Interpreting the Book of Job

Jerome once compared studying the book of Job to grasping an eel. The more you squeeze, he opined, the sooner it escapes your grasp. Many interpreters have wondered similarly at the eloquence and challenge the book offers. While John Baker recognizes Job to be the “supreme masterpiece of Israel’s wisdom tradition” (“The Book of Job,” 17), commentator John Gibson warns the would-be reader: “Try to pin this book down, and it slips like sand through your fingers” (Job, 1).

Recently I had an opportunity to discuss a few of the highlights and complexities found in Job with blogger Paul Moldovan on his blog “Overthinking Christian.” You can read the interview here. We tackle the identities and role of Behemoth and Leviathan, the nature of the divine council featuring Satan and the angels, and what the book can teach us about suffering. I hope this brief introduction to Job will spur you to read it more attentively and to benefit from the profound wisdom it provides. “Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding” (Job 28:28b).