Job and Jesus: Companions in Suffering

by Christopher Crossan

If there is one single trait that every human being on earth has felt, it is suffering. Suffering is a universal phenomenon. Each of us have endured the consequences of bad decisions we made in the past. But at some point, we also suffered in spite of doing the right thing. The sudden loss of income, a cancer diagnosis, the death of a close friend or family member – the examples are more than we can count. How can we make sense of our lives when we suffer in innocence? Should we pretend it didn’t really happen, and just try to think positive thoughts? Should we look deep into our past to see if we had done something wrong which somehow caused our current circumstances, or bad karma? Should we look outward, and try to pin the blame of our suffering on someone else? Or is there a better explanation? The sufferings of Job and Jesus were recorded for a reason. It was to give readers the opportunity of viewing their trials from the perspective of heaven. When a person gains this understanding, their suffering can have meaning even while their pain is real. It can become part of their life story and a source of inspiration for others. Beginning with Job's life and culminating in the death and resurrection of Jesus, this book draws profound lessons on suffering and hope to help readers through their own life journey. The biblical narratives are illustrated with 38 classical sketches and paintings - primarily from the 19th century. By using an independent publisher and foregoing the standard royalties, this hardcover edition using high-quality paper is offered at a price slightly over the cost of print. An ideal gift for someone facing difficulties, this book offers comfort to the hurting.

Kindle Edition

Published May 24, 2021