./PICS/
Gates of Heck: JOE COLEMAN Gallery: The Man of
Sorrows: JOB
he Old
Testament story of Job inspired the idea of the crucified
Messiah who conquers through suffering and death. God and
Satan play a sadistic game at Job's expense, trying to outdo
each other in tormenting him both physically and spiritually
until he is left with nothing. Job reveals the inherent
cruelty of God when he says: "Both the innocent and the
wicked he destroys. When the scourge slays suddenly, he
laughs at the despair of the innocent. The earth is given
into the hands of the wicked; he covers the faces of the
judges. If it is not he, then who is it?" JOB 9:22-24.
Although Job suffers far longer than Jesus did and with no
hope of a heavenly reward, only a man as well versed in
scripture as Jesus could transform the pain and humiliation
of Job into religious masochism and call it "The
Passion."
Here Job is shown sitting naked on a pile
of straw - all that remains of his riches - and flanked by
God and Satan. He is covered with syphilitic boils, as if
God has invaded his body as a venereal infection. Above
Job's head is the sign of the cross, foreshadowing Jesus'
succession to the throne of sufffering.
"Why did I not perish at birth, come
forth from the womb and expire." Job 3:11
he Old
Testament story of Job inspired the idea of the crucified
Messiah who conquers through suffering and death. God and
Satan play a sadistic game at Job's expense, trying to outdo
each other in tormenting him both physically and spiritually
until he is left with nothing. Job reveals the inherent
cruelty of God when he says: "Both the innocent and the
wicked he destroys. When the scourge slays suddenly, he
laughs at the despair of the innocent. The earth is given
into the hands of the wicked; he covers the faces of the
judges. If it is not he, then who is it?" JOB 9:22-24.
Although Job suffers far longer than Jesus did and with no
hope of a heavenly reward, only a man as well versed in
scripture as Jesus could transform the pain and humiliation
of Job into religious masochism and call it "The
Passion."