What is the meaning of Job 28:18? Coral and quartz “Coral and quartz are unworthy of mention …” (Job 28:18a) • Coral and quartz were luxury items in the ancient world, valued for beauty and rarity (Ezekiel 27:16). • By naming them, Job points to treasures people dive deep for or mine from the earth—human effort seeking visible riches (Proverbs 2:4). • The image reminds us that even the finest earthly ornaments are still part of a fallen creation that will pass away (1 Peter 1:24). Are unworthy of mention “… are unworthy of mention …” (Job 28:18a) • Job deliberately dismisses coral and quartz as not even worth bringing up beside wisdom—like comparing a candle to the sun (Isaiah 40:17). • The phrase underscores how quickly our culture inflates the worth of possessions, while heaven counts them negligible (Luke 16:15). • It also exposes the emptiness of materialism: what dazzles now will not satisfy the soul (Ecclesiastes 5:10). The price of wisdom “… the price of wisdom …” (Job 28:18b) • “Wisdom” here is more than knowledge; it is moral and spiritual insight that aligns a life with God’s will (Proverbs 9:10). • Scripture presents wisdom as something that must be sought earnestly (James 1:5) yet is granted by God’s grace (Daniel 2:21). • The “price” language hints at costliness—yet no amount of gold can buy it. Only humble dependence on the Lord secures it (Psalm 25:9). Is beyond rubies “… is beyond rubies.” (Job 28:18b) • Rubies (or red coral in some texts) symbolized supreme value (Proverbs 3:15; 8:11). Even they fall short. • Christ personifies wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:30). His kingdom parables describe a treasure and a pearl worth everything a person owns (Matthew 13:44-46). • Therefore, measuring wisdom against gemstones reminds believers that spiritual riches eclipse material wealth, both now and eternally (2 Corinthians 4:18). Summary Job 28:18 sets coral, quartz, and rubies—ancient symbols of beauty and wealth—against the incomparable worth of divine wisdom. By declaring them “unworthy of mention,” the verse exposes the fleeting nature of material treasures and points readers to the everlasting value found only in knowing and obeying God. |
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