Understanding The Bible
STUDY REFERENCE
Clarence E. Mason's "OLD TESTAMENT POETIC BOOKS"
The Book of Job
ANALYTICAL OUTLINE OF JOB

 

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Dr. Clarence E. Mason, Jr.
Philadelphia College of Bible
1970


ANALYTICAL OUT LINE OF JOB

  1. The prose Prologue  1-2

    1. Introduction 1:1-5

      1. Who he was   1a

      2. What he was 1b

      3. What he had 2-3

      4. What he did 4-5

    2. The two assaults of Satan  1:6-2:10

      1. The first occasion 1:6-22

        1. The preparation:  First conversation with Jehovah 6-12

        2. The assault 13-19

        3. The effect upon Job:  Sorrow, submission, no sin  20-22

      2. The second occasion  2:1-10

        1. The preparation:  Second conversation with Jehovah 1-6

        2. The assault 7

        3. The effect upon Job:  Misery, patient rebuke, submission no sin 8-10

    3. The arrival of Job's three "comforters"  2:11-13
       

  2. The Poetic Portion  3:1-42:6

    1. Job's lament - "Why?" 3

    2. The Debate 4-31

      1. First round of speeches 4-14

        1. Eliphaz versus Job 407, Friends: 4-5, Job: 6-7

        2. Bildad versus Job 8-10, Friends: 8, Job: 9-10

        3. Zophar versus Job 11-14, Friends: 11, Job: 12-14

      2. Second round of speeches 15-21

        1. Eliphaz versus Job  15-17, Friends: 15, Job: 16-17

        2. Bildad versus Job 18-19, Friends: 18, Job: 19

        3. Zophar versus Job 20-21, Friends: 20, Job: 21

      3. Third round of speeches 22-31

        1. Eliphaz versus Job 22-24, Friends: 22, Job: 23-24,

        2. Bildad versus Job 25-31, Friends: 25, Job: 26-31 (26, 27-28, 29-31)

        3. [Zophar does not answer]

    3. Elihu's intervention 32-37 -- Elihu (the silent listener) speaks his mind

      1. The occasion for speaking 32:1-5

      2. "Necessity is laid upon me; I cannot but speak"  32:6-22

      3. The appeal to Job  33:1-7

      4. The false theory of Job 33:8-11

      5. The true theory of Elihu  33:12-37:24

        1. God is sovereign (v.13) 33:12-13

        2. God is gracious (v.24)  33:14-33

        3. God is just in judgment (vv. 10-12, 23)  34
          And it is meet to acknowledge this (vv. 31-34)
          But Job hasn't (vv. 35-37)

        4. God is self-sufficient 35
          Able to get along without man's praise and despite his sin (vv. 7-8.)

        5. God will render to man according to his works (vv. 11-12, 21) 36:1-21

        6. "Consider the wondrous works of God"  (see 37:14) 36:22-37:22

        7. The conclusion of the whole matter  37:23-24

          1. He is infinite (human mind cannot grasp His plan by mere reason) 23a

          2. He is omnipotent 23b

          3. He is omniscient 23c

          4. He is righteous 23d

          5. He is merciful 23e

          6. Men should therefore, reverently submit 24

    4. Jehovah versus Job 38:1-42:6

      1. Jehovah's first speech 38-39

        1. Occasion 38:1

        2. Introduction 38:2-3

        3. God's power and wisdom as manifested in creation and preservation 38:4-39:30

          1. The physical world 38:4-38

            1. Foundation of earth 4-7

            2. The sea 8-11

            3. Morning 12-15

            4. Depths 16-17

            5. Breadth of earth 18

            6. Light and darkness 19-21

            7. Snow and hail 22-23

            8. Dividing of light 24-27

            9. Rain 28

            10. Ice 29-30

            11. The stars 31-33

            12. Rain and lightning 34-38

          2. The animal world 38:39-39:30

            1. Lion 38:39-40

            2. Raven 38:41

            3. Wild goat 39:1-4

            4. Wild ass 39:5-8

            5. Unicorn 39:9-12

            6. Peacock 39:13a

            7. Ostrich 39:13b-18

            8. Horse  39:19-25

            9. Hawk 39:26

            10. Eagle (39:27-30

      2. Jehovah's second speech 40-41

        1. The challenge 40:1-2

        2. Job's first answer 40:3-5 (cp. second answer, 42:1-6)

        3. Jehovah's challenge 40:6-14
          (v. 10 is an apt description of chapters 38-39)
          (v. 11 is an apt description of chapters 40-41)

        4. Two chief illustrations of God's power to control the uncontrollable 40:15-41:34

          1. Behemoth (elephant? dinosaur?) 40:15-24

          2. Leviathan (sea monster, whale or crocodile?) 41

      3. Job's second answer:  confession and self-judgment 42:1-6
         

  3. The prose Epilogue 42:7-17

    1. Job commissioned to pray (as priest) for his "friends" (foes) 7-9

    2. The resulting restoration 10-15 (double)

    3. Job dies in good old age 16-17 (Jas 5:11)


 

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