Author: Al
Posted: 2007-01-15 11:57:06
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Disciple Week 15
This week is the whole book of Job and then some. I said earlier in this course that I used to think that I had read Job and didn't like it. Apparently I had read summaries of the book and didn't like them. Thus far, what I have read of Job has been amazing. It is a testament to the intelligence and thoughtfulness of the early Jews. Why, oh why, do all of the summaries given to children take out the interesting parts of the book? Oh well.
Before getting into the reading, I thought it pertinent to discuss the two views on Job held by believers. Some say that it is a fiction, and some say that it is more, or less a history.
My favorite commentators (Clarke and Wesley) are mostly silent on the issue, but some of my old stand-bys (Henry and JFB) fall into the history camp.
Matthew Henry:
II. We are sure that it is, for the substance of it, a true history, and not a romance, though the dialogues are poetical. No doubt there was such a man as Job; the prophet Ezekiel names him with Noah and Daniel, Ezekiel 14:14. The narrative we have here of his prosperity and piety, his strange afflictions and exemplary patience, the substance of his conferences with his friends, and God's discourse with him out of the whirlwind, with his return at length to a very prosperous condition, no doubt is exactly true, though the inspired penman is allowed the usual liberty of putting the matter of which Job and his friends discoursed into his own words.
JFB:
JOB A REAL PERSON.--It has been supposed by some that the book of Job is an allegory, not a real narrative, on account of the artificial character of many of its statements. Thus the sacred numbers, three and seven, often occur. He had seven thousand sheep, seven sons, both before and after his trials; his three friends sit down with him seven days and seven nights; both before and after his trials he had three daughters. So also the number and form of the speeches of the several speakers seem to be artificial. The name of Job, too, is derived from an Arabic word signifying repentance.
But Ezekiel 14:14 conjunction with "Noah and Daniel," real persons. St. James (James 5:11 he would not have been likely to do had Job been only a fictitious person. Also the names of persons and places are specified with a particularity not to be looked for in an allegory. As to the exact doubling of his possessions after his restoration, no doubt the round number is given for the exact number, as the latter approached near the former; this is often done in undoubtedly historical books. As to the studied number and form of the speeches, it seems likely that the arguments were substantially those which appear in the book, but that the studied and poetic form was given by Job himself, guided by the Holy Spirit. He lived one hundred and forty years after his trials, and nothing would be more natural than that he should, at his leisure, mould into a perfect form the arguments used in the momentous debate, for the instruction of the Church in all ages. Probably, too, the debate itself occupied several sittings; and the number of speeches assigned to each was arranged by preconcerted agreement, and each was allowed the interval of a day or more to prepare carefully his speech and replies; this will account for the speakers bringing forward their arguments in regular series, no one speaking out of his turn. As to the name Job--repentance (supposing the derivation correct)--it was common in old times to give a name from circumstances which occurred at an advanced period of life, and this is no argument against the reality of the person.
Scofield:
Job is in form a dramatic poem. It is probably the oldest of the Bible books, and was certainly written before the giving of the law. It would have been impossible, in a discussion covering the whole field of sin, of the providential government of God, and man's relation to Him, to avoid all reference to the law if the law had then been known. Job was a veritable personage (Ezekiel 14:20; James 5:11), and the events are historical. The book sheds a remarkable light on the philosophic breadth and intellectual culture of the patriarchal age. The problem is, Why do the godly suffer?
Job is in seven parts:
Prologue, 1:1-2:8.
Job and his wife, 2:9,10.
Job and his three friends, 2:11-31:40.
Job and Elihu, 32:1-37:24.
Jehovah and Job, 38:1-41:34.
Job's final answer, 42:1-6.
Epilogue, 42:7-17.
The events recorded in Job cover a period within 1 year.
I fall into the camp that calls the story a parable or allegory. The quotation of Job by other scriptures does not sway me. People make reference to popular fictional characters all of the time as though they were real live people. What does stand out is the lack of history and connectedness on the part of Job. He has no lineage or descendants in the rest of the Bible. He hails from a place outside of Israel and is thus not part of the chosen people. If the book was written in or around the time of Moses, he was in an area where monotheism was nonexistent. Also, if the book was written then, it would have served a great need by instructing the slaves of Egypt why they suffered as they did.
MacLaren says that it does not matter whether this is a true story or not:
This book of Job wrestles with the problem of the meaning of the mystery of sorrow. Whether history or a parable, its worth is the same, as tortured hearts have felt for countless centuries, and will feel to the end. Perhaps no picture that was ever painted is grander and more touching than that of the man of Uz, in the antique wealth and happiness of his brighter days, rich, joyful, with his children round him, living in men's honour, and walking upright before God. Then come the dramatic completeness and suddenness of his great trials. One day strips him of all, and stripped of all he rises to a loftier dignity, for there is a majesty as well as an isolation in his sorrow.
How many spirits tossed by afflictions have found peace in these words! How many quivering lips have tried to utter their grave, calm accents! To how many of us are they hallowed by memories of times when they stood between us and despair!
They seem to me to say everything that can be said about our trials and losses, to set forth the whole truth of the facts, and to present the whole series of feelings with which good men may and should be exercised.
MacLaren is right here, in that the message is far more important than the details of the story's origin.
Day 1
Job 1 - 10
Chapters 1 2 seem to obviously lend themselves as evidence that this story is fictional. There are things in it to which no human could be privy. The Eternal's discourse with the Adversary is both out of character (seems awfully Greek to me) and unobservable. It could be that this was a divine revelation, but the scripture offers no such evidence for that (a la The Revelation of John). The only other option is that this is artistic license taken by the historian of Job to keep the story interesting. This is plausible, but wholly unnecessary as the real meat of the book lies not in the first two chapters. If you had this beautiful true story to work from, then why put in conjecture about the thoughts and whims of God?
Scofield gives us a psycological examination of each of Jobs friends. I will present them as we arrive at them.
Elephaz (Job 4):
Eliphaz is a religious dogmatist whose dogmatism rests upon a mysterious and remarkable experience Job 4:12-16. Did a spirit ever pass before Job's face? Did Job's hair of his flesh ever stand up? Then let him be meek while one so superior as Eliphaz declares the causes of his misfortunes. Eliphaz says many true things (as do the others), and often rises into eloquence, but he remains hard and cruel, a dogmatist who must be heard because of one remarkable experience.
Bildad (Job 8):
Bildad is a religious dogmatist of the superficial kind, whose dogmatism rests upon tradition (e.g.) Job 8:8-10 and upon proverbial wisdom and approved pious phrases. These abound in all his discourses. His platitudes are true enough, but then every one knows them. ; Job 9:1,2; 13:2 nor do they shed any light on such a problem as Job's.
Day 2
Job 11 19
Continuing with Scofield's commentary on Job's friends.
Zophar (Job 11)
Zophar is a religious dogmatist who assumes to know all about God; what God will do in any given case, why He will do it, and all His thoughts about it. Of all forms of dogmatism this is most irreverent, and least open to reason.
Day 3
Job 20 31
Clarke on 20:2
Verse 2. Therefore do my thoughts] It has already been observed that Zophar was the most inveterate of all Job's enemies, for we really must cease to call them friends. He sets no bounds to his invective, and outrages every rule of charity. A man of such a bitter spirit must have been, in general, very unhappy. With him Job is, by insinuation, every thing that is base, vile, and hypocritical. Mr. Good translates this verse thus: "Whither would my tumult transport me? And how far my agitation within me?" This is all the modesty that appears in Zophar's discourse. He acknowledges that he is pressed by the impetuosity of his spirit to reply to Job's self-vindication. The original is variously translated, but the sense is as above.
Day 4
Job 32 27
Again, Scofield gives us some insight into the speaker. This time it is Elihu:
Elihu has a far juster and more spiritual conception of the problem than Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar because he has an infinitely higher conception of God. The God of Eliphaz and the others, great though they perceive Him to be in His works, becomes in their thought petty and exacting in His relations with mankind. It is the fatal misconception of all religious externalists and moralizers. Their God is always a small God. Elihu's account of God is noble and true, and it is noteworthy that at the last Jehovah does not class him with Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar (cf) Job 42:7 but he is still a dogmatist, and his eloquent discourse is marred by self-assertiveness (e.g) ; Job 32:8,9; 33:3. Jehovah's judgment of Elihu is that he darkened counsel by words Job 38:2 the very charge that Elihu had brought against Job. ; Job 34:35; 35:16. Furthermore, the discourse of Jehovah is wholly free from the accusations of Job with which even Elihu's lofty discourse abounds.
Day 5
Job 38 42
Scofield on 38:
The words of jehovah have the effect of bringing Job consciously into His presence. Job 42:5. Hitherto the discussions have been about God, but He has been conceived as absent. Now Job and the Lord are face to face. It is noteworthy that Job does not answer Elihu. Despite his harsh judgment he has spoken so truly about God that Job remains silent. Job 38:1 might be paraphrased, "Then Jehovah answered for or on behalf of Job."
Day 6
I am going to ignore the questions in the book this week. They are silly as usual.
The thing that I wish to discuss is the meaning of Job. The audience was most likely a group of Jobs. Thus the predominant moral in Job would be to not wallow in self-pity. There is another moral here that a prosperous nation such as ourselves could benefit from. Do not equate suffering with punishment. We seem so inclined to look at sufferers as being punished by God, and so disdainful of the thought that we might be instruments of deliverance. |
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