A commentary on mans faith and
A commentary on mans faith andA Commentary on Man’s Faith and his Guilt
Archibald MacLeish raised many thought provoking questions in the play J.B.. The Book of Job had already asked some of these questions, while others were very original and insightful. MacLeish offers many powerful thoughts on the relationship between man and God, some of which are disturbing to consider.
Nickels lost his faith in both God and man. He believes that the purpose of life is merely to survive and not to live. Nickles says,
There must be thousands!... Millions and millions of mankind burned, crushed, broken, mutilated, slaughtered, and for what? For thinking! For walking around the world in the wrong skin, the wrong shaped noises, eyelids: sleeping the wrong night wrong city- London, Dresden, Hiroshima. (MacLeish, 12)
In fact the only thing that Nickels did have faith in was that J.B. would curse God if tested. Mr. Zuss, on the other hand, has complete faith in humanity and J.B. He knows of J.B.’s strength and his ability to love God. In short, Mr. Zuss has faith in J.B.’s faith. However, J.B.’s faith in God is ill founded. J.B.’s faith in God is based on the fact that he believes God to be just, but is God really just? If he is then why does J.B. suffer so? Maybe it is just J.B.’s notion of justice that is incorrect. Bildad comments on the notion of justice, “History is justice! – Time inexorably turned to truth!… One man’s suffering won’t count, no matter what his suffering; but all will. At the end there will be justice! – Justice for All! Justice for everyone!” (MacLeish, p121). This can be taken to mean that there is no justice for individuals only for mankind as a whole. So if this is the case, how does J.B. manage to keep his faith when he finds out that there was no reason for his suffering? The deaths of his children, the loss of his wealth and the corruption of his health were all done for no cause and yet J.B. maintains his love for God. Why? Perhaps J.B. now puts his faith in the fact that God is all knowing and has a plan for each of us that we cannot hope to understand. After all, is that not the definition of faith, to put ones trust into something that is beyond comprehension. J.B. realizes this in the end,
I know that thou canst do everything... and that no thought can be withholden from thee. .. Therefore have I uttered that I understood not: Things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. I have heard of thee by the hearing ear... but now... mine eye seeth thee! Wherefore I abhor myself... and repent... (MacLeish, 132)
The three “comforters” offer some intriguing thoughts...
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