Hier sind fünf hilfreiche Hinweise des Literaturwissenschaftlers Leland Ryken für das Studium von Hiob.
- Literarisches Meistermerk: Considered from a purely literary perspective, the book of Job is the supreme literary achievement of the Old Testament.
- Leid als Thema der Weltliteratur: No theme in world literature is more important than that of wisdom through suffering.
- Verlangsamtes Lesen: The fact that the book is a poetic drama means that we need to settle down for a slow read, not a fast one.
- Diskussion der Frage nach dem Leid: A philosophic question is posed at the outset, and then the characters discuss the problem, propose answers to it, and interact with their proposed ideas and solutions.
- Wenige Hauptideen: Only a few ideas are introduced and then repeated: God is just (the friends’ viewpoint); God is unjust (Job’s viewpoint); Job is guilty of sin and needs to repent (the friends’ viewpoint); Job is innocent (Job’s viewpoint); if Job will only confess and repent, God will restore him (the friends’ viewpoint).
Leland Ryken. Literary Introductions to the Books of the Bible. Crossway: Wheaton, 20015.
