Topical Bible: Master: Good Master: Job

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Introduction

The term "Master" in the biblical context often refers to one who has authority, control, or ownership. In the New Testament, Jesus is frequently addressed as "Master," indicating His authority and divinity. The phrase "Good Master" is notably used in the Gospels, where individuals recognize Jesus' moral and spiritual authority. In the Old Testament, the concept of a master is often linked to God as the ultimate authority and to human figures who hold positions of leadership or ownership.

Job: A Servant of the Master

The Book of Job presents a profound narrative of a man who is a servant of the ultimate Master, God. Job is described as "blameless and upright, fearing God and shunning evil" (Job 1:1). His life exemplifies the relationship between a servant and his divine Master, characterized by faithfulness, obedience, and reverence.

Job's Trials and Faithfulness

Job's account is a testament to the sovereignty of God as the Master over all creation. Despite severe trials, including the loss of his wealth, children, and health, Job remains steadfast in his faith. He acknowledges God's authority, saying, "The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD" (Job 1:21). This statement reflects Job's recognition of God's ultimate control over his life and circumstances.

Dialogue with Friends

Throughout the dialogues with his friends, Job maintains his integrity and continues to seek understanding from his Master. His friends, however, fail to grasp the depth of Job's relationship with God, often attributing his suffering to hidden sin. Job's insistence on his innocence and his desire to present his case before God highlight his understanding of God as a just and righteous Master.

God's Response

In the latter chapters of the book, God speaks to Job out of the whirlwind, emphasizing His role as the Creator and Master of the universe. God's questions to Job underscore His omnipotence and wisdom, reminding Job of the vastness of divine knowledge and the limitations of human understanding. Job responds with humility and repentance, saying, "I know that You can do all things and that no plan of Yours can be thwarted" (Job 42:2).

Restoration and Blessing

After Job's acknowledgment of God's sovereignty, the Master restores Job's fortunes, granting him twice as much as he had before. Job's latter days are marked by blessing and prosperity, illustrating the faithfulness of God to those who serve Him with integrity and trust.

Conclusion

The narrative of Job serves as a powerful illustration of the relationship between a servant and his Master. Job's unwavering faith amidst suffering and his ultimate restoration highlight the themes of divine sovereignty, justice, and mercy. Through Job's account, believers are encouraged to trust in God's wisdom and authority, even in the face of inexplicable trials.

Nave's Topical Index

Job 31:13-15
If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Christ as Righteousness; as the Demiurge, the Agent of the Good ...
... who addressed the Only-begotten with the words "Good Master," [4639] and ... None is
good but one, God, the Father." This we ... of God, as we read in Job, [4641] "The ...
/.../origens commentary on the gospel of john/40 christ as righteousness as.htm

1 Cor. Iii. 18, 19
... Be not grudging about thy Master's good, but distribute them among thy fellow-servants;
and ... Such was Job when he said, (Job 1:21) "The Lord gave, the Lord hath ...
/.../homilies on the epistles of paul to the corinthians/homily x 1 cor iii.htm

How the Abbot Ceolfrid Sent Master-Builders to the King of the ...
... He also prayed to have master-builders sent him to build ... to wit, the times of the
patriarchs, Job, the pattern ... they despise both the evil and the good of this ...
/.../bede/bedes ecclesiastical history of england/chap xxi how the abbot.htm

Discourse on the Good Shepherd.
... 39, 40; xxxii.7, 8; xxxvii.33; Job 1:7; I ... than the flock.] 14 I am the good shepherd;
and ... The knowledge existing between disciple and Master springs from mutual ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/lxxxii discourse on the good.htm

The Third Book
... What mortal master, I ask, is content to treat his underlings ... Though these three
men, Noah, Daniel and Job, were in ... them by the intercession of a few good men. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/salvian/on the government of god/the third book.htm

Against those who Object Because the Devil Has not Been Put Out of ...
... slandered man to God saying "Doth Job reverence thee ... another servant at variance
with his master, Adam with ... had in honour, he straightway envied him his good. ...
/.../chrysostom/on the priesthood/homily ii against those who.htm

Whether a Man May Merit for Himself the First Grace?
... by a good use of it in his master's service ... him clean that is conceived of unclean
seed" (Job 14:4 ... Reply to Objection 3: Man's every good work proceeds from the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether a man may merit 2.htm

Blessed Adversity.
... Judas betrayed his Master with a kiss. ... GOD, and, therefore, "all things work together
for good" to them ... Job's trial, however, was not completed, as we have seen ...
//christianbookshelf.org/taylor/a ribband of blue/blessed adversity.htm

Of the Effects of those Prerogatives.
... we may say with Job, "How little a portion hear we of him?" Job 26:14 ... that he might
dwell there all the days of his life, saying, "Master, it is good for us ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bayly/the practice of piety/4 of the effects of.htm

What Old Bill could not Do
... Bill stepped back, all smiles, and said quietly, "Well, Tom, drink was my master
a long time, but I have a better Master now." He ... "It was a pretty good job, too ...
//christianbookshelf.org/naylor/heart talks/talk eighteen what old bill.htm