greenbaggins
Puritan Board Doctor
One of the finest commentators in history on the book of Job (Joseph Caryl) says this about the content of Job:
The main and principal subject of this Book is contained, (and I may give it you) in one verse of the 34. Psalm. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of all.
Concerning this subject, there are two great Questions handled and disputed fully and clearly in this Book. The first is this. Whether it doth consist with the Justice and goodness of God to afflict a righteous and sincere person, to strip him naked, to take away all his outward comforts. Or, Whether it doth consist with the Justice and goodness of God, that it should go ill with those that are good, and that it should go wel with those that are evil. This is one great debate, the main Question thoroughout the Book. And then secondly, here is another great dispute in reference to the former. Namely, whether we may judge of the righteousness, or unrighteousness, of the sincerity or hypocrisy of any person, by the outward dealings and present dispensations of God towards him. That is a second Question here debated (Joseph Caryl, Exposition of Job, volume 1, p. 6; italics and "mis-spellings" are original).
Concerning this subject, there are two great Questions handled and disputed fully and clearly in this Book. The first is this. Whether it doth consist with the Justice and goodness of God to afflict a righteous and sincere person, to strip him naked, to take away all his outward comforts. Or, Whether it doth consist with the Justice and goodness of God, that it should go ill with those that are good, and that it should go wel with those that are evil. This is one great debate, the main Question thoroughout the Book. And then secondly, here is another great dispute in reference to the former. Namely, whether we may judge of the righteousness, or unrighteousness, of the sincerity or hypocrisy of any person, by the outward dealings and present dispensations of God towards him. That is a second Question here debated (Joseph Caryl, Exposition of Job, volume 1, p. 6; italics and "mis-spellings" are original).