Studies in the book of Job.

It is thought this book is very old – probably as old as Genesis.

The book of Job is about suffering and shows that suffering is not necessarily the result of sin, but a testing of faith – the Lord gives and the Lord takes away.

Many Christians have seen a progression of Job’s understanding towards that of a redeemer who would be an advocate for him to God through the chapters 9, 16 and 19. And this would lead to his physical resurrection.

A close study of the Hebrew shows this is not valid. To try to get to the bottom of the true meaning Young’ literal translation and the Jerusalem Bible (the one translated by Jews for Jews, in Jerusalem, to use in English) have been used and compared. It has to be remembered that Young was a Christian and if there is a choice of meaning he uses that which fits his Christian understanding.

Job ch. 9 v32. And 33 Young has : " But if a man like myself – I answer him. We come together in judgement. I f there were between us an umpire, he doth place his hand o n us both. He doth turn aside from off me his rod…"

Jerusalem Bible has :" For he is not a man as I am that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgement. There is no umpire between us, who might lay his hand upon us both. Let him take away his rod from me.."

In fact the Hebrew says : "there is no man between to arbitrate" (or justify or put right, to make level, or be strong) It is a similar phrase as used in 1 Samuel 17 of Goliath being between the two hosts as a champion.

So this passage is saying Job realises there is NO MEDIATOR BETWEEN HIM AND GOD to act as an arbitrator

Job 16 verses 19 –21. Young has :.." in the heavens is my witness and my testifier in high places. My interpreter is my friend, unto to God hath my eye dropped, and he reasoneth for a man with God, and a son of man for his friend."

In the Jerusalem Bible it has :" My friends scorn me, but my eye pours out tears to God. Oh that a man might plead his cause with God, as a son of man with his fellows."

You may ask how can interpreter and scorn be the same word? It means literally to mimic foreign speech and so can mean to translate or to ridicule.

It is used again in Job 33 v 23, where an angel is called an interpreter.

But the context of chapter 9 is that of the friends who are anything but comforters!

Job wishes that it was possible to plead your cause with God as you can with another human being, because it is possible to overcome them – the Hebrew gives the sense of the one pleading overcoming like a strong warrior. But again he is acknowledging that there is no way a man can overcome God.

Job 19 v 25 & 26. Young’s: "I know my Redeemer, the Living and the Last, for the dust he doth rise. And after this skin hath encompassed this body, then from my flesh I see God; whom I see on my side, and my eyes have beheld,and not a stranger, and consumed have been my reigns in my bosom." It must be said that Young does have the word body in italics to show it is not there in the original text. But he uses capital letter, which are not in Hebrew at all, to show connection with the deity

The Jerusalem Bible has : "I know my avenger lives (can mean redeemer, one who sets free, or performs a vendetta) and he who outlives all things will rise when I shall be dust (or exist as earth which fine powder like dust) But whilst I am still in my flesh, though it be after my skin be torn from my body, I would see God, that I might see him for myself – that my eyes might behold, not another, in longing for that my reigns are consumed within me."

In Hebrew the word for skin used here can mean blindness! So it is saying the skin will be removed and he will see and know God properly one day for himself – like having a ca taract removed! This makes perfect sense it the context.

In Job 14 v 14 "If a man dies shall he live again?"

Also v 10 "Man dieth, wasteth away, giveth up the ghost, and where is he now?"

And v 12 "A man lies down and does not rise, until heavens be no more they shall not awake, nor be raise d out of their sleep."

Perhaps this is why there is very little indeed in the Torah – the writings of Moses on the subject of death and after life- which is strange considering his life for 40 years in Egypt where they were obsessed with the subject – it is not for the people of YHWH to be concerned but to trust him –as Job says though he slay me! (Job 13 v15 " Though he slay me yet I will trust him, yet I will maintain my ways – a hypocrite cannot come before him". That is the test of the book of Job – would he still worship God no matter what happened? Is this the meaning of the Holocaust for Jews and a witness they had to make to the world – that God is God whatever?

Even the adversary agrees "It was without cause" (ch. 1)

Job’s friends do not offer any practical help because they believe God is punishing Job – it is the same with the Jews. Like Job they too have endured terrible loss and suffering, but also,as he did, a spiritual humiliation as the "chosen people of God".

It is an ironic Jewish joke " Why don’t you choose someone else for a change?"

It has been assumed that they deserve what they get because they killed Christ, killed God, and rejected Jesus as Messiah.

Job’s friends say much and God is silent until they have all had their say.

The friends were presumptuous, sincere,but wrong.

next section : Is there a resurrection?