욥기와 투사 삼손에 나타나는 고통의 미학

Abstract

There are at least three different types of suffering that human beings experience. The first type is the one which man goes through even if he had no fault of his own. The suffering of Job can be said this type of suffering. Though he was blameless and upright, he lost his wealth, children, and health. However his friends and his wife were convinced that Job had brought this suffering on himself because he had committed sin. Therefore the greatest trial of Job was not the physical pain or the economical loss but his not being able to understand why God allowed him to suffer. At the outset, when Job faced the disaster he fell into despair by doubting God's righteousness. Although God is present everywhere, Job felt he might seem far away. He was not able to understand fully what the suffering meant to his existence. The writer of the Book of Job shows that suffering can be, but is not always, a penalty for sin. Even those who love God like Job are not exempt from suffering. But it is evident that whether man can understand the meaning of suffering or not, it leads him to rediscover God and his lost identity. Job's suffering is educational. Through suffering he learns that God is enough for his lives and his future. What makes Job achieve his mission from God and rediscover his lost identity through his own recognizing the essential relationship between God and himself is the very suffering that Job experiences. His suffering is the unscrutable gift from God to make him God's true champion. Samson also suffered but his case shows that he himself blames on his suffering because he committed the sin of lechery. Milton's concern lies in showing Samson's inner transformation resulted from his having passed through a series of severe sufferings. He recognizes his faults and makes repentance through the painful experience of trial. He also comes to know that he is a helpless sinner who acted as a petty god. However his suffering leads him to the way of self discovery and he appears to be God's true servant by whom God's providence is fulfilled. Therefore his suffering can be said the painful gift from God which is used as the driving force that causes Samson's repentance and regeneration.