How to Read Job
The book of Job is regarded as
one of the world's truly great literacy masterpiece. It
contains some of the finest, most expressive poetry in the
Bible. Yet first-time readers of Job can easily get lost
because the complete "story line" is found in the first two
chapters and the last one. Everything in between consists of
a series of speeches. Rather than reading large sections of
the book, read one entire speech by Job, or a speech by Job
and a rebuttal from one of his friends.
It may help if you try to summarize the statement behind each speech in one sentence and write that sentence in the margin (for example, "Job protests that he's innocent"). Speakers of that day impressed their audience more by eloquence than by rigorous logic, so the speeches may seem flowery. The issues Job and his friends address, however, are life-and- death ones.
As you read the speeches of Job's friends, remember that their views do not necessarily reflect God's. The book of Job merely records the friends' viewpoints; it does not endorse them.
People You'll Meet in Job
Job
It may help if you try to summarize the statement behind each speech in one sentence and write that sentence in the margin (for example, "Job protests that he's innocent"). Speakers of that day impressed their audience more by eloquence than by rigorous logic, so the speeches may seem flowery. The issues Job and his friends address, however, are life-and- death ones.
As you read the speeches of Job's friends, remember that their views do not necessarily reflect God's. The book of Job merely records the friends' viewpoints; it does not endorse them.
People You'll Meet in Job
Job
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