"Life is suffering. `Tis hard, the world is cursed. But still, you find reasons to keep living." Pilfered from an anime, Spirited Away by Hayao Miyazaki, this phrase succinctly sums up the hardships the title character faces and overcomes in Macleish's play, J.B. In the Bible, several phrases echo keenly for the observant reader to notice. One of these phrases, "suffering teaches", pops up more frequently than all the others. Countless times, more often even than assurances of God's love, the issue of suffering reveals itself as tantamount to the Christian understanding of life. Assuming J.B.'s pitiable stance, Nickles questions Mr. Zuss as to the nature and utility of suffering.

Nickles playing his traditional role as questioner, challenges Mr. Zuss, provokes a confrontation with Him. Nickles interrogates God on the import of suffering. "they would find the worms peculiar nurses, wouldn't they"" he shouts as...