Book of job complete bible commentary verse by verse. Bibles dig into the word and become a bible expert with amazing facts line of study bibles and more. Satanthe tradition was widely spread that he had been the agent in adams temptation. Life is short, and in a little time men are cut off. Book of job complete bible commentary verse by verse henry, matthew on. Job is restored and in a bizarre twist marries dinah. Job lived southeast of israel, perhaps east of edom and north of arabia see lamentations 4. Study the bible online using commentary on job 1 and more. Addressing the problem of theodicy the vindication of the justice of god in the light of humanitys suffering it is a rich theological work setting out a variety of perspectives. Eliphaz urges that the sin of sinners in their ruin. Eusebius fixes it two ages before moses, that is, about the time of isaac. Job thought that his body would sleep after his death. Shall such a creature pretend to blame the appointments of god. In the introduction to this commentary, therefore, we provide a preliminary exploration of the literary characteristics of the book of job and their significance for interpreting the major theological.
Matthew henrys concise commentary on the whole bible job. Job accuses god of being unjust and not operating the world according to principles of justice, and his friends believe that job s sin caused his suffering. This name might have been derived from the hebrew word for persecution, thus meaning persecuted one. David guzik commentary on job 14, where job meditates on what lies beyond this life, and even considers the idea that man may not live after death. According to the biblical witness, god leads gods people, again and again, from slavery to freedom, from exile to homecoming, and from death to life. This strongly implies that it occurred before the giving of the law. The lifestyle and longevity of job are similar to that of the patriarchs found in genesis. We are not told job s tribe, which would be a very unusual. Job, unlike his friends, has continued to speak to god rather than just about god and has thereby been faithful to that relationship. Job s length of life is patriarchal, two hundred years. For unbelievers, life after death is eternity in the lake of fire. Until that day death is an unconscious state for all people. And saw his sons, and his sons sons though his children were not doubled to him, yet in his childrens children they were more than doubled.
This is a continuation of the book life in the world unseen. Job in poetic, metaphoric speech, likened both life job 7. At this thought job recalls his previous wish for new life after death see notes on 14. These characters are all about asking questions to get their listeners thinkingthey dont really. This would place job, most likely, at least in his fifties. Read job 1 commentary using commentary critical and explanatory on the whole bible. Jobs suffering did not come because he was bad but rather because of his unwavering faithfulness to god. After this job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. The book of job opens in verse one by telling us that job was a blameless, upright man who feared god and turned away from evil. But job s confidence of new life after death does enable him to hold fast to three of his cherished convictions, namely, the sovereign power of god, the goodness and justice of god, and the faithfulness of his own heart. Job s children are likely with the lord after their death and job had 10 more children after that and.
Easyenglish is a system of simple english designed by wycliffe associates uk. The book of job opens with a scene in heaven where satan comes to accuse job before god. Job never lost his faith in god, even under the most heartbreaking circumstances that tested him to his core. Yet very few have taken the literary dimensions of the text into account in their exegetical analysis. 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.
He wishes that his birth had been shrouded in darkness and longs to have never been born, feeling that light, or life, only intensifies his misery. Agreeing with this are the following considerations. It gives us demonstration of the continuity of life through and after death. Some people struggle with the book of job because, when they look at the life of jesus, they cant find anything in the ministry of jesus that corresponds to job s story. Though it is hard and rare, it is not impossible for a rich man to enter into the kingdom. The bible story of job, from the book of job, is a powerful tale of testing the devotion and fortitude of the human will. Public fascination with near death experiences seem to bear this out. In this thorough and accessible commentary, christopher ash helps us glean encouragement from gods word by directing our attention to the final explanation and. Anderson is a renowned scholar, and the commentary reflects his learning without becoming overly.
It deals with problems which indicate some advance in religious thought. Throughout the book, job, his wife, and his friends speculate on why he, an upright man, suffers. After this job lived a hundred and forty years some conjecture that he was seventy when his troubles came upon him. The author of ecclesiastes thought that it was a hard test to believe these things. Only after her death does she receive honour as the city laments her death. Most of the book of job consists of dialogues between job and his friends in which. The name job is the english translation of the hebrew name iyov which means persecuted, hated on the surface job is a long, boring, somewhat confusing book and one might question how it ever came to be grouped with the wisdom books as it is hard to ascertain any wisdom in this tale of woe. Nov 08, 2012 rabbi friedman the soul and the afterlife. They should have gone a bit further and looked at his cross.
In this bible story from the book of job, there is a wealthy man named job residing in an area called uz with his. Second cycle of speeches 1521 objectives in studying this section 1 to observe the progress of the great debate, in which jobs friends are unable to convince job that he is some great sinner who deserves his suffering 2 to note how job continues to vent his complaint, and while losing hope for. They decide, therefore, that they cant find jesus in the book of job. The book of job new international commentary on the old. He insists job only serves god because god protects him and seeks gods permission to test job s faith and loyalty. Bible study commentary on jesus the great i am i am the resurrection and the life p2 the conqueror of death and our future hope. Or from an arabic word meaning repent, thus bearing the name repentant one.
However compared with the first book, it should be said that there is a lot of repetition. Later in the book of job, job would learn many more things about death. Perhaps the oldest book in the bible, the book of job touches on many subjects of science and history. Taken along with his ascension, which is but, so to speak, the prolongation of the point into. He shall not in this world, but he shall in another and better. Job curses the day he was born, comparing life and death to light and darkness. Jan 02, 2020 life on earth is a test, a preparation for what is to come. He stated here that those who go down into sheol shall come up no more. But this story is about more than just mass destruction. Andersons volume is part of the totc and is necessarily limited by the series. The innumerable recorded and researched cases of past life experiences clearly point to life after death.
Job s suffering did not come because he was bad but rather because of his unwavering faithfulness to god. Job introduction commentary commentary critical and. He lived soon after abraham, or perhaps before that patriarch. And maintains that gods judgments are for the wicked. There is much to learn about the normal christian life, much to learn about helpful, religious friends who think unbiblically, and much to learn about evil. Job knew that god would rescue him from his troubles. In the last chapter of the book, job is commended by god for speaking to me rightly 42. There is only one waythrough faith and trust in jesus christ. After his suffering was completed, job lived 140 years and had enough time to ponder all the events of his life and write down his own story job 42. Job 1 commentary commentary critical and explanatory on.
This passage highlights one of the book of job s best style choices. In this months feature, wayne jackson explores some of these queries. Thou also dost open thine eyes on him, and bring him into judgment with thyself. Commentary on the book of job by matthew henry old. And there is a reality called satan who challenges god that his man is not as good as he thinks he is. And seven sons and three daughters were born to him. The man the book of job describes a man who went through more intense pain that most of us can only imagine. You can find the best commentary on job for you using the tools on the right side. As keith mathison says, for those seeking a more introductory level commentary on the book of job, francis andersons commentary is the best place to start. The big picture of job is that there was a man who was, in one sense, blameless in gods sight. There was life after death, and that life was to be in the presence of the living god. There was a man in the land of uz, whose name was job.
His reference to his flesh being clothed with worms, could be either a figure of speech or literally true. But god, who alone is immortal, will grant eternal life to his redeemed. The book of job has long been hailed by biblical scholars as a literary masterpiece. This book is so called from job, whose prosperity, afflictions, and restoration, are here recorded. Did job believe in an afterlife where wrongs could be righted. If these events happened after the giving of the law, it must be one of the only old testament books written then that makes no reference whatever to the history, nation, or religion of the israelites or jews. Life after death revealed what really happens in the afterlife. Various institutions have performed research about the afterlife, near death experiences, or about consciousness after death, finding proof that life. Masterful work and approach ashs commentary on job is a comforting and helpful reminder of the absolute sovereignty of god. Job proves faithful to god in prosperity and in adversity. Either we turn to human experience or we turn to the word of god. The book of job, in the old testament, opens with words both majestic and onceuponatimeish. If god did not do it during jobs life, he must do it after jobs death. The last of the book is a beautiful picture of what james calls the tender mercies of god toward job james 5.
This time, however, his words are more than just a wish. In this epic wager between god and the devil, discover how job reacts to the shocking curses inflicted upon him and what we can learn from his incredible example of remaining faithful through suffering. Jesus was innocent and yet died for you if you have trusted in him but if youve never repented and trusted in christ, you will find the hardest time ever rev 20. Gordis, the book of job, commentary new translation and special studies new york. Verses 612 matthew henrys commentary bible gateway. The book of job is one of the most magnificent documents of literary history. Matthew henrys concise commentary on the book of job. When speaking of death, he is likening it to an imposed period of time where his actions are restricted.
He is now confident that there must be a new and victorious life after death, for if god is to make a declaration that job is righteous, job must be there to hear it. Bible study commentary i am the resurrection and life the. Life can be hard, and sometimes it seems like god doesnt even care. That fact proved to job that there must be life after death job 19. Apr, 2020 god seems utterly arbitrary in the way he parcels out suffering and comfort in this life. Therefore i despise myself and repent in dust and ashes. What is job saying he believes about death and what follows in job. Some bible scholars debate whether he was an actual person or legend, but job is mentioned as a historical figure by the prophet ezekial ezekial 14. Given the number of places job denies the idea of life after death job 7. Indeed, a group of doctors and scientists report, after a fouryear study, evidence that human life continues after biological death.
A bible study in easyenglish 2800 word vocabulary on the book of ecclesiastes. If we turn to human experience, we find many guesses, many ideas, many theoriesbut no sure answers. It is again an interesting book, particularly if you are pretty fanatical about wanting to know what happens after death. As with other books of the bible, job bears the name of the narratives primary character. Job 1 commentary james burton coffman commentaries on the bible. God seems utterly arbitrary in the way he parcels out suffering and comfort in this life. But god had arranged that test so that people could see their own weakness. If you were to fit it chronologically, it should be place in the early chapters of genesis. This treatise may be studied from several vantage points.
The validity of this observation is aptly illustrated in the book of job. What the bible says about life after death bible resources. Job 14 is a major ot chapter on conscious life after death. Jacques bolduc suggested in his commentary of 1637 that the book of job may have been authored in a secondary way by moses who found it in its original. My response is that job does not believe god is going to end his life but job explains that if god. Matthew henry 18 october 1662 22 june 1714 was an english commentator on the bible, who published his works in 1706, sixvolume exposition of the old and new testaments 17081710 or complete commentary, provides an exhaustive verse by verse study of the bible, covering the whole of. Is there an expectation of eternal life in the old testament. Does this not support the teaching of consciousness after death. Strengthen your walk with christ with these life changing devotionals from your friends at amazing facts.
The book of job asks a question about the afterlife very simply. When christ, who is our life, appears, the resurrected righteous and the living righteous will be glorified and caught up to meet their lord. Pauls perspective on life and death is founded upon the bedrock. A study of the book of philippians previous page next page. Only if there is life after death can this truth about the lord be borne out. Job pronounced jobe, was a rich farmer living in the land of uz, somewhere northeast of palestine. 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. After the whole nasty sores fiasco, he would choose death over existing in this pain and humiliation.
In answering questions about life after death, we are left with only two sources to consult. In the midst of suffering, we must never lose our hope in god. Aug 16, 2018 16 life lessons and commentary from the book of job job bible study job was a very rich man, and although he did not belong to the people of israel, he worshiped the lord and was a truly good person. Job damns the day he was born, relating life and death to light and darkness.
The book of job new international commentary on the old testament hartley, john e. While enoch did not experience resurrection, he did. The book of job is probably a late part of the old testament. But the odious judgments made by his friends caution us against making toocertain application of any model to our own lives. How can we receive eternal life after death and avoid an eternity in the lake of fire. The first point is the surety eternal life will follow this temporary life. For believers, life after death is eternal life in heaven with god. One of these is to examine some of the penetrating questions that are posed in the book. Job 1 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. For example, job learned that he will live after his death job 19.
I always start with the key question in the book of job. Job seems to have been content with his lot despite his time of suffering recorded in the rest of the book. The souls of the wicked live after death, but it is in everlasting misery. This commentary on the controversial book of job is very different from most of the seminary and church teachings so prevalent today, for it attests to the historicity of a man named job who understood at the end of his life that god cannot be. In the old testament we read gods word as it was spoken to his people israel. Eliphaz responds that job, who has comforted other people, now shows that he never really understood their pain. Top american libraries canadian libraries universal library community texts project gutenberg biodiversity heritage library childrens library. Most likely it was written by job himself, and it is the most ancient book.
Job had 10 children who appear to be adults at the time his suffering began. Jobs children are likely with the lord after their death and job had 10 more children after that and was blessed beyond what he had in the beginning. Jobs story of new life after inexplicable suffering contributes to that trajectory in the old testament that culminates in the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead. According to biblical scholars, the book of job is the oldest book in the bible. This would make the total life of job around 200 years old. When faced with difficult trials, many people have resonated with the book of jobthe story of a man who lost nearly everything, seemingly abandoned by god. All over the world during the easter season, multitudes will gather in churches to celebrate the resurrection of jesus christ and hear about life after death. Job chapter 7 coffmans commentary of the new testament.
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