B 141 - Pentecost 19, Proper 22

Sally and Fran talk about the particular character of wisdom literature in Job (1:1; 2:1-10) and the urgent, pastoral and cosmic questions it asks about human suffering and theodicy. We touch on preaching against bad theology, and the way Job disrupts our human judgements. We invite a look at the Hebrews reading (Hebrews 1:1-4:2:5-12) for the radical way in which God in Christ speaks to the suffering of the world. We note Jesus disrupting male privilege when he answers the Pharisees’ question about divorce in Mark 10:2-16, but also the way he diverts their question to talk about t the real focus: our posture as “little ones” towards God in the kingdom. We mention Carol Newsom’s  The New Interpreters Bible: A Commentary in Twelve Volumes ( Job, volume 4).