Sounding between the 5th and 4th centuries B. C., simultaneously with the sermon of the last prophets of the Old Testament, these words integrated all the hope of humanity and all our hope for salvation. Two centuries did not pass from this day, when in the Babylonian captivity, God opened to the prophet Ezekiel His will on the resurrection of the death, and here...
Sounding between the 5th and 4th centuries B. C., simultaneously with the sermon of the last prophets of the Old Testament, these words integrated all the hope of humanity and all our hope for salvation. Two centuries did not pass from this day, when in the Babylonian captivity, God opened to the prophet Ezekiel His will on the resurrection of the death, and here, the author of the Book of Job makes of this revelation a definitive conclusion. Job, whose name became common for the designation of human sufferings, sees his salvation not in the fact that all his misfortunes will end: indeed, a genuine experienced suffering is not just so easy to obliterate from the memory. No, Job hopes that the glory of the Almighty will manifest itself in his suffering flesh. Pain and death, being until then signs of extreme estrangement from God, the Source of Life, become for Job a place of meeting with the Redeemer.
For the ancient East, not less than for the modern world, important is the faith of Job that "from dust" the same flesh, in which he suffers at the moment will be restored. In the first place, then becomes categorically improper the idea of "the reincarnation of the soul", abolishing the tragic experience of the genuine human life. And secondly, suffering stops to be the incarnation of a cruel fatuity only in the perspective of resurrection. Indeed, if man’s life ends with his death, then his suffering is only a sign of the victory of evil, and nothing more. No oblivion can heal the tragic life experience lived by man, it is impossible to forget a real suffering, just as last year flue. It is just impossible to neglect death - it can be overcome only with the intervention of the Redeemer , when in the resurrection of Christ, death stops to be such and becomes the Revelation of Life. Here we touch the secret of salvation, and hardly will it probably be rational to explain it. But we can aim for it, and this secret can become the only source of light in the darkness of the sadness.
Still in these words of Job sounds the completely inexplicable, unexpected hope in the fact that to man can be given in flesh to see the Invisible. The author of the Book of Job is unable to shift glance from this hope, and that is why he puts in the mouth of his hero the words: "though my reins be consumed within me.". Indeed, this meeting means the restoration of what was destroyed by Adam’s crime. Only the victory of the Redeemer on sin makes this meeting face to face possible again.
19 Job complains of the wicked usage of his friends, Job 19:1-7.
Of the shyness and strangeness of his relations and intimates, Job 19:8-19.
Pleads for pity, Job 19:20-22.
Testifies his firm belief of the resurrection, Job 19:23-27.
Cautions his friends against persisting in their hard censures, Job 19:28-29.
19:25 For - This is the reason of his confidence in the goodness of his cause, and his willingness to have the matter depending between him and his friends, published and submitted to any trial, because he had a living and powerful Redeemer to plead his cause, and to give sentence for him.My Redeemer - In whom I have a particular interest. The word Goel, here used; properly agrees to Jesus Christ: for this word is primarily used of the next kinsman, whose office it was to redeem by a price paid, the sold or mortgaged estate of his deceased kinsman; to revenge his death, and to maintain his name and honour, by raising up seed to him.All which more fitly agrees to Christ, who is our nearest kinsman and brother, as having taken our nature upon him; who hath redeemed that everlasting inheritance which our first parents had utterly lost, by the price of his own blood; and hath revenged the death of mankind upon the great contriver of it, the devil, by destroying him and his kingdom; and hath taken a course to preserve our name, and honour, and persons, to eternity. And it is well observed, that after these expressions, we meet not with such impatient or despairing passages, as we had before; which shews that they had inspired him with new life and comfort.Latter day - At the day of the general resurrection and judgment, which, as those holy patriarchs well knew and firmly believed, was to be at the end of the world. The earth - The place upon which Christ shall appear and stand at the last day. Heb. upon the dust; in which his saints and members lie or sleep, whom he will raise out of it. And therefore he is fitly said to stand upon the dust, or the grave, or death; because then he will put that among other enemies under his feet.
19:26 Though - Though my skin is now in a great measure consumed, and the rest of it, together with this body, shall be devoured by the worms, which may seem to make my case desperate. Flesh - Or with bodily eyes; my flesh or body being raised from the grave, and re - united to my soul.God - The same whom he called his Redeemer, ver. Job 19:25, who having taken flesh, and appearing in his flesh or body with and for Job upon the earth, might well be seen with his bodily eyes. Nor is this understood of a simple seeing of him; but of that glorious and beatifying vision of God, which is promised to all God's people.
19:27 See - No wonder he repeats it again, because the meditation of it was most sweet to him. For - For my own benefit and comfort.Another - For me or in my stead. I shall not see God by another's eyes, but by my own, and by these self - same eyes, in this same body which now I have. Though - This I do confidently expect, tho' the grave and the worms will consume my whole body.