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| JOB |
| Explanatory Footnotes |
| 2:6 The Extent of Satan's Power Job's portrayal of Satan echoes the story in Genesis3: he has supernatural power to oppress people, but is restrained by God. As John Newton said, "Satan can only go to the end of his chain." The Bible records at least one other instance where Satan specifically asked permssion to attack an individual: Luke 22:31-32. 4:13 Appealing to a Vision The book of Job includes parallels to most modern-day responses to people in pain. To impress the other listeners with his religious authority, Eliphaz appealed to a mysterious vision in which a "spirit" restated Eliphaz's own line of argument. In the next chapter, he hints that Job should turn to God for a miracle (5:8-10). 6:9 Why Keep on Living? Job steadfastly refused to curse God, but he did curse the day he was born. In this speech he asked for a quick death, realizing he could not hold out trusting in God forever. If he died soon, at least he would die still believing. His speeches contain some of the most profound expressions of pain and despair in all of literature. 8:4 A Mixture of True and False Although God rejected the overall force of their arguments, Job's three friends said some things that were true and others that were totally false. In this case, Bildad appealed to common sense, ("Surely God does not reject a blameless man"), implying that Job sinned to deserve his suffering. But God specifically had called Job "blameless and upright" (2:3). Elsewhere, a statement by Eliphaz (5:11-13) is quoted approvingly in the New Testament (1 Corinthians 3:19). 9:33 Looking for an Arbitrator Job recognized the enormous gulf between God and people. He poignantly asked for an arbitrator "to lay his hand upon us both." A few such comments of Job, expressing great longing |