Beyond Suffering: Discovering the Message of Job

Layton Talbert. Beyond Suffering: Discovering the Message of Job. Greenville, S.C.: Bob Jones University Press, 2007. 378 pp. $17.95.

Talbert is a professor of theology and exposition at Bob Jones University Seminary and author of Not By Chance: Learning to Trust a Sovereign God (Greenville, S.C.: Bob Jones University Press, 2001). Beyond Suffering is neither a technical verse-by-verse commentary nor a fluffy devotional. It is a penetrating exposition of the book of Job written "on two levels-a lay-friendly text for the general reader, supplemented by technical, elaborative, or corroborative endnotes for the more advanced student of the Scripture" (p. x). Laypersons, pastors, and teachers will all find it helpful. The book divides into six parts.

Introduction: The kind of suffering Job addresses is not persecution, punishment, or chastisement, but affliction, "suffering that is not only undeserved but not even understood" (pp. 14-15). Job is not primarily about suffering theodicy, maintaining faith, or discrediting retribution theology (pp. 17-19). The primary subject under discussion throughout the Book of Job is God. The concept of suffering is only a secondary subject, the catalyst for the discussion. The theme of Job is the nature and basis of the relationship between God and man-founded on faith in God's self-revelation as ultimate reality and God's Person as supremely worthy. The function of the book is to display the dynamics of the relationship between God and man-honesty, trust, and submission to a sovereign, wise, and good God. The thesis of the book is two-sided: (1) God is unquestionably sovereign, sometimes inscrutable, but always righteous, aware, compassionate, and good in all he does or allows; (2) man has the privilege and responsibility to know and to trust this one true God in an intimate and infinitely rewarding relationship (p. 22).

Prologue (Job 1-2): The story of Job unfolds before a celestial audience, a realm many believers seldom consider (pp. 41-45). God himself claims ultimate responsibility for Job's calamity (pp. 56-66).

Dialogue between Job and the three friends (Job 3-31): Talbert moves through this mass of dialogue swiftly and succinctiy (pp. 79-159), summarizing the progression and core of each speech while parking occasionally to discuss important or well-known passages within their contexts. For example, Talbert's comments on 23:10 ("when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold") are convincing insightful, and divergent from most devotional and many exegetical treatments (pp. 137-41).

Elihu's monologue (Job 32-37): The three friends argue, "Job is suffering because of his sin," but Elihu observes, "Job is sinning because of his suffering" (p. 164). Although many interpret Elihu's words negatively as a reiteration of Job's three friends, Talbert argues that Elihu functions as a transitional, parallel, and positive foil to prepare the way for God, the book's central character. This positive interpretation is based on the narrator's depiction of Elihu, the content of Elihu's speech, and God's echo of Elihu's words (pp. 166-75; see esp. the chart on p. 174).

God's monologue and Job's response (Job 38:1-42:6): Talbert movingly summarizes God's magnificent, humbling speeches that pinpoint Job's own verbal and conceptual indiscretions (pp. 197-226). An appendix uses Leviathan as a case-study in hermeneutics, defending the crocodile as a literal interpretation that is the most contextually consistent (pp. 213, 269-82).

Epilogue (Job 42:7-17): "Job-like suffering is Chrisdike suffering" (pp. 235-36). "The end of the Lord" (Jas 5:11) teaches readers about God's sovereignty, benevolence, and reward (pp. 241-46).

The final chapter, "Learning Theology with Job" (pp. 249-68), underscores the importance of theological humility, the limitations of revelation and logic, and the infinitude of God.

Beyond Suffering has some relatively minor shortcomings, e.g., the use of endnotes rather than footnotes, no indexes, a handful of typos, and the use of the KJV as the primary English translation (though it routinely incorporates many other modern translations). Its strengths, however, far outweigh its weaknesses. First, its method is robustly expositional and contextual. Talbert does not hopscotch through Job from well-known text to text; he is preoccupied with explaining illustrating, and applying the whole text. Second, its theology is integrated with the big picture of the book and canon. Third, its organization is easy to follow. The numerous section headings are especially helpful for tracing the argument, and Talbert highlights the controlling big picture with regular summary statements. For example, "The message of Job regarding our relationship with God is threefold: (1) reverent worship, with or without reward, because He is worthy; (2) confident faith, with or without evidence, because He has spoken; and (3) trusting submission, with or without understanding because He is both sovereign and good" (p. 22; cf. p. 220). Fourth, its illustrations and applications are appropriate and practical. Illustrations illuminate the exegesis, and applications are thoughtfully rooted in the text. For example, Talbert presents practical and creative suggestions for reading Job (pp. 9-11, 193-94, 286-87 n. 35), inductive questions rather than only propositions (pp. 19-20), contemporary examples of suffering (p. 54), wise principles for helping those who are hurting (pp. 68-71), and vivid illustrations (pp. 146, 133-35, 163, 197, 208-9, 238-40, 246-50, 297 n. 29, 358 n. 36, 359 n. 38). Fifth, its writing style is colorfully expressive and engaging. Sixth, its tone is warm and passionate, not cold or sterile. It evidences Talbert's deep burden to glorify God by making the message of Job-which is often underappreciated and misunderstood-understandable and accessible to God's people.