What do you think of the Book of Job?

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I think it is one of the most helpful books in the Bible. Because it goes to the next level of understanding and comprehension of what suffering is and our attitude to it.
Job is entitled to complain to God about his situation. Who wouldn’t. Losing his family, livelihood and health. It doesn’t get much worse.
I’m challenged to ask myself how do I react to severe suffering. I would be inclined to also get angry at God.
So the conclusion is we should admit we are mere human beings and God is much wiser than us and we could not possibly understand his divine game plan. Which is complex to say the least.
Currently I have a few health issues, nothing life-threatening but enough to
feel sorry for myself. And of course feel some empathy for Job, who copped an extraordinarily bad deal.
I’m tempted to start another thread on “uniting our suffering with Christ” no matter how small. This seems to be a key or the core understanding of our faith as Christians. How we look at suffering and the ability to “share it with Christ.” ( I still don’t quite get this idea btw)
How those saints ever prayed for more suffering beggars belief. How could you ask for more pain? The bar is too high for me I’m afraid. I wont be asking for more. No thanks.
 
goodcatholic said:
This seems to be a key or the core understanding of our faith as Christians. How we look at suffering and the ability to “share it with Christ.” ( I still don’t quite get this idea btw)
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I think the key is that we we willingly accept it and maybe even welcome it. It would take too much back-reading to find out where I got that. I’m still getting over an injury on top of my disability, so I try to predict when it will hurt ahead of time so I can offer it up as a more perfect sacrifice when it comes.

I think that Job has been established as didactic fiction by a papal commission, so we’re supposed to read the story and draw inspiration or learn overall lessons from it.

Note all the equivocation there! 😅
 
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goodcatholic said:
“share it with Christ.” ( I still don’t quite get this idea btw)
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More like “Offer your suffering to Christ” but “sharing” is fine too. It means you are beside Jesus suffering side by side with him. Jesus will be carrying his heavy cross and be abused by the public while you will suffer your health problems. Together, you and Jesus do it for the reparation of sins and for the salvation of souls. In other words, you are helping others with their sins through your suffering.
 
I find the book of Job depressing and inspirational. Depressing because of everything that happened to him. Inspirational because even in his despair, he never turned his back on God.
 
I have come to a clearer understanding of the book of Job recently and it is pretty awe inspiring. Especially the idea that if we are to get good from God why not the bad as well. I like you have health condition, nothing life threatening in itself, but certainly life changing. I accepted it some time ago and have over the years come to realise that it is a great blessing for me. I can’t even see it as a bad thing any more even though like you I can’t really say I enjoy the suffering, though the day to day suffering from it doesn’t bother me and I almost welcome it and certainly miss it if I have a few days of respite. That doesn’t mean I don’t complain, that part is harder. Denying the body it’s delight in a good old whinge is something I struggle with (other than to God of course).

I think the suffering with Christ just means sharing it with Him and not trying to go it alone. I think it’s trusting in God to be your strength and courage when you dont have it anymore, which happens to anyone but perhaps sooner for chronically ill people. I know for me, and you may call me crazy (hopefully not), but there are times when I am sure Jesus is literally carrying me or holding me up cos I know I cannot be doing it cos I am just too sick to still be on my feet, yet there I am on my feet, prayers on my lips somehow still going. When I am home and next thinking I offer this suffering to Christ (though every morning I offer my daily suffering (prayer/works/etc.) to Jesus anyway) and when ever something is particularly hard or I dont want to suffer the pain/struggle I know it will be, I pray ’ for love of you Jesus’. I am also not above begging for energy to do something, especially if I think it is something God would want me to do anyway. The more you do it, the more it becomes a habit and so Jesus is with you in all you pains and this is how you have strength to ask for more, cos in reality He takes the lion’s share anyway.
 
You are either a Saint, or bound for hell. That might make suffering a little easier. Job is a microcosm of both time and eternity. Read the ending, not just the beginning and middle. Focus on the ending!

A little long? Read Tobit, often called a mini-Job. My favorite OT book.

We are well advised to embrace our suffering, as Christ is our model. Can we expect to follow Him without suffering? Suffering has purpose - we can apply its merits to the advantage of others, both alive and dead. Remember: no cross, no crown. if we struggle with suffering, we might not understand its meaning and purpose, or our love of God is running cold at the moment.
 
I have read the Book of Job - a few times -
And listened to it - with people playing various parts.

It’s one of those books where you can’t quote - exactly - ( Job’s three friends)
Not sure if what Job said, verse by verse, is gospel truth either.

Jesus never quoted from Job.
But I remember a few things. in Job, that could easily point to Christ’s suffering.
 
Another reading of God as portrayed in Job is ‘I’m much more powerful than you and if I choose to use you as a plaything to settle a cosmic bet, then you darn well better suck it up and take it because you can’t do anything about it.’
 
For some reason I don’t think I will ever totally understand the point of the book of Job. But I am grateful for this thread since some of the post are helping me understand
 
What I find most striking about the book is that when Job asks God the reason for his sufferings, God gives no answer. Indeed, the theological point is made quite clear that God is not accountable to humanity. He owes us nothing. His plans do not require explanation. His decisions do not require our approval. His Wisdom is above reproach.

We human beings struggle fiercely with this, especially at times of suffering. For surrender of our will to God’s is no easy task. Job’s surrender to God’s will, I think, it a model for us. It seems to prefigure Christ’s perfect surrender to the Father’s will in the Gospels. This surrender seems central to the model of discipleship Jesus teaches all who would be His followers. For one cannot truly follow God without such surrender.
 
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TheOldColonel said:
God gives no answer. Indeed, the theological point is made quite clear that God is not accountable to humanity
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Very this.
And people do not like this answer.
I don’t like this answer.
But there it is.

I’ve been going through “stuff” lately and part of my searching in the last couple months is reading the book of Job. And I decided to read it as a true story. Not a parable, not an allegory.
And I came to a very painful place where I had to decide–as a Catholic, and facing XYZ situation, and that puny little me isn’t actually entitled to explanations, exactly where to I proceed from here in my current sufferings.

(I don’t want to give away the plot, but I’m still Catholic, and still digging very deep.)

But OP, let me uplift you in prayer for whatever you’re going through, for grace and light :pray:t2::pray:t2::pray:t2:❤️:hugs:
 
I love it too. It has some of the most beautiful imagery and poetry in the Bible. I also find a lot of comfort in it, mainly just the fact that the book appears in the Bible - that Job is ‘faithful’ and yet suffers so horribly and unjustly. I always feel a little cheated by the ending where he gets the new family and long life - after losing everything the first time around. Feels a little Hollywood to me. I can’t stop thinking about the first family…but I agree this book helps you grow in faith, mature. I am getting my head around the idea of life being good and bad, making peace with suffering…sort of. As you say, reading Job helps with this. It is quite a chasm for most to cross I think, suffering that is undeniably unjust or unmerited - unless you are slightly mad and/or dishonest.
 
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The Book of Job is actually quite messy, there are no pat and comforting answers, the ending is not quite what one would expect…kinda like real life.
 
Ya know, the Book of Job was the first book of the OT I fully read. Maybe 6th grade. Our homework assignment was a book report on any book of the OT we wanted to read. I asked my parents to recommend a book. Mom recommended Job.

So, in some sense, it is a favorite of mine. It is very humbling. Back then, 60 or so years ago, I didn’t "get " the interplay with Job’s friends. But I did get that God doesn’t owe us an explanation for everything, or even for anything. Thinking back, that was probably mom’s point. (If memory serves, I got a B+ on the report).

You DO notice, that in the end, Job got back much more than he originally had, don’t you?
 
Bluebright said:
think the suffering with Christ just means sharing it with Him and not trying to go it alone. I think it’s trusting in God to be your strength and courage when you dont have it anymore, which happens to anyone but perhaps sooner for chronically ill people.
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I’m new to this “chronically ill” business. It certainly takes guts when you know things aren’t going to improve much in the future. Thanks for your simple explanation. I will do this now for sure.
 
The point of the entire book - is patience.

I’d also say not to listen to your friends or wife.

Not to listen to surrounding people, whom you once helped.

“ The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away “ - great scripture verse.

The Lord is a rewarder - for those who endure.

You can see how Satan works too - even tempting God himself.

James 5 : 11
 
Depressing. I started but I haven’t had the courage to complete it. I avoid Job. Maybe in a Bible study I’d read it again.
 
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