It has been said of the Book of Job: “There is none like it, none in modern or ancient literature”; and, “A book which will, one day, be seen towering far above all the poetry in the world.” These statements do show how profoundly some wise and learned men are affected by the book, but also clearly reveal how much of an enigma it is to them. Such high-sounding phrases contribute nothing, really, to the understanding of it. And they, themselves, do admit to the difficulty of finding the true answer to its story.
The Book of Job is regarded by many as a discussion on the great problem of suffering in the lives of all men and women. There are one or two publications entitled, “The problem of suffering” dealing with Job, but even to the casual reader, it becomes quite evident that many of the questions asked by Job (and asked by men and women today) regarding the different measures of good and evil dealt by life to the human race remain unanswered.
The book does deal with suffering in the life of one man, characterized by the phrase, “My servant.” We find reason for the affliction, and what it was intended to accomplish ; but it remains there within the narrow scope of the phrase “a servant of God.”
Now, it is, we freely acknowledge, a difficult book. But we say this with the reservation in mind that some of our difficulties are self-created. To those who desire precise answers to all problems, there are the questions as to (1) Authorship—Moses ? Elihu ? Hezekiah ? (2) When was it written ? (3) Were all the details precise history ?—or allegory ?—or a mixture of both ? (4) Did the writer put the words in the mouth of his subjects?—or was he the recorder of experiences witnessed and of discussions listened to ?
These, and many others, can provide all the debating material we need for endless discussions with little profit, except possibly for intellectual exercise, and with the end result of drawing a veil over the major lesson of the Book.
We can become like a man who, asked to examine a beautiful painting, becomes so absorbed in examining the technique of the painter, and trying to decipher the name scribbled in the corner, that the grand theme of the picture completely escapes him.
The Book of Job is a masterpiece. It is a delineation of character and of life, from both the human and Divine perspective; with ink instead of paint, and a pen instead of a brush. It is essential that we “stand back” so-to-speak, and view the broad theme with its most serious and compelling lesson, and then there may be time to consider the minor details.
There are three problems that require comment before going on to consider the book : Translation: Students, whose lifework is the deciphering and translating of ancient manuscripts into modern language, tell us that this has been one of the most difficult to translate—being one of the most poorly preserved, and also one of the oldest books, contributes to this, of course.
But the fact that the Jew, for many centuries, did not consider it inspired and, indeed, regarded it quite unsympathetically in contrast with the attitude, for example, toward the prophecies of Isaiah, which were always treated with utmost reverence, and extreme care taken to preserve them, meant that little care was taken to either accurately copy the manuscripts or to preserve the fragments.
These factors, with others, contribute to a dismaying difference of opinion between the experts on the translation of a number of very important passages ; and in one instance, at least, as to who spoke one of the speeches—on Wisdom in the 28th chapter.
Now there are few, if any, brethren competent to challenge translations by authorities—certainly not the average Christadelphian, as is the present writer! We are, in our researches into the deeper meanings of the Word of God, dependent to a great extent on the works of others, and when these disagree to the extent they do in certain parts of the Book of Job it is, to say the least, disconcerting.
However, there are principles which brethren can follow that help in arriving at the respective merits of alternative translations. First, we recognise that the speeches are in Hebrew poetry—at first consideration, perhaps presenting a difficulty. Our everyday tongue is far removed from the beauty, eloquence and idiom which is common to Hebrew poetry. But the unique form of this verse is helpful rather than otherwise–being in the form of parallelism, the thought in the mind of the writer is repeated in slightly different phrasing, to add emphasis, and what we have are synonymous lines.
An excellent example of this may be found in the following familiar passage : Job speaking : (1) “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble ; (2) “He comes forth, like a flower, and withers. He flees, like a shadow, and continues not” (Job 14:1-2).
In the same chapter there is an example of antithetic parallel, in which the thought is repeated but from the negative point of view :
“For there is hope of a tree if it be cut down, That it will sprout again, and its roots will not cease.”
One could cite hundreds of examples, but this is quite sufficient for our purpose.
It is reasonably possible to arrive at the dominating thought in the mind of the speaker, by observing the synonymous phrases he uses to drive home his arguments. In researching this subject, it becomes obvious that the men responsible for the Revised Standard Version, which is being used, in these articles, were guided to a considerable degree in arriving at a solution to difficult passages by this principle ; and their work has clarified to a marked extent the teaching of the Book of Job.
An illustration of a drastic change in the text, which in the present writer’s judgment, is fully justified, is as follows : (Chapter 33:6) :
“Behold, I am according to thy wish in God’s stead, I also am formed out of clay” (Authorised Version). “Behold I am toward God as you are, I, too, was formed from a piece of clay” (R.S.V.).
Brethren who are familiar with the use made of the verse in the A.V. to support the idea that Elihu was the “umpire” desired by Job (9:32-33) will note the drastic change in the scene, but a fair reading of the verses in Chap. 33: 5-i, will demonstrate that the newer rendering is in closer harmony with the thought of the writer.
Our major aim is to make sure that the “alternative’ rendering blends harmoniously into the argument of the speaker, that the rendering is in harmony with the character of the speaker and ox the context of the whole chapter, and finally, that the solution ultimately reached is in harmony with the general teaching of scripture, fully established with Divine principles. With this approach, an understanding is within the reach of any average student; and certainly no brother has any need to feel inadequate in striving at an understanding of the Book of Job.
Our second problem is that of Inspiration : In referring to this as a problem, we do not for a moment question the inspiration of the writer ox the book. Indeed, our admiration for the Divine methods in using men to convey to the living the Mind of God, has been greatly strengthened by the intense study made to the book.
It is a remarkable example of Inspiration. But—because the writer of the Book of Job was inspired to record this “page from life,” does not mean that Job, or his three friends, were inspired. AL no point in the record has any saying by either Job or his friends have a ‘Thus saith the Lord “attached to it ; and, indeed, all four men were severely criticized by Elihu and God for their speeches —the friends” as “dishonest,” and Job’s “without perception or knowledge.”
The speeches of these men have been the source of proof-texts by Christadelphians for many years, but a fair and honest consideration of the foregoing fact brings us to the painful conclusion that little said by any of the men should be taken out of context and used as if it were ‘an expression of Divine wisdom.
It becomes evident, as we study the Book, that many of the statements made by the “friends” were proverbs, and as such are revealing of the well-established theology of the day. Where they become corroborative evidence, but even then, it is extremely doubtful if we are justified in taking them out of their context.
The most famous of the passages found in the Book, “I know that my redeemer liveth” (19:25-27) should be used only with the greatest reservations. We have emphasised this point because it is important to our approach to Job that we do so—if possible—without any bias from traditional points of view. And this brings us to our third matter for comment.
The major problem in reaching an understanding of the Book of Job is a psychological one. It is the long established attitude in our own minds regarding Job as a person. He is, and has been, almost universally regarded with sympathy, as a wonderful man of great faith and integrity, whose sole fault lay in a momentary lapse from grace, due to intense provocation.
That this conception of the man raises very serious problems, we hope to show in future articles. For the present, let us emphasise the necessity of approaching the whole subject without bias of any kind. We would say that of all considerations the one of greatest importance is that of studying the Book, and the man Job, quite dispassionately with as nearly a detached point of view as is within our capabilities.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One