Job 10 commentary james burton coffman commentaries on the. For the first article in the series, gate of reincarnations, click here. Newly translated and interpreted according to the commentary of rabbi meir lebush malbim pfeffer, jeremy. He had served as the associate old testament editor of the word biblical commentary 1997 2011. Judaism does not have a specific founder, but rather it has major prophets that are considered the fathers of judaism. Commentaries, hebrew definition and meaning bible dictionary. The book might have been more appropriately called the judaism of history, since it concentrates on the intellectual analysis of a religion, a faith to use a broader word, or an attitude of mind to be broader still which was valid overwhelmingly for the whole jewish people until about a century ago but is a very uncertain key to. Judaism and other religions have developed the story of job. Job, book ofcommentaries, commentaries old testament. Matthew henrys commentary on the whole bible book of job kindle edition by henry, matthew. The torah is the most important holy book of judaism.
The books theme is the eternal problem of unmerited suffering, and it is named after its central character, job. Translations into aramaic and english, and some universally accepted jewish commentaries with notes on their method of approach and modern translations into english with notes are listed. For an indepth english treatment of the jewish doctrine of reincarnation, see the running translation and commentary of shaar gilgulim on. The book of job is the first document in history to take seriously the question of why really bad things happen to. Job proves faithful to god in prosperity and in adversity. Judging by the style of the hebrew it uses, some scholars judge job to be the oldest book of the old testament. The book of job deals with a variety of issues, on levels both superficial and profound. The author, date, and place of the book of job are all uncertain.
Aquinas wrote a detailed commentary declaring it true history. Verses 612 matthew henrys commentary bible gateway. Taking over 14 years to compose, a commentary on the book of job provides a highly readable exposition of this book of the old testament. Job is a book that ranks as one of the most difficult books in thetanach bible, for two reasons. Each shepherds notes volume highlights and explains the authorship, circumstances of writing, and main points of the bible book being explored in a concise and easytounderstand format. Commentary on the book of job logos bible software. The book of job explores the morality of divine justice through the experience of human. The book starts with god and satan discussing job, a perfect and upright man who feared god and eschewed evil 1. God says to job, now i want you to pray for your friends these three dear men, so stubborn, so sure that they had all the answers, so well meaning, so sincere, so dedicated, but such utter blunderers. Word biblical commentary, volume 18a wbc 9780310521938 by david j. The medieval jewish scholar maimonides declared his story. Its author is unknown yet it is possible that job himself wrote it. Tremper longman calls it a major contribution to the study of the book and explains this is because it examines all the facets of the book, not necessarily because it is terribly original. Verses 612 verses 612 job was not only so rich and great, but withal so wise and good, and had such an interest both in heaven and earth, that one would think the mountain of his prosperity stood so strong that it could not be moved.
Anderson is a renowned scholar, and the commentary reflects his learning without becoming overly technical. Like anything in life, the reward for success reflects the amount of effort put. Jan 19, 2016 assuming that job was a historical figure, he most likely would have been an israelite, though its unclear in the book of job where the land of uz where job is from is in relation to israel or judah. Understand the bible like never before, book by book. Although most of the book consists of the words of job and his friends, job himself was not the author. The three friends of job had not been able to account for the suffering of this good man with their theology. As the commentary in the israel bible demonstrates, sometimes it is those who. Job is sure that god does not discover things, nor judge of them, as men do. There was a man in the land of uz, whose name was job. It is possible that job is the oldest of any book of the bible written approximately 21001800 b. Job 10 commentary, one of over 110 bible commentaries freely available, this commentary, by the leading authority in the church of christ, presents a verse level look at the bible. The book is not about job s history but about job s life and the way we relate to god as a result. But the odious judgments made by his friends caution us against making toocertain application of any model to our own lives.
Chapter one describes a wager god made with the adversary, known in. Rashi, a jewish commentator on the hebrew scriptures, quotes a text dating to 160 ad, which is also quoted in the talmud, in his commentary on genesis 10 to show that eber was a prophet. And job had said rash and presumptuous things about god in order to justify himself. The use of this preexisting material very cleverly placed the problem outside of palestine, thereby excluding the possible objection of orthodox theology that such a casea perfectly righteous man persecuted by yhwh. Some of the core beliefs involve keeping the sabbath holy, obeying and worshipping. He has a large family, many flocks of animals, many servants, a large home, perhaps an estate. My jewish learning is a notforprofit and relies on your help. The account of jobs piety and prosperity comes before the history of his great afflictions, showing that neither will secure from troubles. Bob utley, retired professor of hermeneutics biblical interpretation table of contents.
Classical judaism offers a variety of views about the date and. The malbim, in the introduction to his commentary on this holy book, explains that the main purpose of the book of job is to expound upon one of the most perplexing phenomena in the human experience. The same designations are applied to him in the book of job as are found. And there is a reality called satan who challenges god that his man is not as good as he thinks he is. Moses wrote the five books of the torah and the book of balaam and job. Assuming that job was a historical figure, he most likely would have been an israelite, though its unclear in the book of job where the land of uz where job is. God also commands that jobs children be killed and he lose his wealth. The big picture of job is that there was a man who was, in one sense, blameless in gods sight. Though it is hard and rare, it is not impossible for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven.
The laws and teachings of judaism come from the torah, the first five books of the hebrew. A major difficulty in understanding the meaning of the book is, what insight leads job to submit so humbly to god at the end. Barton looks at the overall construction of the book, the theory of two authors, the literary aspects, and the historical and social context, providing a valuable analysis and commentary. However, according to one sage in judaism the whole story attributed to job was an allegory and job never actually existed.
Job, book ofcommentaries, commentaries old testament, books. By gods grace the temptations of worldly wealth may be overcome. Job 10 commentary james burton coffman commentaries on. You should read enough of the materials presented in this section concerning the tradition of judaism in order to understand how this tradition displays the characteristics or elements that make a tradition one that would be termed a religion. Barton writes a comprehensive introduction to the book of job, as well as a versebyverse commentary on the entire text. This prologue theme of a test to see if job will curse god is different than. Some of these prophets are moses, abraham and noah. The use of this preexisting material very cleverly placed the problem outside of palestine, thereby excluding the possible objection of orthodox theology that such a casea perfectly righteous man persecuted by yhwh could not occur in israel.
The loss of jobs property, and the death of his children. A commentary on the book of job logos bible software. God says to job, now i want you to pray for your friends these three dear men, so stubborn, so sure that they had all the answers, so well meaning, so sincere, so. The complex and delicate nature of the subject matter. This view was embraced by the author of the anonymous chronicle, who writes. The date of composition of the book of job in the context of sd. Job was upright and honest, and yet grew rich, nay, therefore grew rich. Judaism simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The book of job begins with a prologue job 12, which describes a wager between satan and god, in which satan the adversary bets god that joba particularly pious manwill abandon his piety and curse god if all his wealth and wellbeing are taken away. Matthew henrys commentary on the whole biblebook of job kindle edition by henry, matthew.
Luzzatto held firmly that the book of job came from a much earlier period of israelite history. Key personalities of this book include job, eliphaz the temanite, bildad the shuhite, zophar the naamathite, and. Bible scholar and pastor samuel cox wrote this commentary in hopes that it would aid the general reader not just now and then, but with every inquiry into the book of job. Elihus point of view is that job is a righteous man, though not perfect, and that he is loved by god. The author of the book of job incorporated the folk book into his work in a manner still showing traces of the component parts. Key personalities of this book include job, eliphaz the temanite, bildad the shuhite, zophar the naamathite, and elihu the buzite. The book of job is a book in the ketuvim writings section of.
Brief explanations of the technical resources used in this commentary. The book of job opens portraying job as a wealthy and righteous nobleman. Its incredibly complex and obscure hebrew allowing for multiple translations and meanings. This strongly implies that it occurred before the giving of the law. It is found in the third section of the biblical canon known as the ketuvim writings. The last of the book is a beautiful picture of what james calls the tender mercies of god toward job james 5. Resources matthew henrys commentary job chapter 1 verses 612 verses 612 job was not only so rich and great, but withal so wise and good, and had such an interest both in heaven and earth, that one would think the mountain of his prosperity stood so strong that it could not be moved. Brief definitions of hebrew verbal forms that impact exegesis. The medieval jewish scholar maimonides declared his story a. The book of job, book of hebrew scripture that is often counted among the masterpieces of world literature. Commentary on the book of job chapter one by wm w wells. Rashi, a jewish commentator on the hebrew scriptures, quotes a text dating to 160 ad, which is also quoted in the talmud, in his commentary.
Martin 192520 was distinguished scholar in residence at fuller theological seminary and a new testament. Job is a book not so much about gods justice as about the transformation of a man. Job 1 commentary, one of over 110 bible commentaries freely available, this commentary is one of the most respected interdenominational commentaries ever written. You can find the best commentary on job for you using the tools on the right side. Hartleys commentary is quite recent 1990 and is considered a good complement to clines. All too often the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper.
We are not told job s tribe, which would be a very unusual omission if this were under the mosaic law. Andersen job tyndale old testament commentaries, 1976. Commentary on the book of job chapter four by wm w wells. It should be kept in mind that job is not the author. The book of job is the first document in history to take. Matthew henrys commentary on the whole biblebook of job. Top 5 commentaries on the book of job ligonier ministries. Jobs wealth, with his wisdom, entitled him to the honour and power he had in his country, which he describes job 29. The account of job s piety and prosperity comes before the history of his great afflictions, showing that neither will secure from troubles. By extension, he is indirectly eponymous of the kingdom of judah, the land of judea and the word jew. Read the rambans introduction to his commentary on the book of job for a deeper understanding of how job s lot was truely just. An explanation for these discrepancies between poem and prologue is the. The judaism of history commentary commentary magazine.
It may be that job himself recorded his experiences in the book, or there may well have been another anonymous author. The book of job is one of the most problematic portions of the bible and has called forth a variety of interpretations. Jewish commentaries on the bible are biblical commentaries of the hebrew bible the tanakh from a jewish perspective. The book of job is a book in the ketuvim writings section of the. The book of job, in the old testament, opens with words both majestic and onceuponatimeish. This summary of the book of job provides information about the title, authors, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of job. Job represents god as a capricious tyrant, who lets his hand fall on both the just and. The date of composition of the book of job in the context of.
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