‘A job’s tidings’, ‘as poor as Job’ and ‘a Job’s patience’ are three sayings that come from the Biblical story about Job. This Job is known for his suffering, his rebellion and his tenacity. Once he was a rich and happy man, but when Satan struck him he became poor and sick. His friends try to comfort him, but they end up in a heated argument with Job. The big question at stake is the why of suffering. Why is this happening to me? Is it a matter of cause and effect, boontje comes for his wages, or is there another perspective?
The structure of the Bible book of Job
The Bible book of Job begins with a prologue (Job 1, 2) and ends with an epilogue (Job 42: 7-17). Both the prologue and epilogue are written in prose. They tell the story of Job. In between are the conversations that Job has with his friends, the words of Elihu and the words of God himself. All this is described in poetry. There is also a song of praise to wisdom in Job (Job 28).
The author(s) of the Bible book of Job
It is almost impossible that the different parts of the book were written by one author. According to the Talmud, Moses is the author and Job is said to have lived at the same time as Moses. Biblical scholars today believe that the book was probably written around the fifth or fourth century BCE. As an oral narrative, the story has existed longer. Two centuries earlier, the prophet Ezekiel mentioned three people who were known for their great faith, namely Noah, Job and Daniel (Ezekiel 14: 14, 20).
The righteous and rich Job
The book of the Bible begins with a description of Job. He is not an Israelite but a pagan from ‘the land of Uz’. It may be a place in Edom. Job is described as one who does good, a righteous and pious man. Job is rich. He has many children and many properties. He is a happy person. Job is also very religious. He does his utmost to live according to God’s will and to serve Him. He wants to do the right thing. He is a religious man.
In the land of Uz lived a man named Job. He was righteous and blameless, he feared God and shunned evil. Job had seven sons and three daughters. He owned seven thousand sheep and goats, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred asses, and a great number of male and female servants. He was the greatest man in the East (Job 1:1-3).
Job tested by Satan
Satan Strikes Job / Source: William Blake, Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
After this sketch of the pious Job, the Bible story focuses on a heavenly event. God is talking to Satan. Satan questions Job’s faith. ‘Would Job really fear God so much for no reason? After all, you protect him, as well as his family and everything that belongs to him. You have blessed the work he does, so that his wealth increases more and more. But if you stretch out your hand against him and touch what belongs to him, he will undoubtedly curse you to your face (Job 1:9-11). With God’s approval, Satan is allowed to have his way. He leaves no stone unturned. Lightning strikes the house where all of Job’s children are. No one survives. When his cattle are robbed. He no longer owns anything. Yet Job continues to believe. He remains faithful to God.
When Satan is talking to God again, he admits that people can continue to believe when things are against them, as long as you don’t touch them. Satan says, “But if you stretch out your hand against him and touch his body, he will surely curse you to your face” (Job 2:5). Satan is now allowed to have his way again. He hits Job with spheres of sickness and misery. Job ends up in the garbage dump outside the city where he scratches his wounds with shards. He doesn’t say goodbye to God either. Job recognizes that they must accept not only good but also evil from God. Through this testimony of Job, Satan has been defeated. He does not appear again in the book.
Job’s wife
Job’s wife is the most controversial character in the book. The church father Augustine called her ‘the devil’s helper’, but it is too quickly ignored that she is also a victim of the accident. Job’s wife is also struck by disaster. She also lost her children, her property. She suffers with her husband. She can’t take it anymore and advises her husband to distance himself from God.
His wife said to him, ‘Why do you remain so blameless? Curse God and die.’ 10 But Job said to her, “Your words are the words of a fool. We accept all good from God, should we not accept evil?’ Despite everything, Job did not sin or speak an unruly word (Job 2:9-10).
The rebellious Job asks the why of his suffering
The second part of the Bible book of Job describes Job’s rebellion. His friends come from far away to visit him. When they see him they are frightened and remain silent for seven days. In this way they try to do justice to Job’s suffering. They mourn with Job. But not much comes of their comfort. His friends rely on the traditional idea that misery and disaster are punishment for sins committed. They agree with statements such as ‘he who does good, gets good’ or ‘a bean gets his money’s worth’. Job vehemently denies this. He does not believe in the dogma of retaliation. And if he keeps saying that it is unfair that this suffering happens to him, they start arguing with him. They started out as Job’s helpers and they end up blaming him for everything he has done wrong. For example, his friend Eliphaz states: ‘Blessed is the man whom God disciplines; therefore do not reject the punishment of the Awesome!’ (Job 5:17). This is the best way for them to deal with it, because if Job were not to blame for his suffering, something similar could happen to them at any moment. They’d rather not think about that.
Job’s tenacity
Job clings to his own innocence. He reacts angrily to his friends’ accusations: I have committed no sin in the past that should cause such suffering now. He wonders to what do I owe this suffering? Where is God? Why doesn’t he do anything? Job calls God to account. He wants to hear from God himself why this suffering has affected him. He indicates that his friends are doing him more harm than good. Job cries out for justice in his miserable situation.
To this Job replied, “How long will you torment me, how long will you torture me with words? You insult me again and again, is it not a shame to humiliate me like this? If I have really erred, then it is my error, isn’t it? If you really think yourself so much better and consider my humiliation justified, then know that God has turned against me, that he is tightening his net around me. I shout: ‘Injustice!’ – but get no answer. I cry for help – but find no justice (Job 19:1-7).
God’s answers to Job
Job receives an answer from God. That’s special. Not everyone gets an answer from God. God gives him two answers. Step by step God shows how great he is. First, God shows how great he is by pointing to his creation. Job says, I put my hand on my mouth. But God is not satisfied with that. God says: ‘If you criticize my justice, then be the judge yourself, if you can.’ Job then admits that he has spoken wrongly. God shows in his answers that he does not fit into human boxes. God is greater than anyone can imagine. This gives Job a new perspective on his suffering.
Job’s response to God’s answer
When Job sees how great God is, how great his creation is, he bows down before God. He recognizes that he has no right to call God to account. Job has risen above the old idea of retribution and reward and he realizes that his friends have deceived him.
Now Job answered the Lord, “I know that nothing is beyond your power, and no plan is beyond your power. Who was I that, through my ignorance, I wanted to cover up your decision? Truly, I spoke without any understanding, of miracles too great for me to comprehend (Job 42:1-3).
God answers again
When God sees how Job humbles himself before him, God indicates that Job did well to ask questions. It was good that he opposed the dogma of retaliation and reward. Job asked good questions about his relationship with God in suffering. Job’s friends against this have spoken wrongly about God. They have not thought from the perspective of Job but from a general theological doctrine, namely that of retribution. Job must pray for his friends. Thus God spoke to his friends: ‘Job my servant will pray for you, for I am well disposed towards him alone. Then I will not expose you to shame, even if you have not spoken aright about me, like my servant Job. (Job 42:8).
The last chapter of the Bible book of Job: is all’s well that ends well?
After chapters full of profound discussions about the why of suffering, about justice and injustice, the book ends on a positive note. Job is doing well again. Things are even better than before, because his property is doubled. Some readers are disappointed in this ending. It looks like a fairy tale. Many people do not have the experience that after a period of setbacks things really get better again. The Jewish-American writer Elie Wiesel, who survived the Holocaust, notes that Job with his new children does not get his previous children back. He will always carry with him the loss of his previous children and the sadness for them.
The significance of the doubling of Job’s property
After his time of suffering, Job’s wealth is doubled. He had 7000 sheep and gets 14,000 and instead of 3000 camels he gets 6000. What is the meaning of this doubling. The theologians disagree. Some say that in this God admits guilt to Job. They base their argument on, for example, Exodus 22:3, which says about a thief who has stolen an animal: ‘If the stolen animal is found alive with him, he must make double the amount for it, whether it is an ox, a donkey, a sheep or goat’. By giving Job double back, God would, as it were, admit his guilt that He had unlawfully taken Job’s property. Other Bible scholars disagree with this interpretation. They cannot identify the image of God with that of a thief. They see the doubling more as a kind of comfort and refer to Isaiah 61:7: ‘The reproach that was called your just reward, your shame will be repaid you double. Therefore they shall inherit double the land, and eternal joy shall be theirs.’ The doubling is then compensation for the damage and shame that Job has suffered.