The central message of Job

Commentary

I got a high distinction for this exam answer (86%). The exam question asked what the central message of Job is and gave a quote from Hill and Walton (as I recall). All in all, I was pretty happy with my work on this one.

I’ll repeat my comment on my mark as I wrote on my Chronicles essay. I include my marks because they are an important indicator of the quality of the answer for your information. I am acutely conscious that glory is to God rather than my poor efforts – whence is wisdom after all? Praise Yahweh for his blessings and the opportunity to seek out his wisdom.

Again, note that I will reference secondary sources without a bibliography and footnotes. The simple fact is that none of this is possible in exam conditions because we don’t have access to these references or even the internet during the exam. I am quoting from memory and because I am getting old, that memory might be fading a little!

The Central Message of Job

Dumbrell refers to the book of Job as a “folksy tale”. There is a sense where the broad outline of the book and its probably origin lends itself to such an observation. The book even starts off in the time honoured tradition of “There once was a man…” (Job 1:1)

Hill and Walton (and Dumbrell for that matter) however assert a much deeper theological message about the policy of God in rewarding the righteous and on the central understanding of Wisdom that the book develops.

Origin

The book originates fairly clearly to the time of the Patriarchs but its compilation (at least the version we have) is probably closer to the time of the exile or even post exile. It does mirror other Ancient Near East (ANE) literature that also explores the meaning of suffering and if recited and perhaps compiled during the exile, may have given some solace to the exiles as to the meaning of suffering.

Structure

The book consists of a prologue, three cycles of dialogues that reduce in length with each cycle, a hymn to Wisdom (ch 28), three monoloues and an epilogue.

The Premise

The premise of the story is virtually instigated by Yahweh himself when he says to the Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job?” (Ch 1:8). The Satan or adversary is one who is opposed to the purposes of Yahweh but is not otherwise identified. Scholars note that the theology of Satan was not developed until the exile or later, which assists with dating the book’s compilation. The Satan then establishes the fundamental premise of the book. “Does Job fear God for nothing?” (ch 1:9)

In essence the Satan is calling into question God’s policy of blessing the righteous, reducing righteousness to a transaction where the righteous maintain their righteousness in exchange for God’s blessings. The central message of the book of Job is a question, whether humanity will love God for himself or whether that righteousness is in exchange for his benefits.

Job’s Integrity

In the face of this position of the Satan, God withdraws his blessings of wealth and family. Job maintains his integrity. “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there; Yahweh gave, and Yahweh has taken away; blessed be the name of Yahweh.” (Ch 1:21).

In this, Job vindicates Yahweh’s policy. But the Satan is not finished. He feels that he hasn’t pushed far enough. Yahweh again points out to the Satan the righteousness of Job, that even in the face of this loss, Job is “a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil. He still persists in his integrity…” (Ch 2:3) God acknowledges his own sovereignty in taking away his blessings from Job, “You incited me against him, to destroy him for no reason.” (Ch 2:3) The Satan challenges God and Job, his servant, further. “Stretch out your hand now and touch his bone and his flesh…” (Ch 2:5) and he will abandon his righteousness.

Job’s health is the next target and now even his wife tells him to abandon his integrity (Ch 3:9) “Do you still persist in your integrity?”

The Dialogues and Monolgues

This sets up the dialogues between Job and his three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar. The identity of the three friends is somewhat irrelevant (save as they are differentiated by their approach to the common argument to the retribution principle, which they do not really understand.) They act as a foil to Job in annunciating this principle. They argue that Job is especially sinful and that these misfortunes are the direct result of his sin. Job on the other hand protests his innocence and mostly argues for an opportunity to virtually arraign the Almighty in court so that he can plead his case. This continues for three cycles of dialogue, with the third cycle omitting Zophar.

It should be noted that Dumbrell points to the Divine summation of Job relative to these three friends in the Epilogue. Job 42:7 and 8 both repeat Yahweh’s position that Job has spoken what is right, where the three friends have not. This is a relative position. Job is still rebuked in the face of Yahweh’s wisdom. The hymn to wisdom in Chapter 28 introduces this concept to the book. The thrust of this introduced hymn in the text (perhaps by the compiler of the book) is found in verses 20 through 24. “Where then does wisdom come from… God understands the way of it…”

Elihu

The book then introduces another character in the younger man, Elihu. Elihu seems to be in the text to prepare Job for the speeches of Yahweh. Elihu is largely exalting of God and his wisdom over that of Job and his three friends. Once he makes his speeches, he disappears from the text.

God’s Wisdom

God then picks up the theme of Wisdom as he knows it, rebukes Job and then establishes the fact that God’s wisdom exceeds human understanding and that he is the ultimate sovereign and cannot be arraigned by one such as Job.

The Central Message is found in the Epilogue

The epilogue does not answer Job’s question. It establishes instead that Job would maintain his integrity and be blessed once again.

Hill and Walton point out that even though Job was vindicated and became mediator to his three friends, even though he was vindicated in the restoration of his wealth, health and wellbeing, none of this is important. The real vindication is of God’s policy of blessing his righteous ones. The point of the book, its central message is that God is just and we can infer this from his wisdom. God is wise to bless the righteous because the truly righteous will maintain their integrity regardless of blessings or cursings. Job maintained his integrity for his relationship with God, not for the benefits that relationship brought to him. God would return to his policy of blessing the righteous, as he does Job at the end of the book.

The book is a story of the vindication of Yahweh’s policy of blessing the righteous who worship him for himself, not his blessings.