March 3 / Job 31

Posted byJohn S. 2 Comments on March 3 / Job 31

Job 31

Job makes his final appeal and closes his argument today. He continues to maintain his innocence, declaring that, were he guilty of any of various evils, he would accept his due punishment. But since he knows himself not to be guilty of those things, he remains defiant.

Although Job has argued against his three “friends” and refuted their notion that the wicked are always swiftly and surely brought down, throughout his discourse he has fundamentally shared the same “good things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad people” worldview. The friends have argued that the world does operate that way, and therefore Job must be guilty of something. Job, on the other hand, has argued that the world should operate that way but does not, and therefore God must be guilty. That is, he is contending that God is treating him unjustly and isn’t doing what he should be doing. Hence, Job considers himself to be a better arbiter of justice than God is. (And lest you think Job is alone in that notion, think again…)

As for this chapter in particular, I won’t go through all the different things that Job contends he is innocent of, but this chapter is well worth contemplating for self-reflection. That is, although Job may be innocent of all these evils, it is worth asking, “Am I?” Ask yourself that question, verse by verse. (Fr. Ben has encouraged us to take advantage of the Rite of Confession, preceding that confession with self-examination. This chapter might be a good place to start, as Job’s descriptions may evoke things we might not otherwise think about…)

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  1. John’s last paragraph is, point by point, my exact thoughts as I read through today’s reading. Fr. Ben’s Confession note from Monday and Job’s listing of possible wrongs he has committed – both of these are good points for our own reflections.

    I wanted to guide your eyes a bit and help you in following today’s reading. Depending on your translation, your Bible may have a number of parenthetical expressions (see Job 31:6, 18, 30, 32, 35). Some of these fit right in to the flow of Job’s words (v. 6, in particular), but others are each primarily an aside, mostly Job justifying himself. Here is the best example of the point that I am making: “…(for from my youth the fatherless grew up with me as with a father, and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow…)” (v. 18). Job’s verse 18 reference is to “the fatherless” in verse 17; it’s Job again speaking of the good that he has done.

    I also wanted to point out verse 35 which is another one of those parenthetical expressions: (Here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me!) Job is absolutely defiant here! He is telling God that he is signing off on his claim of no wrongdoing. He is ready to face off with the Almighty!! That is the true measure of all that Job has spoken.

    And now, The words of Job are ended. (v. 40)

  2. Okay, I know I’m a bit behind on the readings due to being out of town for a while, but I can’t help making a comment on this chapter’s list of things Job didn’t do, because if you flip it around, it is such a great list of things we SHOULD do (as John and Fred pointed out—I’m just making the list):

    Job says he has NOT…

    • Job 31:5,6. — “walked with falsehood … hastened to deceit,” but “lived with integrity”
    • Job 31:7 — “turned aside from [God’s] way” or coveted things he saw around him
    • Job 31:9 — been “enticed to a woman” who was not his wife, or especially “lain in wait” for his neighbor’s wife
    • Job 31:13 — “rejected the cause” of his servants if they brought a complaint against him (and verse 15 has a wonderful appeal for the equality of all people)
    • Job 31:16-20 — “withheld anything that the poor desired … caused the eye of the widow to fail” or “eaten … alone” without sharing his food with others, neither has he seen a “poor man without covering” and not “warmed [him] with the fleece of my sheep”
    • Job 31:24-28 — “made gold my trust” or “rejoiced because my wealth was great” or “been false to God above”
    • Job 31:29 — “rejoiced at the ruin” of his enemies
    • Job 31:32 — ignored sojourners but has “opened my doors to the wayfarer”
    • Job 31:33-34 — “concealed my transgressions from men” because of “great fear of the multitude” and “contempt”
    • Job 31:39,39 — taken advantage of the owners of land, taking the produce “without payment” and cheating them

    The opposites of all these things—integrity; following God’s way; avoiding covetousness and sexual sins; being open to complaints against us; sharing our food, clothing, and wealth; trusting God, avoiding revenge; embracing strangers and practicing hospitality; confessing our sins and being humble; being just in paying others,…

    WOW!
    Chapter 31 is a great study in godly lifestyle!

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