Book of Job - Revision history

Mxmsj: /* The Greatness of Job */

2022-12-12T09:20:58Z

The Greatness of Job

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:20, 12 December 2022
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	It is extremely important that we understand this plot sequence correctly. Job is not rewarded with double for all he lost until ''after'' he overcomes his last temptation, the temptation to take revenge on his enemies. If, by accident, we tell ourselves the story in the wrong sequence, thinking that Job's forgiveness comes after his reward, then we would be back at chapter 1 of the book with the original accusation still intact, namely that the only reason Job is good is that God has bribed him to be good.		It is extremely important that we understand this plot sequence correctly. Job is not rewarded with double for all he lost until ''after'' he overcomes his last temptation, the temptation to take revenge on his enemies. If, by accident, we tell ourselves the story in the wrong sequence, thinking that Job's forgiveness comes after his reward, then we would be back at chapter 1 of the book with the original accusation still intact, namely that the only reason Job is good is that God has bribed him to be good.

	If we could get Job to give us an interview today, I think he'd tell us that what he went through was all worthwhile because he met God face-to-face — '''he saw GOD.''' Through his suffering, Job gained enlightenment (Zen Buddhism: ''satori''). Job's suffering was a gift to him because it opened his eyes to the reality of God as Creator (change from notional apprehension to real apprehension [Newman]).		If we could get Job to give us an interview today, I think he'd tell us that what he went through was all worthwhile because he met God face-to-face — '''he saw GOD.''' Through his suffering, Job gained enlightenment (Zen Buddhism: ''satori''). Job's suffering was a gift to him because it opened his eyes to the reality of God as Creator (change from notional apprehension to real apprehension [Newman]). In a sense, he was given the "beatific vision" that will fill the whole world with joy in the consummation of creation. Seeing God face-to-face and being personally illuminated by His knowledge and wisdom is a gift given to a few mystics in every age, but the mystical communion with God is our common destiny, the final cause of the whole of our existence.

	God doubled Job's wisdom and goodness along with doubling all of his other gifts (wealth, children, health, friends).		By personally revealing Himself to Job, God doubled Job's wisdom and goodness along with doubling all of his other gifts (wealth, children, health, friends).

	For those who have "eyes to see," chapters 38 to 42 are a ''theophany'', a revelation of God's glory.		For those who have "eyes to see," chapters 38 to 42 are a ''theophany'', a revelation of God's glory.

Mxmsj: Text replacement - "--" to " — "

2022-12-10T10:03:57Z

Text replacement - "--" to " — "

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:03, 10 December 2022
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	God Himself is the answer to innocent suffering (Job 42:5). God accepts responsibility for Job's suffering. Seeing God face-to-face is what satisfies Job. There is no single verse that answers Job's question about why he has suffered. The answer is given in Person to Job by His Creator.		God Himself is the answer to innocent suffering (Job 42:5). God accepts responsibility for Job's suffering. Seeing God face-to-face is what satisfies Job. There is no single verse that answers Job's question about why he has suffered. The answer is given in Person to Job by His Creator.

	Job's claim that his suffering is all God's fault is not contradicted by saying, "God has a reason for everything He does." That cliché concedes the point, but without addressing the scandal that ''a perfectly good God allows perfectly good people to suffer grievous evil.'' Yes, God always has good reasons for allowing innocent people to suffer--but '''''He allows ''innocent'' people to suffer!'''''		Job's claim that his suffering is all God's fault is not contradicted by saying, "God has a reason for everything He does." That cliché concedes the point, but without addressing the scandal that ''a perfectly good God allows perfectly good people to suffer grievous evil.'' Yes, God always has good reasons for allowing innocent people to suffer — but '''''He allows ''innocent'' people to suffer!'''''

	Saying carelessly, "Oh, I'm sure God has His reasons" suggests to me that the person who says this has stopped seeking the face of God, has stopped believing that God can make His reasons known, or does not want to know what God is doing in and through innocent suffering. People who take this view are turning away from any further thinking on the subject. They are closing the blinds and draping the windows to keep the light out. They are done pondering all these things in their heart (Lk 2:19). They have their answer--but they do not have Job's enlightenment. They want the problem to go away. They do not want to live with the koan until light dawns within them.		Saying carelessly, "Oh, I'm sure God has His reasons" suggests to me that the person who says this has stopped seeking the face of God, has stopped believing that God can make His reasons known, or does not want to know what God is doing in and through innocent suffering. People who take this view are turning away from any further thinking on the subject. They are closing the blinds and draping the windows to keep the light out. They are done pondering all these things in their heart (Lk 2:19). They have their answer — but they do not have Job's enlightenment. They want the problem to go away. They do not want to live with the koan until light dawns within them.

	"When a man dies his life is revealed. Call no man happy before his death. For by how he ends, a man is known" [http://usccb.org/bible/sirach/11:28 (Sirach 11:28).]		"When a man dies his life is revealed. Call no man happy before his death. For by how he ends, a man is known" [http://usccb.org/bible/sirach/11:28 (Sirach 11:28).]
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	\|Job lived in Uz. It's not clear whether he was an Israeli. There is no mention in the book of any specifically Israelite/Jewish customs (e.g., worship in the Temple, Israelite feasts, covenant theology). The Divine Name is used in the book.		\|Job lived in Uz. It's not clear whether he was an Israeli. There is no mention in the book of any specifically Israelite/Jewish customs (e.g., worship in the Temple, Israelite feasts, covenant theology). The Divine Name is used in the book.

	Job was rich and good. He let his kids have parties--the seven boys would even let the three girls come to the parties. Next morning, Job would get up early and bribe God with holocausts (whole burnt offerings) for his seven sons, just in case they might have offended God as they emptied the kegs of beer Job had provided for them.		Job was rich and good. He let his kids have parties — the seven boys would even let the three girls come to the parties. Next morning, Job would get up early and bribe God with holocausts (whole burnt offerings) for his seven sons, just in case they might have offended God as they emptied the kegs of beer Job had provided for them.
	\|- valign="top"		\|- valign="top"
	! colspan="2"\|The First Bet		! colspan="2"\|The First Bet
	\|- valign="top"		\|- valign="top"
	\|align="right"\|[http://usccb.org/bible/job/1:6 1:6-12]		\|align="right"\|[http://usccb.org/bible/job/1:6 1:6-12]
	\|The Sons of God were meeting with God in His courtroom, and the District Attorney (the DA) was there with them. "Hasatan" is a job description, not a name and most certainly not what the later tradition came to call "the Devil." God asked the DA where he has been. "I've been roaming and patrolling the earth, of course." God noted what a splendid person Job is. The DA disagreed: "The only reason Job loves you is that you have purchased his affection. Five bucks says that if you strip him of all his wealth, he'll curse you to your face." God took the bet--"But don't hurt him personally. That would spoil the experiment. If you hurt him, we won't know whether it was losing his wealth or the pain that made him curse me."		\|The Sons of God were meeting with God in His courtroom, and the District Attorney (the DA) was there with them. "Hasatan" is a job description, not a name and most certainly not what the later tradition came to call "the Devil." God asked the DA where he has been. "I've been roaming and patrolling the earth, of course." God noted what a splendid person Job is. The DA disagreed: "The only reason Job loves you is that you have purchased his affection. Five bucks says that if you strip him of all his wealth, he'll curse you to your face." God took the bet — "But don't hurt him personally. That would spoil the experiment. If you hurt him, we won't know whether it was losing his wealth or the pain that made him curse me."
	\|- valign="top"		\|- valign="top"
	\|align="right"\|[http://usccb.org/bible/job/1:13 1:13-22]		\|align="right"\|[http://usccb.org/bible/job/1:13 1:13-22]
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	\|- valign="top"		\|- valign="top"
	\|align="right"\|[http://usccb.org/bible/job/2 2:1-6]		\|align="right"\|[http://usccb.org/bible/job/2 2:1-6]
	\|The Sons of God gathered again in God's courtroom, and the DA was there with them. God said, "Isn't Job a great man? Look at all the evil you incited me to do to him without cause--and he still is as pure as the driven snow. What a man!" But the DA had a new theory of the case. That's how lawyers are, you know. He said, "Double or nothing! Ten bucks says that if you strip him of his health, he'll curse you to your face." God replied, "OK, you're on. But don't kill him. That would ruin the experiment. If the lab rat dies, we won't know how the experiment turns out."		\|The Sons of God gathered again in God's courtroom, and the DA was there with them. God said, "Isn't Job a great man? Look at all the evil you incited me to do to him without cause — and he still is as pure as the driven snow. What a man!" But the DA had a new theory of the case. That's how lawyers are, you know. He said, "Double or nothing! Ten bucks says that if you strip him of his health, he'll curse you to your face." God replied, "OK, you're on. But don't kill him. That would ruin the experiment. If the lab rat dies, we won't know how the experiment turns out."
	\|- valign="top"		\|- valign="top"
	\|align="right"\|[http://usccb.org/bible/job/2:7 2:7-10]		\|align="right"\|[http://usccb.org/bible/job/2:7 2:7-10]
	\|So the DA covered Job's body with boils--huge, pus-filled pimples that covered Job's skin from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet, and all over his front, back and sides. Job took a piece of broken pottery and went out to the garbage pile to pop the boils and let the stinking pus come out of them. His wife suggested that he ought to stop thinking that he was a good man, then curse God, and die. Job replied: "We accept good things from God; should we not accept evil?" Through all this, Job said nothing sinful.		\|So the DA covered Job's body with boils — huge, pus-filled pimples that covered Job's skin from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet, and all over his front, back and sides. Job took a piece of broken pottery and went out to the garbage pile to pop the boils and let the stinking pus come out of them. His wife suggested that he ought to stop thinking that he was a good man, then curse God, and die. Job replied: "We accept good things from God; should we not accept evil?" Through all this, Job said nothing sinful.
	\|- valign="top"		\|- valign="top"
	\|align="right"\|[http://usccb.org/bible/job/2:11 2:11-13]		\|align="right"\|[http://usccb.org/bible/job/2:11 2:11-13]
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	=== The Greatness of Job ===		=== The Greatness of Job ===

	Job--while he was still poor, sick, confused, friendless, and thunderstruck from his encounter with the Creator of everything--prayed for the three men who had tormented him with the repeated and merciless accusation that his suffering was all his fault.		Job — while he was still poor, sick, confused, friendless, and thunderstruck from his encounter with the Creator of everything — prayed for the three men who had tormented him with the repeated and merciless accusation that his suffering was all his fault.

	''Then'' God restored Job's health and sent many people to comfort and console him "for all the evil which the Lord had brought upon him" (Job 42:11). And ''then'' Job lived long and happily ever after.		''Then'' God restored Job's health and sent many people to comfort and console him "for all the evil which the Lord had brought upon him" (Job 42:11). And ''then'' Job lived long and happily ever after.
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	It is extremely important that we understand this plot sequence correctly. Job is not rewarded with double for all he lost until ''after'' he overcomes his last temptation, the temptation to take revenge on his enemies. If, by accident, we tell ourselves the story in the wrong sequence, thinking that Job's forgiveness comes after his reward, then we would be back at chapter 1 of the book with the original accusation still intact, namely that the only reason Job is good is that God has bribed him to be good.		It is extremely important that we understand this plot sequence correctly. Job is not rewarded with double for all he lost until ''after'' he overcomes his last temptation, the temptation to take revenge on his enemies. If, by accident, we tell ourselves the story in the wrong sequence, thinking that Job's forgiveness comes after his reward, then we would be back at chapter 1 of the book with the original accusation still intact, namely that the only reason Job is good is that God has bribed him to be good.

	If we could get Job to give us an interview today, I think he'd tell us that what he went through was all worthwhile because he met God face-to-face--'''he saw GOD.''' Through his suffering, Job gained enlightenment (Zen Buddhism: ''satori''). Job's suffering was a gift to him because it opened his eyes to the reality of God as Creator (change from notional apprehension to real apprehension [Newman]).		If we could get Job to give us an interview today, I think he'd tell us that what he went through was all worthwhile because he met God face-to-face — '''he saw GOD.''' Through his suffering, Job gained enlightenment (Zen Buddhism: ''satori''). Job's suffering was a gift to him because it opened his eyes to the reality of God as Creator (change from notional apprehension to real apprehension [Newman]).

	God doubled Job's wisdom and goodness along with doubling all of his other gifts (wealth, children, health, friends).		God doubled Job's wisdom and goodness along with doubling all of his other gifts (wealth, children, health, friends).
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	:; Don't blame Job.		:; Don't blame Job.

	:: If at any time in the book Job had committed a sin, then the DA would win the bet. The fact that the DA disappears from the story after chapter 2 and never reappears means that Job never sinned--not before, not during, not after being tormented by God.		:: If at any time in the book Job had committed a sin, then the DA would win the bet. The fact that the DA disappears from the story after chapter 2 and never reappears means that Job never sinned — not before, not during, not after being tormented by God.

	:: In the denouement (resolution of the story), God twice says that Job "has spoken rightly concerning me" and that the friends, by contrast, did not speak rightly (42:7-8).		:: In the denouement (resolution of the story), God twice says that Job "has spoken rightly concerning me" and that the friends, by contrast, did not speak rightly (42:7-8).
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	:; Suicide is not an option.		:; Suicide is not an option.

	:: Despite his grief, Job knows that the life that was given to him by God is not his to end (3:21). If you or someone you love is depressed, find help. Suicide is a permanent solution to temporary problems. It is a sin against life--a truly mortal sin.		:: Despite his grief, Job knows that the life that was given to him by God is not his to end (3:21). If you or someone you love is depressed, find help. Suicide is a permanent solution to temporary problems. It is a sin against life — a truly mortal sin.

	:; Demythologize the story.		:; Demythologize the story.
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	:; See how much Job profited from suffering.		:; See how much Job profited from suffering.

	:: Even though he was a thoroughly good and upright man, Job became a much better man because of what he learned through his suffering (Heb 5:8). God was not using him as a tool to teach Hasatan a lesson--Hasatan disappears from the book after chapter 2 and has nothing to do with the great debate in chapters 4 to 31 or in the great theophany of 38 to 42. With the Psalmist, Job could say, "You turned my mourning into joy; you took off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness" (Ps 30:11).		:: Even though he was a thoroughly good and upright man, Job became a much better man because of what he learned through his suffering (Heb 5:8). God was not using him as a tool to teach Hasatan a lesson — Hasatan disappears from the book after chapter 2 and has nothing to do with the great debate in chapters 4 to 31 or in the great theophany of 38 to 42. With the Psalmist, Job could say, "You turned my mourning into joy; you took off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness" (Ps 30:11).

	:: Job's suffering was a gift to him. It was an eye-opening experience that brought him to meet God face-to-face.		:: Job's suffering was a gift to him. It was an eye-opening experience that brought him to meet God face-to-face.
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	There are ''many'' passages in the Scripture that support the view of the three friends of Job (Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar) that God punishes evildoers and rewards those who do good. I have chosen a few at random to illustrate this point.		There are ''many'' passages in the Scripture that support the view of the three friends of Job (Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar) that God punishes evildoers and rewards those who do good. I have chosen a few at random to illustrate this point.

	'''Note well:''' It is not wrong to think that evildoers will be punished and that the virtuous will be rewarded. The mistake of the three friends--and many well-intentioned Christians--is to think that ''we'' can tell who is loved or hated by God by the state of their health or by their wealth or by their popularity. We see other people from the outside. Only God sees the inner life of each one of us; only God knows the secrets of the heart. We will not know the full outworking of God's personal love for each one of us until Judgment Day. To see how all evildoing is punished and all innocent suffering is rewarded will, I think, be one of the great joys of that great and terrible Day. The issue is not ''whether'' God is just--He is!--but ''when'' He will reveal the fullness of His justice and mercy.		'''Note well:''' It is not wrong to think that evildoers will be punished and that the virtuous will be rewarded. The mistake of the three friends — and many well-intentioned Christians — is to think that ''we'' can tell who is loved or hated by God by the state of their health or by their wealth or by their popularity. We see other people from the outside. Only God sees the inner life of each one of us; only God knows the secrets of the heart. We will not know the full outworking of God's personal love for each one of us until Judgment Day. To see how all evildoing is punished and all innocent suffering is rewarded will, I think, be one of the great joys of that great and terrible Day. The issue is not ''whether'' God is just — He is! — but ''when'' He will reveal the fullness of His justice and mercy.

	:; [http://usccb.org/bible/isaiah/26 Is 26:3-4,7]		:; [http://usccb.org/bible/isaiah/26 Is 26:3-4,7]

Mxmsj: Text replacement - "Ã©" to "é"

2022-12-10T09:47:30Z

Text replacement - "Ã©" to "é"

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:47, 10 December 2022
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	God Himself is the answer to innocent suffering (Job 42:5). God accepts responsibility for Job's suffering. Seeing God face-to-face is what satisfies Job. There is no single verse that answers Job's question about why he has suffered. The answer is given in Person to Job by His Creator.		God Himself is the answer to innocent suffering (Job 42:5). God accepts responsibility for Job's suffering. Seeing God face-to-face is what satisfies Job. There is no single verse that answers Job's question about why he has suffered. The answer is given in Person to Job by His Creator.

	Job's claim that his suffering is all God's fault is not contradicted by saying, "God has a reason for everything He does." That ~~clichÃ©~~ concedes the point, but without addressing the scandal that ''a perfectly good God allows perfectly good people to suffer grievous evil.'' Yes, God always has good reasons for allowing innocent people to suffer--but '''''He allows ''innocent'' people to suffer!'''''		Job's claim that his suffering is all God's fault is not contradicted by saying, "God has a reason for everything He does." That cliché concedes the point, but without addressing the scandal that ''a perfectly good God allows perfectly good people to suffer grievous evil.'' Yes, God always has good reasons for allowing innocent people to suffer--but '''''He allows ''innocent'' people to suffer!'''''

	Saying carelessly, "Oh, I'm sure God has His reasons" suggests to me that the person who says this has stopped seeking the face of God, has stopped believing that God can make His reasons known, or does not want to know what God is doing in and through innocent suffering. People who take this view are turning away from any further thinking on the subject. They are closing the blinds and draping the windows to keep the light out. They are done pondering all these things in their heart (Lk 2:19). They have their answer--but they do not have Job's enlightenment. They want the problem to go away. They do not want to live with the koan until light dawns within them.		Saying carelessly, "Oh, I'm sure God has His reasons" suggests to me that the person who says this has stopped seeking the face of God, has stopped believing that God can make His reasons known, or does not want to know what God is doing in and through innocent suffering. People who take this view are turning away from any further thinking on the subject. They are closing the blinds and draping the windows to keep the light out. They are done pondering all these things in their heart (Lk 2:19). They have their answer--but they do not have Job's enlightenment. They want the problem to go away. They do not want to live with the koan until light dawns within them.

Mxmsj: Text replacement - "â€™" to "’"

2022-12-10T09:20:22Z

Text replacement - "â€™" to "’"

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:20, 10 December 2022
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	<sup class="versenum">16</sup> The eyes of the LORD are directed toward the righteous <br>and his ears toward their cry.		<sup class="versenum">16</sup> The eyes of the LORD are directed toward the righteous <br>and his ears toward their cry.

	<sup class="versenum">17</sup> The ~~LORDâ€™s~~ face is against evildoers <br>to wipe out their memory from the earth.		<sup class="versenum">17</sup> The LORD’s face is against evildoers <br>to wipe out their memory from the earth.

	<sup class="versenum">18</sup> The righteous cry out, the LORD hears <br>and he rescues them from all their afflictions.		<sup class="versenum">18</sup> The righteous cry out, the LORD hears <br>and he rescues them from all their afflictions.
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	:; [http://usccb.org/bible/ps/91 Psalm 91:3-13]		:; [http://usccb.org/bible/ps/91 Psalm 91:3-13]
	<div class="hang">		<div class="hang">
	<sup class="versenum">3</sup> He will rescue you from the ~~fowlerâ€™s~~ snare, <br>from the destroying plague,		<sup class="versenum">3</sup> He will rescue you from the fowler’s snare, <br>from the destroying plague,

	<sup class="versenum">4</sup> He will shelter you with his pinions, <br>and under his wings you may take refuge; <br>his faithfulness is a protecting shield.		<sup class="versenum">4</sup> He will shelter you with his pinions, <br>and under his wings you may take refuge; <br>his faithfulness is a protecting shield.

Mxmsj: /* Grief works */

2017-12-06T15:56:50Z

Grief works

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:56, 6 December 2017
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			[[File:Blake 1793 Jobs Tormentors.jpg\|thumb\|300px]]

	== Grief works ==		== Grief works ==

	~~[[File:Blake 1793 Jobs Tormentors.jpg\|thumb\|300px]]~~

	A student entitled a paper on the book of Job "Good Grief."		A student entitled a paper on the book of Job "Good Grief."

Mxmsj: /* Theology of the Three Friends */

2017-06-27T15:30:14Z

Theology of the Three Friends

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:30, 27 June 2017
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	</div>		</div>

	:; [http://usccb.org/bible/ps/14 Psalm 15:5]		:; [http://usccb.org/bible/ps/15 Psalm 15:5]
	<div class="hang">		<div class="hang">
	Whoever acts like this<br>shall never be shaken.		Whoever acts like this<br>shall never be shaken.

Mxmsj: /* Theology of the Three Friends */

2017-06-27T15:29:37Z

Theology of the Three Friends

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:29, 27 June 2017
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	<sup class="versenum">7</sup> The LORD is just and loves just deeds; <br>the upright will see his face.		<sup class="versenum">7</sup> The LORD is just and loves just deeds; <br>the upright will see his face.
			</div>

			:; [http://usccb.org/bible/ps/14 Psalm 15:5]
			<div class="hang">
			Whoever acts like this<br>shall never be shaken.
	</div>		</div>

Mxmsj: /* Theology of the Three Friends */

2017-03-11T02:14:51Z

Theology of the Three Friends

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:14, 11 March 2017
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	<sup class="versenum">13</sup> You can tread upon the asp and the viper, <br>trample the lion and the dragon.		<sup class="versenum">13</sup> You can tread upon the asp and the viper, <br>trample the lion and the dragon.
	</div>		</div>


	:; [http://usccb.org/bible/prv/3:31 Prv 3:31-34]		:; [http://usccb.org/bible/prv/3:31 Prv 3:31-34]

Mxmsj: /* Theology of the Three Friends */

2017-03-11T02:14:02Z

Theology of the Three Friends

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:14, 11 March 2017
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	:; [http://usccb.org/bible/ps/40 Psalm 40]		:; [http://usccb.org/bible/ps/40 Psalm 40]


	:: Happy the man who considers the poor and the weak.		:: Happy the man who considers the poor and the weak.

Mxmsj: /* Theology of the Three Friends */

2017-03-11T02:13:41Z

Theology of the Three Friends

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 <sup class="versenum">22</sup> Evil will slay the wicked; <br>those who hate the righteous are condemned.
 </div>
 :; [http://usccb.org/bible/ps/91 Psalm 91:3-13]