Job

Shepherd's Notes

by Duane A. Garrett, Tremper Longman III (editor), David T. Lamb (editor)

"But where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell?"

The book of Job is challenging. Its Hebrew is often obscure, its length and subject matter are intimidating, and its meaning has been debated throughout the history of biblical interpretation. In this commentary, Duane A. Garrett presents a fresh argument for the book's meaning. Job demonstrates the inability of Wisdom, as a theological tradition, to solve the problem of evil. Without rejecting Wisdom, it shows that only God can truly deal with evil. God's answer to evil is found only in Christ, who is anticipated in the book of Job.

The Evangelical Exegetical Commentary series is a premiere biblical commentary rooted in the original text of Scripture. Each volume includes historical and literary insights and addresses exegetical, pastoral, and theological concerns, giving readers a full understanding of the text and how to apply it to everyday life.

Genres: Biblical Studies

656 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1998

About the author

Duane A. Garrett is John R. Sampey Professor of Old Testament Interpretation at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has served on the faculty at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Bethel Seminary, Canadian Southern Baptist Seminary, Mid-America Baptist Seminary, and Korea Baptist Seminary. He has authored numerous books, including Song of Songs in the Word Biblical Commentary, A Modern Grammar for Classical Hebrew, Angels and the New Spirituality, Authority and Interpretation, and Hosea and Joel in the New American Commentary. He is the general editor of The Archaeology Study Bible (Zondervan).

Reviews

[Michael Beck]

Garrett's commentary is excellent and dives deeper than all others in answering the difficult questions that the boo of Job presents. These difficulties inherent to Job (translation, unique Hebrew words, theology, etc) are presented in the commentary, along with many other views and how those views are not sufficient. Though I disagree on some major interpretations (the creatures of chs. 40-41, for example) this is still an essential commentary for the pastor-preacher or serious bible teacher going through Job.

His views on major interpretive issues are as follows:
The friends: wrong in all they said except for the "wisdom of the sages" which dealt with the true things known about God
Elihu: "Elihu speeches anticipate and disarm the objections of readers" yet he "had no better understanding of the situation than do any of the participants"
Did Job sin? No sins were specified in the book by God regarding Job. Job retracted his words arguing for a claim against God, because he spoke in ignorance, and change his mind on what he had said.
Behemoth and Leviathan: Behemoth points "toward national or even imperial authority" and Leviathan is cosmic evil (Satan)

[Jimmy Reagan]

Here’s a bright, new commentary on the fascinating Book of Job from one of the leading commentary series of our day (EEC). The task fell to prolific commentator Duane Garrett. Ages ago he tackled other Wisdom books in the NAC series. Though that was a perfectly usable volume, it was the work of a rookie. Here the seasoned player steps to the plate and delivers a mature work on Job. I have not read everything he has ever written, but this is the best work he has done out of what I have used.

From the first pages of the Introduction his skills are apparent. He’s well researched, he distills that research to clearly state what the scholarly world has thought, and then he is not afraid to make a conclusion. With kindness to us he does it all without excessive verbiage.

I find myself in sympathy with most of his conclusions as well. The scholarly world has moved on from dating Job closer to Abraham and I just can’t go with them. The older generation had far better reasoning there and the new arguments strike me as vacuous. Garrett makes a strong argument for seeing chapter 28 as an inserted Wisdom Poem. I’m not sure, but he lays it out for you to decide.

He begins with the chiastic structure of Job and is spot on. Whether what he said above about chapter 28 is correct or not, it is the center of the chiasm it seems for sure just as says. The rest of the Introduction is well done. He writes with clarity on textual issues, genre, and biblical parallels.

There’s plenty of meat on the bone in the commentary proper as well. Exegesis, explanation, and theology are first rate. Some of those speeches are exceptionally challenging and there’s excellent help here.

So where does this one rank among commentaries on Job? Hartley (NICOT) is the most similar. He blows many others away as they commentate through a dark haze and so rob Job of its theological beauty. I guess, then, we will have to rank this as our best option for Job in the major commentary category.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

[Matthew Bonzon]

A commendable and conservative commentary on Job.

Perhaps its brevity is to its detriment though, especially in a series where the volumes are notably long and rigorous.

[Matthew Kilgore]

Incredible commentary. One of the first I’ve read cover to cover. Incredible insights on how to read the book of Job well.