Job: Chapters 29 to 35

Last time, Job had his third go-around with his friends.  Now he has to contend with a new, younger - and arguably even more obnoxious - person.

CHAPTER 29

Now Job makes his closing argument.  There are no more back-and-forths with his friends.  It takes three chapters and largely covers ground we’ve already gone over. 

This opening bit is just Job reflecting on the Good Old Days, when he was healthy, prosperous, and favored by God.  Actually, Job makes himself sound like the Godfather.  He notes that, “Whenever I went out to the gate of the city and took my seat in the square, the young men saw me and withdrew, and the elders rose up and stood.  Officials refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands.  The voices of the princes was [sic] silenced.”  That sounds like Don Corleone, doesn’t it?  He later notes that people would come for his counsel and, “Once I spoke, they said no more, but received my pronouncement drop by drop.”  Again, that’s totally Godfather.

OK, so Job always makes pains to show that he was a moral man.  He rescued the poor, the orphans, the widows, and all the rest.  He helped the blind and everyone like that.  But then again, wouldn’t Don Corleone say the same thing?  He’d do favors for people – and in return expect them to do favors for him.  Both would see themselves as benefactors.  In fact, Job even says, “I broke the jaws of the wicked man.”  Yeah, that’s Godfather. 

So in the good old days, Job was the Godfather.

CHAPTER 30

But now the Good Old Days are gone.  And Job is as poorly treated as he once was revered.  He’s become a byword among men, and “they do not hesitate to spit on me.”  Yeah, that does sound rough. 

I wonder why everyone turned on him so heavily.  I guess the literal answer is that it’s just literature and meant to demonstrate how low he’s fallen.  I guess a better answer would be that people respected Job because they felt he had God’s favor.  He’s the Godfather – backed up by God.  But now that’s no longer got God’s favor, screw him.  And the way people have turned on him indicates there must’ve been some lingering anger towards him.  I guess people don’t like having to stand when Job came into the room or give him all the respect.  Maybe Job lorded over them a bit too much. 

You can take an entirely alternate approach to Job – he’s a guy who is so certain in his own morality, that he’s blind to his own failings.  That approach might work – if you hadn’t read the opening chapter of the book.  Because if Job was blind to his own failings, then so was God, for God really did like Job.  That’s how this whole mess began.

Job shifts his focus from his earthly opponents to the person causing his real problems – God.  He’s turned into Job’s tormenter, and it just isn’t fair.

CHAPTER 31

This is one big, long, lofty bit of rhetoric.  Job is working his way to his big climax as he asks the jury to convict God for immoral behavior.  Job goes through a whole slew of “ifs” here.  If he’s gazed upon a virgin, or walked in falsehood, or been out of line, or denied the poor, or raised his hand against the innocent, or but his trust in gold, or hidden his sins – or done anything wrong like that.  If Job had done anything like that, then he’d deserve punishment.  Then what he’s done would make sense.  Then he could understand what has happened.

But he is blameless.  He is the most blameless man alive, and he’s been utterly ruined anyway.  He finishes up< “Oh, that I had one to hear my case: here is my signature, let the Almighty answer me!  Let my accuser write out his indictment!  Surely, I would wear it on my shoulder or put it on me like a diadem.  Of all my steps I should give him an account; like a prince present myself before him.”  Yup, he’ll still make his stand on morality.  Job concedes that God has all the power, but unless might makes right, what God has done is totally unjustifiable. 

CHAPTER 32

This opens with a great sentence: “Then the three men ceased to answer Job, because in his own eyes he was in the right.”  Hurrah! Job beat up the big bad three.

But wait.  We’re just beginning Chapter 32 in a 42-chapter book.  You know what that means, right?  That’s right – time for Scrappy Do to show up, and if anything make us miss those other three.

Elihu is his name and he’s apparently much younger than the others.  He’s just been hanging around, holding his tongue because he’s younger and feels he should let the elders talk.  But now he can’t stand it, and must mouth off to Job.  He mouths off with the unwise certainty of the very young. 

The footnotes tell me that this is believed to be a later edition to the book, which I guess makes sense, given how he’s not even mentioned until now – but this begins six straight chapters of him mouthing off.

This chapter is just the prologue rant.  He just notes how he’s heard them all, and though very young, he’ll speak his part.  Only he’s much more repetitive.  The way he talks, it’s clear that he thinks him giving a speech is a big event.  Nice ego, kid.

CHAPTER 33

In fact, even the first 7-8 verses here is just prologue.  Boy, he sure has trouble getting to the point. 

His content is about the same as the friends.  God is powerful, so much more than you, so don’t put yourself above God.  But his tone is much more hostile.  As much as the others didn’t seem like friends, at least they weren’t too openly belligerent.  They were just cold and aloof.  Scrappy Doo comes off offended by Job. 

At the end of the chapters, he tells Job, this: “Be attentive, Job, listen to me!  Be silent and I will speak. If you have anything to say, then answer me.  Speak out!”  Wait – first he commands Job to be silent, and then he immediately follows that up be asking him to speak.  Aside from the contradiction, what a brat.  Who actually tells someone, “Be attentive, listen to me!”

CHAPTER 34

This one has a weird start: “Then Elihu answered and said.”  Answered?  No one else has been able to get a word in edgewise.  Officially Chapters 32-37 are four different speeches, but it’s really just one long diatribe. 

The basic point here is that because God is God, he can’t be wrong or unjust.  He flatly states, “Surely God cannot act wickedly, the Almighty cannot pervert justice.”  Uh, really, kid?  You sure about that, Scrappy?  Of course he can be.  The only way that this would be correct would be – ironically enough – if you buy into Job’s point earlier that God is all-powerful and therefore can make everyone say that he’s wonderful.  It’s the might equals right argument. 

For a kid who has supposedly listened to the entire debate so far, he sure isn’t good at reflecting on the points made.

CHAPTER 35

Elihu keeps on badgering the old man.  To be fair, I found his points a bit more interesting this time.  It’s not the most clearly stated argument, but what I get out of it (and maybe I’m reading more into it than is actually there) is that you can’t judge God’s morality because of how impressive his status is.  This isn’t just about power.  He’s got control over it all, has people crying out to him all the time.  You are so comparatively small and unimportant, how can you comprehend all that is God?  “If you sin, what do you do to God?  ….. If you are righteous, what do you give him?  ….. Your wickedness affects only someone like yourself, and your justice, only a fellow human being.” 

Heck, if you take it out far enough, God could be making a point even if he’s using Job just as a pawn.  He’s making a point about Job so the rest of us can learn God’s ways.  Sucks for Job, but can be a teaching moment for the rest of us.

Click here for the big finish of Job.