Book of Job

[Lamanite]

Is Job a reality or the account a parable?

I'm of the opinion that the book of Job is a parable.

Anything from personal opinion to scholarly treatments of the subject are welcome.

Big UP!

Lamanite

[Uncle Dale]

Is Job a reality or the account a parable?

I'm of the opinion that the book of Job is a parable.

Anything from personal opinion to scholarly treatments of the subject are welcome.

Big UP!

Lamanite

One of my professors in theological seminary felt that the

Job text was written as a drama, acted out during the exile,

and that the original "play script" was added to after the

exile by writers who were practicing their scribal talents.

That is not to say that those writers were being blasphemous,

in speaking about and for God Almighty. But in their culture,

at the time, the "Wisdom writers" sometimes composed texts

in this fashion, without anybody supposing that they were

speaking for God, in direct quotes. Thus, we have something

like extended parables, or at least symbolic accounts, not

meant to be taken literally, but rather to be pondered for

their "inner meaning."

None of which proves that somewhere, at some time, there might

not have been a transJordanian who worshiped the God of Israel

and whose name was "Job."

UD

[notHagoth7]

Is Job a reality or the account a parable?

I'm of the opinion that the book of Job is a parable.

Jacob in the Book of Mormon and Ezekiel in the Old Testament both assert he was real.

In Ezekiel's case, he mentions Job in the same breath as Daniel and Noah. I certainly believe both of them were real.

And as mentioned earlier, he is affirmed as being real, along with his friends, in D&C 121.

[volgadon]

I feel it is probably based on an actual account, though not of an Israelite.

[Stargazer]

I feel it is probably based on an actual account, though not of an Israelite.

Turning to Wikipedia, among those who believe he was a real person and the story to be real, one finds that he is generally considered to have been a gentile, possibly one who pre-dated the rise of the Israelites. There have been some who placed Job at the time of the Pharoah that oppressed the Jews, leading to the Exodus, and said that Job was an important advisor to that Pharoah.

I tend to believe that Job was real person, and his experiences to have been real history.

[J Green]

There certainly is a lot of conjecture about this. The Talmud (Baba Bathra) says that Moses wrote the book of Job. Ginzberg collects several legends surrounding Job's origins and connection to Israel (grandson of Esau, husband of Dinah, etc.). I personally believe that there is a real historical Job.

[Lamanite]

There certainly is a lot of conjecture about this. The Talmud (Baba Bathra) says that Moses wrote the book of Job. Ginzberg collects several legends surrounding Job's origins and connection to Israel (grandson of Esau, husband of Dinah, etc.). I personally believe that there is a real historical Job.

I just can't reconcile Satan's role in the story with what I believe. I'm kind of surprised any Christian could believe that Satan has that type of access to God.

Then again, my life typically ends up like a character at the end of the Twilight Zone who realizes he's the crazy one!

Big UP!

Lamanite

[J Green]

This occurs in the prose framework that is suspected to be post-exilic either in composition or editing. And many scholars see the ha-satan here as a title rather than actual proper name we see later. Just for starters. Bottom line, I don't think we have the entire story or understand really what is happening here. I wouldn't throw the whole thing out just because an episode here or there doesn't make sense.

Regards

[Joseph Antley]

Job is likely based on an oral tradition that may have originated with a historical person. How much the book of Job accurately reflects the life of the real Job (assuming there was such), however, is just conjecture. The divine council scenes in the first and last chapter of Job are certainly later additions.

[Lamanite]

This occurs in the prose framework that is suspected to be post-exilic either in composition or editing. And many scholars see the ha-satan here as a title rather than actual proper name we see later. Just for starters. Bottom line, I don't think we have the entire story or understand really what is happening here. I wouldn't throw the whole thing out just because an episode here or there doesn't make sense.

Regards

Thanks for making my point.

Good moral to the story...but probably a story based on a story based on a guy who lost his dog and skinned his knee. Ok, that was too much but you get the point.

Big UP!

Lamanite

[sleepyhead]

Hello,

Edgar Cayce said it was written by Malchizdek.

[cinepro]

I tend to believe that Job was real person, and his experiences to have been real history.

As I asked in the other thread, is there any doubt as to the Church's position on the matter?

[Lightbearer]

Is Job a reality or the account a parable?

I'm of the opinion that the book of Job is a parable.

Anything from personal opinion to scholarly treatments of the subject are welcome.

Big UP!

Lamanite

Why could it not be both? Why not a parable taken from the life of a real man? A poetic illustration of a real man's suffering? I tend to think of him as a real person, especially since it seems like one of the only Old Testament books that gives clear testimony of a literal resurrection:

(Job 19:25-27) "For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me."

[Deborah]

I'm kind of surprised any Christian could believe that Satan has that type of access to God.

He certainly did in the Garden of Eden. Likewise with the Savior on the mount when he tempted him.

[katherine the great]

He certainly did in the Garden of Eden. Likewise with the Savior on the mount when he tempted him.

And likewise when I'm standing next to the cookie jar! (Oh, except I'm not a deity...)

[katherine the great]

Hello,

Edgar Cayce said it was written by Malchizdek.

Ah yes. And he said it was a midrash.

[David Bokovoy]

The deity who appears as one of the "Sons of God" in the divine council segment from the book of Job is not Satan. He is simply one of the council deities discussed in biblical texts such as Psalm 82 and/or Deuteronomy 32 who serves as a witness testifying either for or against a person's righteousness. This heavenly plaintiff functions as the antithesis to the deity who will testify before the council concerning Job's righteousness:

"Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven; He who can testify for me is on high" (Job 16:19).

The adversary in Job is no different than an Elder who dusts his feet as a ritual sign that he can testify against the inhabitants of a wicked city. Job's ha-satan assumed the same role that Brigham Young believed the Prophet Joseph holds as the head of this dispensation:

"No man or woman in this dispensation will ever enter into the celestial kingdom of god without the consent of Joseph Smith... Every man and woman must have the certificate of Joseph Smith, junior, as a passport to their entrance." Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 7, p. 289