The Prophet Job a Type of Christ (iv)

"The Patience Of Jesus Christ"

Rev. 1: 9

Job's Patient Endurance

The patience of Job points to the patience of Christ. James said to the believers "you have heard of the patience of Job." Well may we also say, based upon the words of the apostle John in the Apocalypse,"you have heard of the patience of Christ."

In the above verses from James the word "patience" is twice used (kjv) but come from two different Greek words. The first is from "makrothymia." The Greek word for "patience" in the second instance is from "hypomonē."

Both words include, besides patience, the ideas of steadfastness, constancy, endurance, perseverance. In the NT hypomene is "characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings." Strong also says it denotes a "cheerful (or hopeful) endurance, constancy:—enduring, patience, patient continuance (waiting)." 

Makrothymia includes the idea of forbearance (putting up with, or tolerating), longsuffering, and also the idea of fortitude. The New KJV uses the word "perseverance" for hypomene, which is probably the best single word equivalent for it. We may also use the word "endurance." 

Patience is defined as "the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset." That certainly was exemplified in both Job and Christ. It is also true that patience is consequential from hope and expectation, from faith and belief. So the apostle Paul says "if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it." (Rom. 8: 25) He also puts faith before patience when he says it is "through faith and patience" that the promises are realized. (Heb. 6: 12) The patience of Job was great because his faith and hope were great.

Job is famous for his sufferings, yes, but more rather for his patiently enduring those sufferings with grit, perseverance, and fortitude. But, the fortitude of Christ is greater, as the antitype is greater than the type. 

The Fortitude of Christ

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance (patience kjv) the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls." (Heb. 12: 1-3)

Christ Jesus is set forth as an example in patience, in enduring trials and hardships, even as an innocent victim. Job too is an example, but here Christ is set forth as the greater example, a greater than Job. The fortitude of Christ and Job are our examples in patience and perseverance. 

Fortitude is defined as "strength of mind that enables a person to encounter danger or bear pain or adversity with courage." 

This is certainly true of both Job and Christ. Both showed great courage in pain and adversity. There was strength of mind, will, and character in both. They were men of focus and purpose. Think of an athlete who finishes a race in spite of an injury or severe pain. In a good article from Got Questions, in answer to the question "What does the Bible say about fortitude?" (here), the author writes:

"Although the word fortitude is rarely used in the most popular versions of the Bible, the concept is addressed often. Instead of fortitude, the word endurance, strength, or perseverance is used more often in our Bibles. Not only is fortitude a great quality, but we are commanded to pursue it (1 Timothy 6:11; 2 Timothy 2:3; 1 Peter 1:5–6)."

I agree. Fortitude is a good word to include in our list of words to define biblical patience. The same article continues:

"We are also instructed to have fortitude when being disciplined by the Lord (Hebrews 12:7). Rather than become bitter and turn away from God when He takes us through fiery trials (1 Peter 4:12), we are to endure, develop fortitude, and grow in our faith and character to be more like Christ (Romans 8:29). Fortitude is not needed on sunny days at the beach; it’s needed in the storms of life."

In this respect we should consider Christ Jesus as the greatest example of fortitude, to "consider Him who endured such hostility" from his trials and persecutions. He endured the agony of his scourgings, beatings, and death by crucifixion without the least murmur or complaint. These words of Isaiah are applicable to Christ in his agony. 

"I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting. For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed." (Isaiah 50: 6-7)

The "grit" and fortitude of Christ are affirmed in the above words when it expresses Christ's state of mind as the setting of his face like flint. Dr. John Gill explained the meaning of this, writing:

"hardened against all opposition; resolute and undaunted; constant and unmoved by the words and blows of men; not to be browbeaten, or put out of countenance, by anything they can say or do. He was not dismayed at his enemies who came to apprehend him, though they came to him as a thief, with swords and staves; nor in the high priest's palace, nor in Pilate's hall, in both which places he was roughly used; nor at Satan, and his principalities and powers; nor at death itself, with all its terrors." (Gill's Commentary)

We see this prophesy fulfilled in the life of Christ when Luke writes these words:

"And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem." (Luke 9: 51-53)

Again, let us cite from Dr. Gill on this.

"or "strengthened his face", as the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions; set his face like a flint, as in (Isaiah 50:7) denoting not impudence, as hardening of the face is used in (Proverbs 21:29) but boldness, courage, constancy and firmness of mind: or "he prepared his face", as the Syriac; or "turned his face", as the Arabic, he looked that way, and set forward; or as the Persic version renders it, "he made a firm purpose", he resolved upon it, and was determined to go to Jerusalem, his time being up in Galilee; and though he knew what he was to meet with and endure; that he should bear the sins of his people, the curse of the law, and wrath of God; that he should have many enemies, men and devils to grapple with, and undergo a painful, shameful, and accursed death; yet none of these things moved him, he was resolutely bent on going thither, and accordingly prepared for his journey." (Gill)

In the new testament the apostle Paul exhorts Christians, "as good soldiers of Christ," to "endure hardness" (II Tim. 2: 3). Certainly Christ, the captain or commanding general, is the great example to his soldiers in regard to such endurance of hardship and trial. He exemplifies that fortitude, courage, and endurance that soldiers need in warring. 

In the OT we see where the Lord many times said to his servants "be strong and of a good courage." (Num. 13: 20; Deut. 31: 6,7,23; Josh. 1 several times, etc.) Certainly the prophet Job showed great strength and good courage during his ordeal. So too did Christ. So should we as his servants. Wrote the apostle Peter:

"For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God." (I Peter 2: 19-20)

Both Job and Christ are to be highly commended and given credit for they surely, because of conscience toward God, endured great grief, and suffered wrongfully. They took it patiently. 

In both cases, Job and Christ suffered their many ills through the agency of Satan. In both cases Satan was defeated. Neither Job nor Christ were overcome by their adversities. 

This concludes our look at how Job is a picture of Christ. 

The Prophet Job a Type of Christ (iii)

"He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous, 

Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord." 

(Prov. 17: 15)

Job was falsely accused. So too was Christ. Both were condemned though righteous. Their accusers and condemners were therefore "an abomination to the Lord." Each condemned the innocent and the righteous, and indirectly justified the wicked.

First in the story of Job we find that "the Satan" was his chief accuser. In the Bible Satan is called "the accuser of the brethren." (Rev. 12: 10) "Satan" also denotes an adversary (which all accusers are). The apostle Peter speaks of "your adversary the Devil" (I Peter 5: 8). Peter also wrote:

"Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ." (I Peter 3: 16)

In the previous chapter (post) we saw how both Job and Christ were hated and ridiculed, mocked and persecuted. In this chapter we will focus on how both were innocent and righteous men who were falsely accused. Though Satan was the chief accuser against Job he was not the only one. All four of the men who accused Job were false accusers and were no doubt influenced by Satan. To those men Job was an evildoer, a sinner of the worst kind. So too was Christ accused, as we will see. He too was accused and tempted directly by Satan.

Job Falsely Accused

"Have I sinned? What have I done to You, O watcher of men? Why have You set me as Your target, So that I am a burden to myself?" (7: 20)

Though the word "accuse" is not used in the book of Job, yet the idea is there, as we see in the above words. Like any innocent person would do in the face of a false accusation, Job asks what are the charges against him. He asks his accusers to plainly state their charges and present the evidence to support them. So too did our Lord ask his accusers to do the same. 

"And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so? Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?" (John 18: 22-23) On another occasion he asks his accusers: “Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me?" (John 8: 46)

In both cases there was no evidence of guilt in either Job or Christ. The blasphemy against Job and Christ was wholly unjustified. In both cases we may say to their accusers - "You have condemned and killed the just; and he does not resist you." (James 5: 6) To his accusers Job said: "I am afraid of all my sufferings; I know that You will not hold me innocent." (9: 28)

Many commentators believe that Job is addressing God in these words. He is the "you" who will not hold Job innocent. In my view it is another example of how the majority view of commentators is not always right. Job believes that God will hold him innocent, will judge him as righteous, and will demonstrate that his sufferings were not the direct result of sin. It makes more sense to see the above words as addressed to those of his three friends who spoke previously to this time (Job chapters 4-8). Eliphaz and Bildad have rendered their judicial decisions about Job's case and they have accused Job of deserving his calamities, and that he was not innocent. The pronoun "you" is second person singular, but this does not necessarily mean the "you" is God. It could be that it is addressed to either Eliphaz or Bildad who both had just spoken. It also could be a reference to them as a single group. 

So too, many in Christ's time likewise had no intention of ever seeing Christ as an innocent sinless man. They thought he was a sinner because he ate and received sinners. They also thought he spoke blasphemy. 

To Job it was said - “There is no end to your iniquities.” (Job 22: 5). What a false accusation! So different too from the description God gives of his servant Job! Eliphaz also says:

“You have given no water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry. You have sent widows away empty-handed, and the arms of the orphans you have crushed.” (Job 22: 7-8)

This was a false accusation. Job would later respond to it, and to other false accusations, in Job chapter 31. There he says:

"If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail; Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof; (For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother's womb;) If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering; If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep; If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate: Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone." (16-22)

Job did not fail to give water to the thirsty or bread to the hungry. He never failed to help widows and orphans! He denies the unjust accusation. Job's religion was pure religion, and which, as James said, consisted in such.

"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." (James 1: 27)

Job did remember the poor as did the apostles and all true believers. (Gal. 2: 10)

Bildad says to Job - "If you were pure and upright, Surely now He would awake for you, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous." (8: 6) 

On this accusation the Pulpit commentary says:

"If thou wert pure and upright. Job had asserted this, not in so many words, but substantially (Job 6:29, 30). We have God's testimony that it was true (Job 1:8; Job 2:3); not, of course, in the sense that he was absolutely free from sin, but in that qualified sense in which "just," and "righteous," and "pure," and "holy" can be properly used of men. Bildad implies, without boldly asserting it, that he does not believe Job to deserve the epithets, either absolutely or in a qualified sense. If he were so, Surely now he (i.e. God) would awake for thee." 

Does God always come to the rescue of the innocent to save them from harm and false accusation? No, he does not. Does he always deliver the righteous from suffering unjustly and prosper him in this world? No, he does not. As I have pointed out in the series on Elihu's speeches, Elihu and the three senior friends of Job all taught what we call today the "prosperity gospel," teaching that if one is living in the will of God he will be blessed with wealth and health. 

Now let us notice how these same type of false accusations were made against Christ Jesus.

"There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. Many of them said, “He has a demon, and he is mad; why listen to him?” (John 10:19–20)

Jesus the perfectly righteous was accused of being a "demonic" person, full of evil. He was accused of being crazy or insane. Mark also records that "the chief priests accused him of many things" (Mark 15: 3).

"Now the chief priests and all the council sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none. For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree. Then some rose up and bore false witness against Him, saying, “We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.’ ” But not even then did their testimony agree." (Mark 14:  55-57)

"Many bore false witness against him." The false accusations made against Job foreshadowed those made against Christ. 

"Then the whole multitude of them arose and led Him to Pilate. And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.” (Luke 23: 1-2)

Just as Job was falsely accused and persecuted, so was Christ. So too have his followers been falsely accused and persecuted.

The Suffering Servant

Both Christ and Job may be called "suffering servants of Yahweh." Christ preeminently so, for he is the antitype and Job is the type. The sufferings of Job prefigured the sufferings of Christ. Job was a type of Christ in that he was a righteous innocent sufferer. 

Job underwent a humiliation and exaltation that finds it’s antitype in the suffering and glorious exaltation of the Redeemer. Just as God meant good for Job through his sufferings (Job 42:12), so He meant good for Christ through His sufferings. Jesus is the righteous sufferer who shows forth the righteousness of God. 

"Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?” (Job 1: 8; 2: 3; 42: 7, 8)

Christ is greater than Job and of him it may be said in the highest sense "there is none like him on the earth." Of the righteousness, holiness, sinlessness, and moral purity of Christ, there is much testimony in scripture. Confessed Job:

“Oh, that my grief were fully weighed, And my calamity laid with it on the scales! For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea— Therefore my words have been rash. For the arrows of the Almighty are within me; My spirit drinks in their poison; The terrors of God are arrayed against me." (Job 6: 2-4)

These words may well be applied to Christ. Oh that we would weigh fully the grief and sorrows of Christ, the suffering servant of the prophet Isaiah. Says Isaiah of the Messiah:

"By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities." (Isa. 53: 11)

“Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles." (Isa. 42: 1)

Christ is "the Righteous One," and "the Holy One," and "the Just One" (Acts 3: 14; 7: 52; 22: 14). 

In the new testament there is constant reference to "the sufferings (or afflictions) of Christ" (II Cor. 1: 5; Col. 1: 24; I Peter 1: 11; 5: 1) In the case of Job and of the other suffering prophets there also was "suffering affliction." The time of his sufferings is called the time of "the captivity of Job." (42: 10) In like manner we may speak of "the captivity of Messiah." Turning the captivity of someone in the OT denoted a restoration of lost fortunes. Christ, after his suffering and death, was restored to the right hand of God and to all the joys and heaven. 

The sufferings of Job were in several respects. He had losses. He who was rich became poor even though righteous. So too Christ. Wrote the apostle Paul:

"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich." (II Cor. 8: 9)

On the other hand, Christ is superior to Job. Job's losses and sufferings were not a result of his choice, but Christ's were by his choice. 

God treated Job as an enemy for a higher purpose. God the Father forsook Christ and treated him as an enemy in a moment of time when he was seen by God as bearing the sins of the people. So Christ prayed "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matt. 27: 46) And so it is also written: "Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief" (Isa. 53: 10). 

Notice also these words of the prophet:

"I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting. But the Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame. He who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who is my adversary? Let him come near to me. Behold, the Lord GOD helps me; who will declare me guilty?" (Isa. 50: 6-9)

Job said: “God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.” (Job 16:11). This would be a fitting summary of what happened when the Savior was crucified, yet it was spoken by Job. Job also said:  “They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek.” (Job 16:10) Again, this is another statement by Job that is very applicable to the Savior and to the above words of Isaiah.

We are told that “the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends” (Job 42:10), friends who had symbolically crucified him with words. Jesus also prayed for the soldiers who, by military order, had literally crucified him: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)

In the next posting we will consider the patience of Job and Christ and finish this short series.