Quotes & Notes
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John Wesley Notes:
This is the reason of his confidence in the goodness of his
cause, and his willingness to have the matter depending between him and
his friends, published and submitted to any trial, because he had a
living and powerful Redeemer to plead his cause, and to give sentence
for him. My Redeemer-In whom I have a particular interest. The word Goel,
here used; properly agrees to Jesus Christ: for this word is primarily
used of the next kinsman, whose office it was to redeem by a price paid,
the sold or mortgaged estate of his deceased kinsman; to revenge his
death, and to maintain his name and honour, by raising up seed to him.
All which more fitly agrees to Christ, who is our nearest kinsman and
brother, as having taken our nature upon him; who hath redeemed that
everlasting inheritance which our first parents had utterly lost, by the
price of his own blood; and hath revenged the death of mankind upon the
great contriver of it, the devil, by destroying him and his kingdom; and
hath taken a course to preserve our name, and honour, and persons, to
eternity. And it is well observed, that after these expressions, we meet
not with such impatient or despairing passages, as we had before; which
shews that they had inspired him with new life and comfort. Latter
day-At the day of the general resurrection and judgment, which, as those
holy patriarchs well knew and firmly believed, was to be at the end of
the world. The earth-The place upon which Christ shall appear and stand
at the last day. Heb. upon the dust; in which his saints and members lie
or sleep, whom he will raise out of it. And therefore he is fitly said
to stand upon the dust, or the grave, or death; because then he will put
that among other enemies under his feet.
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1599 Geneva Bible Notes:
I do not so justify myself before the world, but I know that I will come before the great judge who will be my deliverer and Saviour.
- Family Bible Notes:
Strong confidence in an almighty, ever-living Redeemer, and the
expectation of meeting him as a friend and portion, support the soul in
the deepest affliction, and cause it to rejoice in hope of the glory of
God.
- Spurgeon Devotional Commentary:
Job knew it, and was certain of it--that he had "a kinsman"
who still lived, who would redeem his body from its captivity, whatever
might come of it.
He foresaw the victorious second advent of Christ as standing in his own
proper person upon the earth: his hope of resurrection was based upon
that advent.
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge:
* I know. Job 33:23,24; Ps 19:14; Isa 54:5; 59:20,21; Eph 1:7
* he shall. Ge 3:15; 22:18; Joh 5:22-29; Jude 1:14
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Adam Clarke Commentary:
Any attempt to establish the true meaning of this passage is almost
hopeless. By learned men and eminent critics the words have been
understood very differently; some vehemently contending that they refer
to the resurrection of the body, and the redemption of the human race by
Jesus Christ; while others, with equal vehemence and show of argument,
have contended that they refer only to Job's restoration to health,
family comforts, and general prosperity, after the present trial should
be ended. In defense of these two opinions larger treatises have been
written than the whole book of Job would amount to, if written even in
capitals. To discuss the arguments on either side the nature of this
work forbids; but my own view of the subject will be reasonably expected
by the reader. I shall therefore lay down one principle, without which
no mode of interpretation hitherto offered can have any weight. The
principle is this: Job was now under the especial inspiration of the
Holy Spirit, and spoke prophetically.
Now, whether we allow that the passage refers to the general
resurrection and the redemption by Christ, or to Job's restoration to
health, happiness, and prosperity, this principle is equally necessary.
1. In those times no man could speak so clearly concerning the general
resurrection and the redemption by Jesus Christ as Job, by one class of
interpreters, is supposed here to do, unless especially inspired for
this very purpose. 2. Job's restoration to health and happiness, which,
though it did take place, was so totally improbable to himself all the
way through, so wholly unexpected, and, in every sense, impossible,
except to the almighty power of God, that it could not be inferred from
any thing that had already taken place, and must be foreshown by direct
inspiration. Now, that it was equally easy to predict either of these
events, will be at once evident, because both were in futurity, and both
were previously determined. Nothing contingent could exist in either;
with them man had nothing to do; and they were equally within the
knowledge of Him to whose ubiquity there can be neither past nor future
time; in whose presence absolute and contingent events subsist in their
own distinctive characters, and are never resolved into each other.
But another question may arise, Which was most likely to be the subject
of this oracular declaration, the general resurrection and redemption by
Christ; or the restoration of Job to health and affluence?
If we look only to the general importance of these things, this question
may be soon decided; for the doctrine of human redemption, and the
general resurrection to an eternal life, are of infinitely greater
importance than any thing that could affect the personal welfare of Job.
We may therefore say, of two things which only the power of God can
effect, and one of which only shall be done it is natural to conclude he
will do that which is of most importance; and that is of most importance
by which a greater measure of glory is secured to himself, and a greater
sum of good produced to mankind.
As, therefore, a revelation by which the whole human race, in all its
successive generations, to the end of time, may be most essentially
benefited, is superior in its worth and importance to that by which one
man only can be benefited, it is natural to conclude here, that the
revelation relative to the general resurrection, &c., is that which most
likely the text includes.
But to this it may be answered, God does not do always in the first
instance that which is most necessary and important in itself, as every
thing is done in that order and in that time which seems best to his
godly wisdom; therefore, a thing of less importance may be done now, and
a thing of greater importance left to a future time. So, God made the
earth before he made man, produced light before he formed the celestial
luminaries, and instituted the Mosaic economy before the Christian
dispensation. This is all true, for every thing is done in that season
in which it may best fulfil the designs of providence and grace. But the
question still recurs, Which of the predictions was most congruous to
the circumstances of Job, and those of his companions; and which of them
was most likely to do most good on that occasion, and to be most useful
through the subsequent ages of the world? The subject is now
considerably narrowed; and, if this question could be satisfactorily
answered, the true meaning of the passage would be at once found out. 1.
For the sake of righteousness, justice, and truth, and to vindicate the
ways of God with man, it was necessary that Job's innocence should be
cleared; that the false judgments of his friends should be corrected;
and that, as Job was now reduced to a state of the lowest distress, it
was worthy the kindness of God to give him some direct intimation that
his sufferings should have a happy termination. That such an event ought
to take place, there can be no question: and that it did take place, is
asserted in the book; and that Job's friends saw it, were reproved,
corrected, and admitted into his favour of whom they did not speak that
which was right, and who had, in consequence, God's wrath kindled
against them, are also attested facts. But surely there was no need of
so solemn a revelation to inform them of what was shortly to take place,
when they lived to see it; nor can it be judged essentially necessary to
the support of Job, when the ordinary consolations of God's Spirit, and
the excitement of a good hope through grace, might have as completely
answered the end.
2. On the other hand, to give men, who were the chiefs of their
respective tribes, proper notice of a doctrine of which they appear to
have had no adequate conception, and which was so necessary to the peace
of society, the good government of men, and the control of unruly and
wayward passions, which the doctrine of the general resurrection and
consequent judgment is well calculated to produce; and to stay and
support the suffering godly under the afflictions and calamities of
life; were objects worthy the highest regards of infinite philanthropy
and justice, and of the most pointed and solemn revelation which could
be given on such an occasion. In short, they are the grounds on which
all revelation is given to the sons of men: and the prophecy in
question, viewed in this light, was, in that dark age and country, a
light shining in a dark place; for the doctrine of the general
resurrection and of future rewards and punishments, existed among the
Arabs from time immemorial, and was a part of the public creed of the
different tribes when Mohammed endeavoured to establish his own views of
that resurrection and of future rewards and punishments, by the edge of
the sword. I have thus endeavoured dispassionately to view this subject;
and having instituted the preceding mode of reasoning, without
foreseeing where it would tend, being only desirous to find out truth, I
arrive at the conclusion, that the prophecy in question was not designed
to point out the future prosperity of Job; but rather the future
redemption of mankind by Jesus Christ, and the general resurrection of
the human race.
After what has been stated above, a short paraphrase on the words of the
text will be all that is necessary to be added.
I know, ytedy yadati, I have a firm and full persuasion, that my
Redeemer, ylag goali, my Kinsman, he whose right it was among the
ancient Hebrews to redeem the forfeited heritages belonging to the
family, to vindicate its honour, and to avenge the death of any of his
relatives by slaying the murderer; (Le 25:25; Nu 35:12; Ru 3:13;) but
here it must refer to Christ, who has truly the right of redemption,
being of the same kindred, who was born of woman, flesh of flesh and
bone of our bone.
Liveth, yx chai, is the living One, who has the keys of hell and death:
the Creator and Lord of the spirits of all flesh, and the principle and
support of all life.
And that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. The latter
day, Nwrxa acharon, the latter day, or time, when God comes to judgment;
or finally, or at last, or in the last time, or latter days, as the
Gospel is termed, he shall be manifested in the flesh.
He shall stand, Mwqy yakum, he shall arise, or stand up, i.e., to give
sentence in judgment: or he himself shall arise from the dust, as the
passage has been understood by some to refer to the resurrection of
Christ from the dead.
Upon the earth, rpe le al aphar, over the dead, or those who are reduced
to dust. This is the meaning of rpe aphar in Ps 30:9: What profit is
there in my blood when I go down to the pit? Shall the DUST (i.e., the
dead) praise thee? He shall arise over the dust-over them who sleep in
the dust, whom he shall also raise up.
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
UMBREIT and others understand this and Job 19:26, of God appearing as
Job's avenger before his death, when his body would be wasted to a
skeleton. But Job uniformly despairs of restoration and vindication of
his cause in this life (Job 17:15,16). One hope alone was left, which
the Spirit revealed--a vindication in a future life: it would be no full
vindication if his soul alone were to be happy without the body, as some
explain (Job 19:26) "out of the flesh." It was his body that had chiefly
suffered: the resurrection of his body, therefore, alone could vindicate
his cause: to see God with his own eyes, and in a renovated body (Job
19:27), would disprove the imputation of guilt cast on him because of
the sufferings of his present body. That this truth is not further dwelt
on by Job, or noticed by his friends, only shows that it was with him a
bright passing glimpse of Old Testament hope, rather than the steady
light of Gospel assurance; with us this passage has a definite
clearness, which it had not in his mind (see on JFB for Job 21:30). The
idea in "redeemer" with Job is Vindicator (Job 16:19; Nu 35:27),
redressing his wrongs; also including at least with us, and probably
with him, the idea of the predicted Bruiser of the serpent's head.
Tradition would inform him of the prediction. FOSTER shows that the fall
by the serpent is represented perfectly on the temple of Osiris at Philæ;
and the resurrection on the tomb of the Egyptian Mycerinus, dating four
thousand years back. Job's sacrifices imply sense of sin and need of
atonement. Satan was the injurer of Job's body; Jesus Christ his
Vindicator, the Living One who giveth life (Joh 5:21,26).
at the latter day--Rather, "the Last," the peculiar title of Jesus
Christ, though Job may not have known the pregnancy of his own inspired
words, and may have understood merely one that comes after (1Co 15:45;
Re 1:17). Jesus Christ is the last. The day of Jesus Christ the last day
(Joh 6:39).
stand--rather, "arise": as God is said to "raise up" the Messiah (Jer
23:5; De 18:15).
earth--rather, "dust": often associated with the body crumbling away in
it (Job 7:21; 17:16); therefore appropriately here. Above that very dust
wherewith was mingled man's decaying body shall man's Vindicator arise.
"Arise above the dust," strikingly expresses that fact that Jesus Christ
arose first Himself above the dust, and then is to raise His people
above it (1Co 15:20,23). The Spirit intended in Job's words more than
Job fully understood (1Pe 1:12). Though He seems, in forsaking me, to be
as one dead, He now truly "liveth" in heaven; hereafter He shall appear
also above the dust of earth. The Goel or vindicator of blood was the
nearest kinsman of the slain. So Jesus Christ took our flesh, to be our
kinsman. Man lost life by Satan the "murderer" (Joh 8:44), here Job's
persecutor (Heb 2:14). Compare also as to redemption of the inheritance
by the kinsman of the dead (Ru 4:3-5; Eph 1:14).
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