suffering as problem of, 3–19
First World War, 57, 121
the Flood story, 65–66
four beasts vision, 208–14
Franklin, Benjamin, 230
free will: God’s interference with, 13; paradox of sin and, 120–23; as suffering explanation, 11–13, 197, 230
Gates Foundation, 198, 199
Gibson, Mel, 107
Gilyeat, Daniel, 262
Global Water, 199–200
God: beneficent interventions of, 202, 232;
Christ as solution to suffering by, 272–74; as good parent allowing suffering, 263–65; Israel’s relationship to, 28–31; Job’s suffering as test by, 16, 162–68, 172–89; judgment by, 217–18, 236, 257; as providing strength to deal with suffering, 271–72; suffering from disobedience to, 30–55; theodicy assertions on suffering and, 8–10, 26; theological view of Christ as, 273.
See also
Jesus Christ
Gospels: apocalyptic thinking in the, 219–26, 233–35, 255–58; on atonement of Christ, 83–86, 142–53, 235; comparing Revelation and John’s Gospel, 283n.8; Herod’s slaughter of the innocents in, 103–4; lack of intervention in face of evil message of, 232–33
“The Grand Inquisitor” (Dostoevsky), 265–66
Hebrew Bible: book of Amos in, 34–42, 98–99, 214, 264; book of Daniel, 208–15; book of Job, 162–68, 275; comparing New Testament and, 88–90; Deuteronomistic History of Israel in, 69–74; examined for problem of suffering answers, 14–19; inconsistencies and problems of the, 3; prophetic writings of, 31–55, 61–62, 96–100, 203; on redemptive suffering, 132–38; on suffering as punishment, 27–31, 34–42, 61–74, 203, 264; tests of faith described in the, 162–72; writings of the prophets in the, 31–55, 61–62, 96–100.
See also
New Testament
hepatitis A story, 154–55
Herod, King, 103–4
HIV/AIDS crisis, 161–62, 171, 199
Holocaust: books written on, 11; never again response to, 91–92, 277; suffering of the, 21–27
Hosea son of Beeri, 42–47
Höss, Rudolph, 23
Hume, David, 10
Hurricane Katrina, 231, 261
idolatry, 43–47
imminence (apocalyptic), 218–19
influenza epidemic (1918), 159–61
Iraq War, 262–63
Isaiah: on covenant between God and David, 281n.23; on restoration of Israel, 78–83, 138–39; on suffering as punishment, 48–51; three authors of, 77–78
Israel: Babylonian conquest of, 33; delivered from slavery in Egypt, 67–68, 102, 135–36, 202; Deuteronomistic History of, 69–74; history of foreign domination of, 206–8; idolatrous ways of, 43–47; other biblical references to suffering of, 62–64; prophets on restoration of, 40–42, 50–51; the prophets on suffering and disobedience of, 30–55, 61–62; relationship between God and, 28–31; restoration of, 78–83, 138–39; as “suffering servant,” 82, 281nn.8, 9.
See also
Judah (southern kingdom); northern kingdom
J.B.
(MacLeish), 7
Jeremiah: on consequences of sin, 99–100; reactions to suffering by, 112–13; on suffering as punishment, 48, 52
Jericho, 70, 102–3
Jerusalem: predicted destruction of, 110; Roman siege and destruction of, 111
Jesus Christ: as an apocalypticist, 219–26; apocalyptic life of, 233–35; atonement of, 83–86, 142–53, 235, 236; crucifixion of, 107–8, 150; as God’s solution to suffering, 272–74; Jewish rejection as messiah, 149–51; miracles performed by, 233–35; raising Lazarus from the dead, 136–37; on reality of suffering/death, 131; resurrection of, 237–42, 244–46; theological view of God as, 273.
See also
God
Jewish people: anti-Semitism against, 25–26; Christian perspective of suffering by, 203–4; Holocaust murder of, 11, 21–27, 277; Maccabean Revolt by, 205–6, 212, 247; rejection of Jesus as messiah, 149–51.
See also
Judaism
Job: suffering of, 162–1614; suffering as test of faith, 164–68, 275
John: apocalypticism of, 211, 227, 246–55; debated as Revelation and Gospel author, 283n.3; on world as evil place, 257
Johnny Got His Gun
(film), 58
Joseph’s story, 132–34
Josephus, 111
Judah (southern kingdom), 42, 74, 77, 202.
See also
Israel
Judaism: law of sacrifice of, 75–77; Pharisee sect of, 237–38; substitutionary sacrifice of, 77–83.
See also
Jewish people
Judas Maccabeus, 207
judgment, 217–18, 236, 257
Khmer Rouge, 92–93, 94, 96, 122
The Killing Fields
(film), 94
Kushner, Rabbi Harold, 7, 8, 270–72
Lazarus, 136–37
Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm, 8, 9, 11, 269
Levi, Primo, 22–23
Levite’s concubine story, 104–5
life: Ecclesiastes’ explanation of suffering in, 194–96; ephemeral perspective of, 189–95
loss of faith, 1–3
Lot’s wife, 66
Luke, 142
Lutheran Social Services, 93–94, 95
Maccabean Revolt, 205–6, 212, 247
Mcdonald, John, 199
McGill, Arthur, 272–73
MacLeish, Archibald, 7
malaria, 198–99
Mark, 85–86, 143
Matthew, 142
messiah, 149–51
Metzger, Bruce, 2
Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why
(Ehrman), 3
Moses, 67–68, 84, 135, 202
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, 198
natural disasters, 230–32, 259
Nazi Germany.
See
Holocaust
New Testament: classical view of suffering in, 86–88; comparing Hebrew Bible and, 88–90; on consequences of sin, 106–11; doctrine of atonement in, 142–53; Ecclesiastes on ephemeral existence, 189–96, 276; Gospels of the, 103–4, 219–25; on sin, suffering, and atonement, 83–86.
See also
Hebrew Bible
Night
(Wiesel), 7
Noah, 65–66
northern kingdom: Assyrian conquest of, 33, 34–35, 42, 47, 74, 97, 103, 202; creation of the, 73; disobedience of the, 73–74; idolatry and punishment of, 43–47; wealth inequality in the, 97–100.
See also
Israel
Noun, Marcei, 93–96
Noun, Sufi, 94–96
Nyiszli, Miklos, 23–24, 25
“offering of Isaac” story, 168–70
Owen, Wilfred, 58
The Passion of the Christ
(film), 107
Paul: apocalypticism perspective of, 236–37; on consequences of sin, 85; on the end, 242–44; as follower of Christ, 131; on his own suffering, 109–10; Pharisee beliefs of, 237–38; on rejection and salvation, 140–42, 148–51; resurrection teachings by, 238–42; on suffering, 119, 151–53, 244–46
Pentateuch: Deuteronomy stories on disobedience in, 66–69; stories on disobedience and punishment in, 64–66, 101–2
persecution, 146–48
pessimism (apocalyptic), 217
Pharisee sect, 237–38
physical suffering: book of Job on, 162–68, 167, 172–89; book of Job poetic dialogues on, 167, 172–89; disease resulting in, 159–62, 198–99; Ecclesiastes on ephemeral existence and, 189–96; as test of faith, 164–72.
See also
suffering
poetic dialogues (book of Job), 167, 172–89, 195, 275
Poor Richard’s Almanack
(Franklin), 230
Princeton Baptist Church (New Jersey), 2, 6
problem of suffering: Christ as solution to, 272–74; evangelical theology on, 128–31; as problem of faith, 3–19; questions to ask about, 19; theodicy assertions on, 8–10, 26.
See also
suffering
problem of suffering explanations: apocalypticism perspective of, 202–27, 258–60; character building, 263–65; Christ as solution to suffering, 272–74; Dostoevsky’s approach to, 265–70; Ecclesiastes,’ 194–96, 276; exploring biblical, 14–19; free will, 11–13, 197, 230; punishment, 27–42, 61–74, 96; redemptive, 78–83, 132–57; reviewing the offered, 274–78
prophetic writings: on consequences of sin, 96–100; on suffering as punishment, 31–55, 61–62, 203, 264
Psalms laments, 114–19
punishment: atonement used to rescind, 83–86; Hebrew Bible on suffering as, 27–31, 34–42, 61–74, 203, 264; sacrifice used to rescind, 75–86; stoning, 108–9.
See also
suffering as punishment
