Essay Comparing The Book Of Job And The Bhagavad Gita
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The Book of Job and the Bhagavad Gita are two theological texts of contrasting religions, Christianity and Hinduism, yet similarly each explore the relationship between man and the divine and its interactions, particularly through knowledge. Knowledge in and of itself is defined differently within each of the two works, but for our purposes it can be characterized as the realization of the insignificance of man’s knowledge in relation to God’s knowledge—both Job and Arjuna achieve this awareness as a result of their encounters with the divine. However, the manner in which the divine set out to resolve the conflicts posed by their followers differs: Job becomes aware of what his human knowledge lacks in comparison to God’s omniscience; but ultimately,…show more content… However, it is not until Job personally knows suffering that the problem of theodicy presents itself, and Job continues to question God's omnibenevolence because of his own perceived innocence and experience throughout his life of helping others as "the blind man's eyes...feet for the lame...father to the poor"(29:15-18). Job remains faithful, but he grows skeptical and thinks himself more knowledgeable empirically as opposed to his traditionally thinking friends, with whom "all wisdom dies" according to Job (12:2-3). Job wishes to "lay out [his] case before Him...fill [his] mouth with arguments...to learn what words He'd find to answer, and consider what He'd say to [him]". Having asked the question, "Who can refute the words I have spoken?" (24:26) he receives (if not an answer) a set of questions in response from God's first speech, in which He replies, "Who dares speak darkly words with no sense?" (38:2) which introduces God's contention that there is a vast difference between the ranges of finite human and infinite divine knowledge. God's questions, which vary from a tone of seemingly sarcasm and inferiority complex (as an objector…show more content… God is presented as omniscient in both instances, and shows that man is not as knowledgeable as He through God's elaborate speeches depicting all of his creations, and Krishna's eighteen teachings using the battlefield as a metaphor for the field of the human spirit's duty, as well as his revelation of his all-encompassing divine form. Yet, God in the Book of Job only explains the extent of duties and abilities He has from his infinite knowledge, and proves Job is not as knowledgeable; but he does not offer a solution to Job's problem as Krishna does for Arjuna in his guidance. Additionally, if God was truly omniscient, an objector can bring up the question of 'why he would test Job if he did not know that his most honest follower would be faithful? Is there a level of angelic knowledge separate from divine knowledge which can see into human nature, as the Accuser did?' God shows Job the benefits of his tested faith by doubling his fortunes, but this can also be viewed in objection as if it was in restitution for Job's suffering--as God told the onlookers, "I am very angry at you, for you have not spoken rightly about me as did my servant Job" (42:10). The intimidation of God's speeches from his storm cloud could have frightened Job into silent submission without considering the lack