In the book ofJob, Satan plays the role of the serpent, this time tempting God rather than humans. In Eden the serpent suggested humans should suspect God's inner motives, intimating that God was animated by competition and jealousy rather than love. In the book of job, Satan suggests to God that job's secret inner motive is greed. He wants what God can give him. God yields to this fear of deception, to resentment. He authorizes Satan's violence.
