Topical Bible: Love: Job's Friends

◄ Love: Job's Friends ►

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In the biblical narrative of Job, found in the Old Testament, the theme of love is intricately woven through the interactions between Job and his friends—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. These friends initially come to Job in his time of suffering, intending to offer comfort and support. Their actions and words provide a complex exploration of love, friendship, and the human struggle to understand divine justice.

Initial Compassion and Presence

The account begins with Job, a man described as "blameless and upright" (Job 1:1), who experiences profound suffering, losing his wealth, children, and health. Upon hearing of Job's misfortunes, his three friends come to him. Their initial response is one of genuine compassion and empathy. They "sat down with him on the ground for seven days and seven nights. No one spoke a word to him, because they saw that his suffering was very great" (Job 2:13). This silent presence is a powerful expression of love, demonstrating the importance of being with those who suffer, even when words fail.

Misguided Counsel and Theological Debate

As the narrative progresses, the friends' attempts to comfort Job shift from silent empathy to verbal counsel. They engage in a series of dialogues with Job, attempting to explain his suffering through the lens of retributive justice—a common theological perspective of the time. Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar each argue that Job's suffering must be a result of sin, urging him to repent to restore his fortunes.

Eliphaz suggests, "Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished? Or where were the upright destroyed?" (Job 4:7). Bildad echoes this sentiment, asserting, "If you are pure and upright, even now He will rouse Himself on your behalf and restore you to your rightful place" (Job 8:6). Zophar, more direct, insists, "If you would direct your heart and lift up your hands to Him, if you put away the iniquity in your hand and allow no injustice to dwell in your tents, then indeed you will lift up your face without shame" (Job 11:13-15).

While their intentions may stem from a desire to help Job, their counsel reveals a limited understanding of God's ways and a lack of true empathy for Job's unique situation. Their insistence on a simplistic cause-and-effect theology fails to acknowledge the complexity of divine providence and the reality of innocent suffering.

Job's Response and the Role of Love

Job, maintaining his integrity, challenges his friends' assertions, expressing frustration at their lack of understanding and compassion. He laments, "Miserable comforters are you all! Will your long-winded speeches never end?" (Job 16:2-3). Job's response highlights the importance of love that listens and seeks to understand, rather than offering trite explanations or judgments.

Despite their flawed counsel, the presence of Job's friends throughout his ordeal underscores the value of community and the human need for companionship in times of distress. Their initial act of coming to Job and sitting with him in silence remains a testament to the power of love expressed through presence.

Divine Intervention and Restoration

Ultimately, God intervenes, addressing Job and his friends. The Lord rebukes the friends for not speaking what is right about Him, as Job has (Job 42:7). This divine correction emphasizes that true love involves humility and a willingness to acknowledge one's limitations in understanding God's purposes.

In the end, Job's fortunes are restored, and he is instructed to pray for his friends, which he does. "After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his prosperity and doubled his former possessions" (Job 42:10). This act of intercession reflects a profound expression of love and forgiveness, highlighting the redemptive power of love that transcends human error and misunderstanding.

The account of Job and his friends serves as a rich exploration of love in the context of suffering, friendship, and divine mystery, offering valuable insights into the nature of true compassion and the complexities of human relationships in the face of adversity.

Nave's Topical Index

Job 42:11
Then came there to him all his brothers, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought on him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Virtue must Never be Given up for the Sake of a Friend. ...
... more hateful than another's, as is recognized from the example of Judas and of Job's
friends. ... to take a higher place than our religion, or our love for our ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/chapter xxii virtue must never.htm

'The End of the Lord'
... not clear from being awful to being solemn"veils covering depths of love, not clouds ...
Note, too, that it was 'when Job prayed for his friends' that the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/the end of the lord.htm

Job's Faith and Expectation
... From the Redeemer's appearance upon earth, Job infers the ... harassed with temptations,
reproached by his friends: out of ... to Him, in holiness and love; is that ...
//christianbookshelf.org/newton/messiah vol 2/sermon xxxix jobs faith and.htm

Why this Book Has Been Written
... be practical, that when I read in the Bible that God is love, I am ... One of Job's friends
said, in his arguments against Job's bitter complaints, "Acquaint now ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/smith/the god of all comfort/chapter 1 why this book.htm

Job
... universe compels trust in the wisdom and love of God ... with fine instinct that the
epilogue represents Job as a ... is effectual to save his erring friends, and four ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/job.htm

The Sixth Miracle in John's Gospel --The Blind Made to See, and ...
... that they had His sanction to the doctrine"as old as Job's friends"that wherever ...
man can work.' Then poor men's misery is an occasion for the love of God ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture i/the sixth miracle in johns.htm

What Life May be Made
... of one of the speeches of Job's friends, in which ... since affliction is a sign of sin,
Job's afflictions are ... merits, but because of His certain love, there will ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/what life may be made.htm

'All Things are Yours'
... One of Job's friends is rubbing salt into his wounds by ... All things are the friends
and servants of him who ... work together for good to them that love God.' 'All ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/all things are yours.htm

Knowledge and Peace
... These friends of Job's all err ... live with' Him, must summer and winter with Him, must
bring Him into the pettinesses of daily life, must let our love set to ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/knowledge and peace.htm

Job's Sure Knowledge
... Job, in the midst of his false friends, had One ... So I want all of you, who truly love,
the Lord Jesus Christ, to interpret my text in this way: "I know that ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 50 1904/jobs sure knowledge.htm