As I mentioned in the Genesis thread, I'm (very, very slowly) working my way through the Bible again. I'm using three different study Bibles, with different perspectives, which is nice. This time I decided to go through the Bible not from cover-to-cover, but in a semi-chronological way (I just love a good story- so this seemed a good progression for me).
That makes Job the next book. Even though Job was probably written much later, it takes place during the period of the patriarchs, somewhere mid-Genesis.
Anyway, like I did with Genesis, I thought I'd write things that seemed interesting to me as I read Job and the accompanying study notes. Feel free to use this thread to reply to what I've written, or to post any of your own thoughts that pertain to the book of Job. Post whatever you like, whenever you like; just keep it within Job for this thread.
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"I'd place myself... oh... somewhere between Galadriel and Peter Griffin."
"When faced with such pain, it is tempting to give up, to turn one's back on God and embrace the darkness. It is also tempting to try to give people pat answers and to oversimplify great mysteries. To hold on to faith is hard, but to give in is to let the suffering win. Without the light, the darkness is even darker. Faith gives a hope that there is a beyond to all the pain."
- Kevin O'Donnell on the book of Job.
Interesting, tragic, sad and at the end of the book of Job there is hope, happiness and joy like there never was before. As Kevin says, sometimes it's easier to just give up and turn your back on God....oh, but what great reward await in the end if you stick with God no matter what.
Steve
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Lamentation 3:24 The Lord is all I have, and so in him I put my hope.
The book of Job's primary purpose is to address the issue of faith in the face of undeserved suffering. The purpose is not to accurately portray real historical events, nor even to portray real historical people. Job may have been the name of an actual person, but it doesn't matter; the story's message is just as effective whether Job were a real person or a hypothetical/literary character.
Job Chapter 1
The character known as The Accuser (in Hebrew, "ha-satan") is not the malicious enemy of God, "Satan," from later Jewish and Christian literature. In stead, it's a kind of spy/prosecutor, or like a person paid to be a nay-sayer, to give the King a different perspective. He is an officer of the divine court- he works for God, not against Him. Most conservatives view ha-satan as "The Devil" or "Satan," whenever the word appears, regardless of literary context or historical fact.
Job Ch. 2
It's interesting to me-- notice that in chapter one, it is said that Job "did not sin against God," but here in chapter 2, it's said differently: Job "did not sin against God with his lips." Now that the punishment is more severe, Job's sinlessness is not described with the same zealous conviction, leaving some room to question.
Job Ch. 6
My conservative study Bible uses a phrase in this chapter to condemn suicide. The fact that Job wished to die but did not commit suicide is just one step in a long chain of quasi-logical deductions that is used as proof that suicide is a forbidden, sinful act. While I agree that suicide is not right, I don't think this passage is intended to address that issue.
Job Ch. 7
At the end of this chapter, Job begins to acknowledge openly that God is treating him as an enemy. His terrible plight is finally taking its toll (as it would with anyone), making Job desperate and angry.
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Sometimes I don't think there's anything wrong with being angry at God. I think too often people try to hide their anger/desperation when they pray, and mask it in pious phrases like "I don't get it, but I'm leaving it up to You." Resignation is an acceptable response, but I think sometimes God wishes we'd just be honest with him and kick, scream, and cry if that's how we really feel. Some of God's most loving and miraculous responses come in answer to angry (and possibly even "disrespectful") prayers. We shouldn't hide our emotions from the ones we love if we want relationships to flourish-- why should it be different in our relationship to God?
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"I'd place myself... oh... somewhere between Galadriel and Peter Griffin."
Verse 24: The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; he covers the eyes of its judges— if it is not he, who then is it?
Here Job toys with the possibility that God is responsible for evil calamities. If God isn't to blame, then who is? In Exodus chapter 21, unintentional homicide is described as an "act of God." This kind of belief places God in control of every thing that happens; good or bad, God is responsible. Some people might say that when Job asks "if not God, then who?" the answer should be "Satan." But even in this same book of the Bible, we see that "Satan" is a member of God's court, and obeys God's commands. He doesn't act on his own; even if all the suffering of the world is "Satan's" doing, it is still done at God's bidding, according to Job.
Job Ch. 13
Verse 15: See, he will kill me; I have no hope; but I will defend my ways to his face.
The NRSV has a footnote, that another source has "Though He kill me, I will trust in Him." This much softer version is probably changed by a squeamish editor; the original should be "See, He will kill me; I have no hope..." The message differs significantly.
Job Ch. 14
From verse 14: "If mortals die, will they live again?..." This is a rhetorical question, and the assumed answer is negative. Many Christians would respond to the question with a faithful "YES!" but this is definitely a Christian view, not an ancient Hebrew one. In context, this question is supposed to be answered with a no.
Job Ch. 19
"I know that my redeemer liveth." Such a beautiful, faithful statement (if taken out of context). Job is not referring to God as his redeemer- already Job has described God acting as his enemy. God isn't the redeemer Job seeks; God is the one against whom Job hopes to be vindicated (redeemer=vindicator, NRSV text note). Job believes/wishes that one day he will stand before God and demand an explanation for his unjust treatment, and that a mediator/vindicator/redeemer will bring this about.
Even though the whole point of the book of Job is do address unjust suffering, some people still refuse (even today) to accept Job's view that God is responsible for his woes. They insist it is all "Satan's" fault, forgetting in this story that the ha-satan is a servant that does God's bidding! Yet the view that Satan is the one to blame allows God himself to be the "Redeemer" of this chapter, and also avoids the frightening concept of God causing horrible things to happen to a faithful man. It's amazing the contortions through which people go to make the Bible say what they wish it said...
-- Edited by Chris at 10:28, 2006-08-15
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"I'd place myself... oh... somewhere between Galadriel and Peter Griffin."
We're not quite sure who it is doing the talking here. There are two large chunks of text in question: 26:5-14, and 27:7-23. These two passages are seen by many scholars to be "interruptions" by Job's friends, rather than a continuation of a long discourse by Job alone. Some of the many reasons for this belief are: 1. Zophar's final discourse is missing (all the other friends get one additional response to Job). 2. The two passages express beliefs that contradict what Job says elsewhere. 3. After the first "interruption" at the end of Ch. 26, Chapter 27 begins with Job "again taking up his discourse," suggesting that the questionable passage which has just concluded, was not in fact Job speaking.
Job Chapters 32-37
This long diatribe by Elihu is thought to be a later addition by an editor who felt Job's "blasphemous" stance was not rejected soundly enough in the original version of the story. The description of Elihu which begins Chapter 32 likely defines the author's reasons for inserting Elihu's discourse into the existing story- that Job had done God an injustice, and Job's friends hadn't done a good enough job defending God's true nature.
Job Ch. 32
From verse 3: "...they had declared Job to be in the wrong." This should read "they had put God in the wrong." Apparently there are signs that this second reading was the original, and that it was later emended by someone who objected theologically to the original reading.
Job Ch. 33
Elihu approaches the topic from a different angle than any so far. Job asserts his innocence, and Job's friends say that in spite of his assertions, Job is afflicted- therefore he must have a hidden sin. Elihu's take is that the very idea of asserting his innocence is a sin in and of itself- because it puts God in the wrong.
Job Ch. 34
Vv. 14-15: "If (God) should take back his spirit to himself, and gather to himself his breath, all flesh would perish together, and all mortals return to dust." This reflects the view that the spirit of God is the breath of life that dwells in all living creatures. This spirit/breath is not the same as a human spirit (or soul), and it is also different from the Holy Spirit, part of the Trinity.
The difference between this spirit and the others is an important one- too often people see spirit/soul as interchangeable synonyms when applied to humans, and make the same mistake applying spirit/Holy Spirit interchangeably in reference to God. A lot of what we think we know about what happens to humans after death, is actually a result of this mistake and is not really a scriptural view.
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"I'd place myself... oh... somewhere between Galadriel and Peter Griffin."
Heck, there's not much left; I'll just finish it out now.
Job Ch. 42
In verse 6, Job states that he will "repent in dust and ashes." It's a tricky translation- but it could be read "repent of dust and ashes"- which is to say, repent of repentance. It would be in line with Job's other statements- to repent of repenting implies that there is no point in being guilty or innocent, as both the guilty and the innocent are made to suffer (one of the main points in Job).
Verse 10: "And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job when he had prayed for his friends; and the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before."
Note that Job's fortunes weren't restored until after he had prayed for his friends. Even though Job was in the right, he had to forgive them before God would restore Job himself. Note also that no mention is made of God healing Job's physical illness. Either the healing is to be assumed, or Job was only restored financially and with additional children, but remained afflicted with illness the rest of his life.
From verse 11: "... the evil that the Lord had brought upon (Job)..." This verse leaves no unanswered questions as to who was responsible for Job's suffering. A lot of people believe God only does good things, and allows "Satan" to do bad things to people. But in light of this verse, that is not the case. Also remember Job's initial prayer when his children died: "The Lord has given, and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." The good and the bad in our lives all come from God himself, ultimately.
From verse 7, God says: "...(Job's friends) have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has." Even though the friends thought they were being religious and faithful, Job in his honesty spoke what was right...
...trouble is, when did Job speak what was right? When he denied divine justice?!?!?
-- Edited by Chris at 12:54, 2006-09-11
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"I'd place myself... oh... somewhere between Galadriel and Peter Griffin."
