The Subversive Journey of the Book of Job to Post-Biblical Transcendental Faith

This paper critically examines the subversive message in the book of Job against the biblical theology according to which God rewards good people and punishes bad ones. He challenges the biblical ethos of ‘retributive justice’ found in wisdom literature and presents the transcendental view in which God is not subject to human manipulation, as the ideal of faith. The book of Job defies wisdom books such as Ecclesiastes, Proverbs and Psalms, which promote proper behavior through divine reward. He also questions the construction of a social hierarchy built on fear of punishment. Using psychiatrist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross’s stages of grief, the article analyzes Job’s spiritual journey from despair to recovery, emphasizing the achievement of his transcendental faith. The article examines different meanings of faith in the biblical tradition, grief, recovery, reconciliation and forgiveness. It seeks to explain God’s answer to Job and the mutual reconciliation between them despite the disasters caused to Job.