Setting Him Up
The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.” Job 1:8 NASB
No one – God lifts the veil. Job is happily—and righteously—going about his life, being the faithful servant he desires to be. It’s God who draws attention to him, setting up the ensuing cosmic confrontation that devastates Job. In fact, we might suggest that if God had not focused attention on Job, the accuser wouldn’t have paid much attention to him either. After all, he’s been wandering the earth for some time but without making a list of who’s naughty or nice. There’s no doubt that God initiates this drama by raising Job above all others.
The Hebrew text uses the term ʾayin in the construct form ʾên. A little linguistic background seems necessary.
This word is basically a negative substantive used most frequently in the construct form (ʾên). The word therefore has no single meaning and the exact translation must be determined in each context. The negative concept is always present wherever the word is used. It is characteristically used to negate a noun or noun clause, cf. GKC par. 152 d and i–o.[1]
As a result, the range of translations extends to “else, except, to be gone, incurable, neither, never, no, nowhere, none, nor, nor any, nor anything, not, nothing, to nought, past, unsearchable, well nigh, without.” [2] In this verse, the word marks Job as completely unique. He’s not like any other human being. Of course, we might have guessed so given the prior character description, but here we have the final authoritative statement from God Himself. Job is special. Keep this in mind. Why? Because in a sense Job’s story is not our story. There are hints in this coming drama that resonate with us, but the real truth is that Job is the perfect human being and is therefore different from all other human beings. All the more reason to be uncomfortable with the story. Perhaps there’s a deeper connection here to another man who thousands of years later seems to have suffered without cause at God’s hand.
What scares us in this verse is the casual (and consequential) way God sets up Job. He could have left him unmentioned, but He doesn’t. The very fact that God puts the spotlight on Job initiates the trauma. Why would God do this? Perhaps this is another question that remains unanswered, subject only to our speculations. Thousands of years later we are supplied with a partial answer—the goal of redemption. But Job doesn’t play a messianic part. He’s just a victim. Could it be that the question of “victim” must be encountered before we can fully appreciate the question of “Messiah”?
Topical Index: ʾayin, nothing, no one, victim, Messiah, Job 1:8
GKC W. Gesenius, E. Kautsch, A. Cowley, Hebrew Grammar, 2nd English ed., 1910
[1] Scott, J. B. (1999). 81 אַיִן. In R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer Jr., & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (electronic ed., p. 37). Moody Press.
[2] Ibid.
Could it be that the question of “victim” must be encountered before we can fully appreciate the question of “Messiah”? Skip, I look forward with anticipation to such encouragement in that hope… even as it also serves to strengthen our own courage and faithfulness.
I’m a long time believer so what I’m about to put out here is purely genuine curiosity and for me to better understand the story of Job. I’ve often wondered if the story of Job was about a real person and not “just” a story to teach. My core question is: How the writer ever knew of the conversation between God and “satan.” Who witnessed it so that it could be written down and about? Additionally, how did God speak to Job and his friends? Was it audible or “spoken to their spirits?” Other less important questions I have but am curious just the same: Do we have any idea how old Job was? I know in those early days of earth that men apparently lived for hundreds of years but it’s interesting that the story goes on to include the information that he started a whole new family. This leaves the impression that this story was commonly repeated and shared over a length of time closer to Job’s existence.
Thoughts?
Good questions. The answer, of course, is that the narrator provides the story – and the divine conversations. Who is that narrator? Well, not Job, nor any of his friends. What this means is that this story had to be either transmitted orally or written much later. The vocabulary suggests that the story was very late. That suggests it is a “fictional” piece designed to provide an answer to basic questions about good and evil. Since the story is designed to make that point, the other details are unnecessary.