To be sure, some familiar details of the experience of its protagonist have come over into common knowledge. On the contrary, god speaks directly to job, just as he does in the patriarchal age with noah, abraham, isaac, jacob, and other heads of. I would like to explore five ways the book addresses suffering in the following pages. Although it is not yet complete the final volume will cover chapters 3841 and include extensive indexes, this is the best commentary available on the book. Job is expected to have respect for god like a child for his parent even though he, job, does not understand. The book of job consists of a prose prologue and epilogue narrative framing poetic dialogues and monologues. There was a man in the land of uz, whose name was job. The book of job has been widely given the theme of patience and we see this mentioned in the new testament book of james. The satan of the book of job is one of the heavenly minions.
The word biblical commentary delivers the best in biblical scholarship, fro. Welcome to our job 9 explained article, where well study job chapter 9, verses 12 through 23. If you have not read this series from the beginning, i would highly recommend that you go back and start with part 1. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Most books of the bible take place on larger stages, but the book of job goes down at a very specific and narrow point in the human life cycle. Jun 09, 2014 the book of job is one of the most misunderstood books in the bible. Clines, job 120, word biblical commentary dallas, tx. Job s final speech in his own defense is probably where the book originally ended. In each chapter, he provides an incredible bibliography which includes all of the major academic christian, jewish, and secular work cited by experts. Job tyndale old testament commentaries by francis i. Jobs final speech in his own defense is probably where the book originally ended.
See also greg parsons excellent article on job guidelines for understanding and proclaiming the book of job from bibliotheca sacra 151, 1994, pages 3934 introduction the reader who desires to unlock the rich theological treasures contained in the book of job should assume its literary unity. The book of job discusses why god allows pain and suffering. His best friend reggie who is a vital cog with darpa however believes hes been wasting his time and wants his help with a project called the albuquerque door. This article interprets jobs teaching on suffering from five broad perspectives.
Is god to be held to a strict set of regulations based on human interpretations of his relationship with mankind. Clines is one of those commentators who realizes the necessity of dealing not only with the minutiae of the text. The book of job the new international commentary on the old testament. The pattern throughout those chapters is that jobs friends, who are convinced that god prospers the innocent and punishes the guilty, try to convince job. He is director and publisher of sheffield phoenix press, editor of the eightvolume dictionary of classical hebrew, and author of a threevolume commentary on job in the word biblical commentary series. Ive now read through about five commentaries on the book of job. Divisions of the book description of jobs trials ch. Reflections on suffering from the book of job 3 undeserved suffering, therefore, serves as a dependable, useful model12 for the believer of any generation in dealing with the problem of theodicy. Whether in the midst of pain, suffering or agony, the lord will sustain his people through it all for his purposes and glory.
For example, even people who have scant comprehension of the content of the bible are aware of jobs words that the lord gave and the lord has taken. And, of course, we still have the book of job today. The skeptical character of the symposium, with its challenge to timehonored views, most likely would have kept the book of job out of the canon of old testament writings had some additions not been made to the original book. In fact, some scholars believe that job requires and understanding of the book as a whole more than any other book of the old testament. For a summary, consult his commentary in the new bible commentary, 21st century edition, pp. If youd like to study verses 111 read our job 9 commentary and our job 9 summary for verses 2435. He was president of the society for old testament study in 1996 and of the society of biblical literature in 2009. Clines study of job 3842 forms the third and final volume on the book.
I attempt to clear that up by offering a different perspective than most people know today. The two basic meanings of hebrew ishah are woman and wife according to np bratsiotis in theological dictionary of the old testament, vol 1, revised edition, p. David clines does an adequate job of discussing these matters in his commentary on the first twenty chapters of job. But god permitted the satan, one of the heavenly minions, to test job by taking away his wealth, his family 1. The book of job is an obvious place to turn when a christian suffers, but it is not easy to discern what god means to teach his people through this difficult book. Jobs grade on this exam is not a 90%, or 50% or even a 5%, but a 0. The name job is mentioned only 54 times and mostly just in the. Clines deserves to be read thoroughly, though there are times when he is irritatingly defensive on christological implications in the big texts in job.
To understand the full impact of the book of job the book must be read and understood as a whole. Habel has contributed a small but helpful study for preaching the whole book of job. Addressing the problem of theodicy the vindication of the justice of god in the light of humanitys suffering it is a rich theological work setting out a variety of perspectives. He has served as president of the society for old testament study, as well as president of the society of biblical literature. The book of job is one of the most misunderstood books in the bible. Pdf on the poetic achievement of the book of job david. Job 120 word biblical commentary by clines david isbn.
Clines at least since the time of gregory the greats 35 books of moralia in job,1 the book of job has been regarded as a vast quarry for moral truths and wise sayings about the human condition. Guidelines for understanding and proclaiming the book of job. Gunn, clines made the university of sheffield a pioneer in literary readings of the final form of the biblical text. Followers of this approach are sometimes referred to as the sheffield school. Clines for the word biblical commentary series throughout the book that bears his name, job has been crying out to god, asking him to explain the reason for his suffering. In particular, the books of deuteronomy, joshua, judges, 12 samuel, and 12 kings interpret events in terms of adherence or disobedience to the mosaic law myers, 280. Elsewhere job explained his troubles, fears and doubts.
The book of job is all the more fascinating because it sees life quite differently from the deuteronomic view of history that pervades so much of hebrew scripture. There are no references to the law of moses, the tabernacle, the priesthood, the judges or kings, etc. David clines deconstructing the book of job david j. Job 120, 27, 3842 word biblical commentary by david j. Clines is professor emeritus of biblical studies at the university of sheffield, united kingdom.
The skeptical character of the symposium, with its challenge to timehonored views, most likely would have kept the book of job out of the canon of old testament writings had some additions not been made to. Volume 18b is devoted entirely to the response of the lord from the tempest to job, together with the replies of job job 3842, presenting the lords own explanation of his manifold purposes in creation and bringing to an unexpected conclusion jobs dramatic quest for justice. Alfred smith has contributed prac tical insights for lessons and sermons on the book of job. Clines is professor of biblical studies in the university of sheffield england, joint editor of the journal for the study of the old testament, and editor of the dictionary of classical hebrew. These verses may be the most important verses in the book of job. Although job is one of the longer books in the bible, in most churches today it is rarely taught or preached in a comprehensive way. And there is a reality called satan who challenges god that his man is not as good as he thinks he is. Job spends his entire book in a position of sadness and loss. Five truths for sufferers from the book of job the. This series emphasizes a thorough analysis of textual, linguistic, structural, and theological evidence. Book 1 philip and pat juler book 2 chun kertyoo book 3 reg and marjorie vines book 4 david clines book 5 john and grace robertson book 6 bob and vic mccallum book 7 chue petnamngern book 8 vic and jean fleming in the present book, as in my other books, my aim is to provide biblical reference material that bridges two gaps at the same time. The word commentary began planning in 1977, and early volumes. Job wanted a permanent record of the things that he and his friends discovered about god. It is important to clarify at the outset, however, that the book of.
Top 5 commentaries on the book of job ligonier ministries. This evidence, taken together, indicates strongly that the story of. The book of job is one of the most difficult to adequately translate of all the old testament books. Too many christians want to put themselves into the role of a job. The structure of the book is that of a prose prologue and epilogue, while chs. Job explores the difficult question of gods relationship to human suffering, and invites us to trust gods wisdom and character. If we were to film this book, the whole movie would take place on a single set, probably in a single day. This reference in james is the only time job is mentioned by name in the n. Pdf deconstructing the book of job david clines academia. The explanation sections at the end of each chapter brilliantly summarize the views.
The book of job is a very tough book of the bible to understand using just the reasoning found within your human mind. This summary of the book of job provides information about the title, author s, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of job. Andersen job tyndale old testament commentaries, 1976. Difficult portions of the hebrew text are thoroughly handled, but the commentary is written for the nontechnical. Clines studied at the university of sydney and st johns college, cambridge career. In 2003, a festschrift was published in his honour. You can find the best commentary on job for you using the tools on the right side.
Job s grade on this exam is not a 90%, or 50% or even a 5%, but a 0. Whole chapters of the book are devoted to speeches by jobs counselors. Clines uncovers the driving force of the argument and the drama of the book. Following the format of the word biblical commentary series, david j.
Clines served as president of the society of biblical literature in 2009. The fold begins on an interesting premise, leland mike erikson is a high school teacher in a quintessential maine town and is very content with his job. The big picture of job is that there was a man who was, in one sense, blameless in gods sight. The word biblical commentary delivers the best in biblical scholarship, from the leading scholars of our day who share a commitment to scripture as divine revelation. The book of job has a special poignancy in the age after the holocaust shoah of the 20th cent. Throughout the book that bears his name, job has been crying out to god, asking him to explain the reason for his suffering. The book of job, among the greatest masterpieces of world literature, deserves a commentary alert both to the windings of its arguments and to the massive. It is common to view the narrative frame as the original core of the book, enlarged later by the poetic dialogues and discourses, and sections of the book such as the elihu speeches and the wisdom poem of chapter 28 as late insertions, but recent trends have tended to concentrate on the. Although most of the book consists of the words of job and his friends, job himself was not the author. In my opinion, the book of job is a greatly underused resource for endurance in discipleship in the midst of deep pain. Introductory issues of date, authorship, purpose etc. The book of job continues to challenge and puzzle readers who seek to engage honestly with it. Five truths for sufferers from the book of job the gospel.
Communicating the book of job in the twentyfirst century. Hebrew hasatan, the accuser, is best understood as a title in each of its 14 occurrences in job because of the presence of the definite article the hebrew ha. Thus only in 2011 is david clines majestic opus on the book of job. Set in uz, an obscure land far from israel, during an unknown time period, the book of job focuses on questions about gods justice and why good people suffer. The book of job does not give an answer concerning the question of the problem of evil, but it does call christians to humbly trust in the lord. The book of job represents the supreme achievement of hebrew wisdom. The book of job is a highly controversial book of mostly confusing information. And seven sons and three daughters were born to him. John hartley the book of job new international commentary on the old testament, 1988. The context for any passage in the book of job has to begin with chapter 1, which establishes jobs excellent character 1. At the same time, it also asks the question we rarely. Job was humbled by the lord when he revealed himself to job in chapter 42. The book of job new international commentary on the old testament by.
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