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The Massoretic Essay

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considering any part of the book as not belonging to the original text. Also baseless is the suggestion that important parts of the story have been lost.

Condition of the Text. The most useful means for assessing the text are the translations from the Hebrew translation. The original of all these translations was essentially identical with the Massoretic Text and only unimportant differences are evident. Taken altogether, the Massoretic has preserved the original form of the text well, and needs only a small amount of correction. Punctuation does need some correction, for the punctuators did not always understand the often difficult text.

Time of Composition. The author of the book is unknown and the period when it was written be exactly …show more content…

The book provides an answer to the challenge made by Satan, that is there are people who will serve God even in adversity, for God is worthy of our praise in addition to the blessings He provides. Job’s journey shows that we can have hope even if everything we love is gone because as long as we believe in God there is hope. The Book does not present definitive answers to why innocent people suffer, but does makes these …show more content…

God is always in control even if it appears that evil is. Satan is only allowed to operate within boundaries set by God. For example, Satan was not allowed to take Job's life. Job is unaware of the reason why he is suffering and the Bible does not give a simple answer. One might conclude that there is no close relationship between suffering and sin. Importantly, just because Christians suffer does not mean God is punishing us for some sin. Such suffering may occur for reasons that we don’t understand. (Incidentally, I equate this mystery, irreverently perhaps, to me insisting on periodically washing my dog, Robbie, and clipping his toenails, and then after the stressful ordeal I reward him with a treat. Robbie does not understand the greater need for such torture, but tolerates the experience and seems to continuing loving me

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