Job
states: “But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one
of the foolish women
speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of
God, and shall we not receive
evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.”
(Job 2:10)
A
Reformed
Theological Perspective:
1.Sovereignty
of
God: From a Reformed viewpoint, Job's response
exemplifies the principle of
divine sovereignty. God's control over good and evil
events underscores His
omnipotence and the comprehensive nature of His
providence. Job acknowledges
that all events, whether perceived as good or evil,
originate from or are
permitted by God for His purposes.
2.Acceptance
of
Suffering: Job's acceptance of suffering is not
resignation but an act of
faith. It reflects the Reformed understanding that
God's will, even in
suffering, is for the ultimate good of His elect.
Job does not blame God but
accepts adversity as part of the divine plan,
including the discipline or
testing of faith.
3.Human
Sinfulness
and Divine Holiness: Job's rebuke of his wife
positions him as
understanding the folly of human perspective against
divine wisdom. This aligns
with the Reformed doctrine of total depravity – that
even in wisdom, human
judgment is flawed compared to God's perfect will.
Despite his deep suffering,
Job does not sin with his lips, emphasizing the
holiness and righteousness of
God even in the darkest times.
4.Theodicy:
The
passage touches on the problem of evil and
suffering. From a Reformed
perspective, Job's stance is not about explaining
evil but about trusting God's
righteousness despite evil. This trust is
foundational in Reformed theology,
where the mystery of God's ways is acknowledged
while maintaining His justice
and love.
5.Faith
and
Obedience: Job's response is not merely theological
but deeply practical. It
reflects a faith that endures trials, trusting in
God's character rather than
immediate circumstances. This resonates with the
Reformed emphasis on
perseverance in faith, where true faith is proven
through endurance and
obedience to God, even in suffering.
6.Contrast
with
Human Wisdom: Job's wife represents a common human
reaction to
suffering—despair or rebellion. Job's rebuke
highlights the folly of human
wisdom, which cannot fathom divine purposes. This
contrasts with divine wisdom,
which sees beyond immediate pain to eternal
purposes, a fundamental tenet in
Reformed thought, where God's wisdom often
transcends human understanding.
What
did Job mean by receiving evil from the hand of
the Lord?
In
the context of the Book of Job in the Old Testament
of the Bible, Job is a man
who experiences extreme suffering, which includes
loss of wealth, family, and
health. When his wife suggests that he curse God and
die, Job responds with a
famous line:
“Shall
we receive good from God, and
shall we not receive evil?” (Job 2:10).
Here
are some interpretations of what Job might have
meant:
·Acceptance
of
Suffering: Job expresses a philosophical or
theological acceptance that if one
accepts blessings from God, one should also be
prepared to accept adversity or
suffering, seeing both as part of life's experiences
from God's hand.
·The
Sovereignty
of God: This statement reflects an understanding
that God is sovereign over all
things, including both good and evil events in human
life. Job acknowledges
that everything, whether perceived as good or evil,
comes under God's control
or permission.
·Test
of Faith:
Job's response can be seen as a test of his faith.
He is questioning whether praising
God in prosperity is consistent but then renouncing
Him in adversity. His
statement could be seen as a resolve to remain
faithful regardless of
circumstances.
·Human
Perception
vs. Divine Purpose: This might also hint at the idea
that what
humans perceive as "evil" or suffering might serve a
higher purpose
or be part of a divine plan that humans cannot fully
comprehend due to their
limited perspective.
·Moral
and
Theological Reflection: Job's words invite more
profound reflection on the
nature of God, justice, and suffering. It challenges
the simplistic view that
righteousness always leads to prosperity, suggesting
instead that life's
complexities often defy simple explanations.
Theologically,
this
has been debated:
·Traditional
Views:
Some traditional interpretations might see this as
an acknowledgment
that God allows evil or permits it for reasons
beyond human understanding, not
that God directly does evil.
·Modern
Interpretations:
Some modern scholars might argue about the
implications of
attributing evil directly to God, often suggesting
that "evil" here
might refer more to misfortune or calamity rather
than moral evil.
Job's
acceptance of both good and evil from God's hand
underscores a profound trust
in divine wisdom, even when that wisdom appears
harsh or incomprehensible from
a human perspective. This narrative is pivotal in
exploring the problem of
suffering within the context of faith in a just and
omnipotent God.
The
word evil exegeted:
In
Job 2:10, the Hebrew word often translated as "evil"
is רע
(pronounced "ra'"). Here's a detailed exegesis:
1.Etymology
and
Basic Meaning: רע (ra')
fundamentally means "bad,"
"evil," or "displeasing" in Hebrew. It can refer to
moral
evil, calamity, disaster, or something that is not
good.
2.Context
in Job
2:10:In
this verse, Job responds to his
wife, who has suggested he "curse God and die." Job
replies,
"Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?"
(or
"evil" in many translations). Here, רע
likely encompasses both the idea of moral or ethical
evil and the broader sense
of misfortune, trouble, or adversity.
3.Theological
Implications:
Divine Sovereignty: Job acknowledges that both good
(טוֹב - tov)
and evil (רע
- ra') come from God. This doesn't necessarily mean
God is the originator of
moral evil but rather that all events, good or bad,
fall under His sovereignty.
4.Human
Response:
Job's statement reflects a profound acceptance of
life's dualities, suggesting
a theological worldview where trials are part of
divine governance, not
necessarily punitive but certainly within God's
plan.
5.Contrast
with
Other Scriptures: In other parts of the Bible, רע
is used in contexts that denote moral evil (e.g., in
commandments against doing
evil). However, in contexts like Job or in
discussions of the "tree of the
knowledge of good and evil" in Genesis, it might
imply the full spectrum
of human experience, not just moral categories.
6.Cultural
Context:
In ancient Near Eastern thought, including Hebrew
culture, רע could
describe anything contrary to well-being, harmony,
or
divine order. Thus, in Job's context, it might refer
to ethical or moral evil
and any form of suffering or calamity.
7.Translation
Variability:
Different translations might render רע
as "trouble," "harm," "disaster," or
"adversity" to capture the nuance of the context in
Job rather than
the strictly moral "evil."
In
summary, in Job 2:10, רע (evil)
encapsulates the broader concept of
adversity or misfortune that comes into human life,
which Job accepts as part
of divine governance, not just limited to moral or
ethical wrongdoing. This
reflects Job's profound faith and acceptance of
life's hardships as part of a
larger, divinely ordained plan.
In
conclusion,
Job 2:10, from a Reformed perspective, underscores
the sovereignty of God, the
acceptance of divine will in all circumstances, the
contrast between human
folly and divine wisdom, and the perseverance of
faith. Job's reaction is a
personal response and a theological stance on how
believers should understand
and react to divine providence, even in extreme
suffering.
The
above study was Groked and perfected with Grammarly
AI.
“Study
to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that
needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word
of truth.” (2 Timothy
2:15)
Mr.
Kettler is a respected author who has previously
published articles in the Chalcedon Report and Contra
Mundum. He and his wife, Marea, are active
Westminster, CO, RPCNA Church
members. Mr. Kettler's extensive work includes 18
books defending the Reformed
Faith, which are available for order online at
Amazon.