Reading Job: A Literary and Theological Commentary (Reading the Old Testament | RtOT)

“Why do bad things happen to good people?” It’s a question that we all struggle with at some point in our lives—and the central issue in the book of Job. James Crenshaw has devoted his life to studying the disturbing matter of God’s sometimes seeming lack of justice. Few individuals read the book of Job and remain unmoved. If they seek answers, they likely will be disappointed. Many find the depiction of God troubling. However, if God were merely to meet our expectations, the Creator would would be nothing more than our own projections into the heavens. Crenshaw says that the ancient poet serves readers best by starkly portraying the brutal reality that life and this world are not fair—and that justice is a human project.