So today is my day to write about Job 3. This is the first chapter that Job begins to question various things.
Job curses the day he was born in this chapter. The language here is highly poetic. He talks about where he would be if he had never been born or had died at birth — it’s great literarily.
The most interesting verse in this chapter is verse 23. “Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, and whom God has hedged in?” He’s questioning the meaning of suffering in this verse. Now, since I already know the end of the story, I know what it is that the ultimate answer to this question is. But it’s interesting to know that Job struggled with it. Job is always presented as a righteous man…but he also questions things like the meaning of suffering. It’s not just those of us who really aren’t all that righteous.
It’s also interesting that through all of this Job doesn’t commit suicide. He keeps saying, “It would be better if I were dead!” but he never actually kills himself. It’s kind of intruiging. It also tells us quite a bit about the ethics of suicide, I think. Job had every reason to kill himself, according to today’s society. Many people in less desparate positions have committed suicide, but Job — who had lost everything he had except his wife and his three friends — didn’t. Job is counted as a righteous man. It’s interesting that he didn’t. It seriously does tell us a lot about the ethics of suicide.
Well, that’s all for Job 3.
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