Judaism was nevertheless reluctant to make too much of any rival to God, having put such effort into affirming his sole and cosmic power. Some Jews felt that any questioning of or search for understanding of their tragedy was impious as well as a waste of energy. This is the message in the Book of Job, a tale which is the classic cry of pain and anger against unjust suffering, and which provides Satan’s first major debut in biblical literature. Job’s suffering arises not out of anything that he has done, for he is one of God’s most loyal servants; it results from a peculiar and apparently
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