The Message of Job, by Daniel J. Simundson: Chapter 5
Simundson, Daniel J. The Message of Job. Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1981.
Chapter 5: The Conclusion of the Dialogs (Job 28-31)
OVERVIEW
This chapter of Daniel Simundson’s commentary brings the long dialog section of the book of Job to a decisive close. After three full cycles of debate between Job and his three friends have reached a complete impasse, the friends fall silent. The author then inserts a beautiful, stand-alone poem on wisdom in chapter 28 before allowing Job to have the final word in chapters 29–31.
In the story of the book, the chapter functions as a literary bridge. The endless, circular arguments about suffering and retribution have exhausted themselves. Chapter 28 offers a moment of pause and perspective. Then Job, in a poignant soliloquy, looks back with nostalgia on his former life of blessing and honor (ch. 29), laments his present humiliation and apparent abandonment by God (ch. 30), and finally swears a solemn oath of his own innocence while still demanding answers from God (ch. 31). The section ends with the narrator’s quiet note that “the words of Job are ended” (31:40), leaving the stage set for God’s dramatic intervention in chapter 38. The “story” movement is from deadlock and frustration to reflection, longing, protest, and expectant silence.
Main Points of the Chapter
Simundson organizes the chapter around three major movements, each unpacked with careful attention to both the text and its theological implications.
A. The Wisdom Poem (Chapter 28)
Simundson first examines the famous Wisdom Poem in Job 28. He begins by addressing two introductory questions that have long occupied scholars. First, who is speaking? There is broad consensus that these words do not come from Job (who is still deeply entangled in the retribution debate in chapters 29–31), nor from any of the three friends. Simundson concludes that this is most likely an interlude spoken by the author of the book himself, a deliberate pause inserted into the drama. Second, why is it placed here? It functions as a transitional “breath of fresh air,” pointing backward to the futility of the friends’ endless search for answers and forward to the climax when God himself will speak similar words in chapters 38–41. The difference, Simundson notes, is not in the content but in the speaker: when God says these things, the relationship changes everything.
The poem itself contrasts human ingenuity with the inaccessibility of true wisdom. In verses 1–11 the poet celebrates the remarkable achievements of humanity: miners can bring precious metals and gems out of the darkest depths of the earth, turning mountains inside out and exposing what had been hidden from every living creature. Yet in verses 12–22 the tone shifts dramatically. For all our technological prowess, wisdom remains utterly beyond human reach. It cannot be bought with gold or silver, and even the high-flying birds, the depths of the sea, and the realm of the dead have only rumors of it.
Finally, in verses 23–28 the poem declares that only God knows the way to wisdom. He alone saw it at the time of creation. The practical conclusion given to humanity is simple and profound: “The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding” (28:28). Simundson stresses that this is not anti-intellectualism; it is a realistic recognition of the limits of human understanding and a call to reverent trust.
B. Job’s Final Soliloquy (Chapters 29–31)
Simundson then turns to Job’s concluding speech. In chapter 29 Job nostalgically recalls the “good old days” when God was his friend, light shone on his path, his children were with him, and he enjoyed the respect of the entire community. He was known for his justice and compassion toward the poor, the widow, the orphan, and the disabled. He expected this blessed life to continue into a peaceful old age.
Chapter 30 presents a bitter contrast. Job now describes his present humiliation: even the lowest outcasts of society mock him, his body is racked with pain, and God Himself has become cruel and silent. In chapter 31 Job delivers a powerful oath of innocence. Using a series of “if… then” statements, he lists numerous possible sins (deceit, adultery, failure to care for the weak, idolatry, rejoicing at an enemy’s misfortune, and more) and swears he has not committed them. He still operates within the framework of the retribution principle, demanding that God bring any charges against him so he can answer them like a prince. The chapter ends with the narrator’s note that Job’s words are finished.
C. Some Theological and Pastoral Considerations
Simundson closes the chapter with five thoughtful reflections that draw out the wider significance of these verses:
When does one stop asking questions? Chapter 28 suggests there is a time to recognize the limits of human wisdom, yet Job is not yet ready to do so.
Chapter 28 does not propose blind anti-intellectualism. It celebrates human achievement while honestly acknowledging its boundaries.
What is the value of nostalgia? Remembering the past can be healthy, but excessive nostalgia can become an unhealthy attachment that prevents moving forward.
Job is still trapped in the doctrine of retribution. Even at the end of his speeches, he continues to operate within this framework, expecting God to act according to a strict system of reward and punishment.
Job shows an unpleasant side in his concluding soliloquy. His words reveal elements of pride, elitism, and defensiveness, reminding us that even the most righteous sufferer remains a flawed human being.
Analysis and Value to Biblical Theology and the Redemption Arc of Scripture
This chapter holds significant value for biblical theology because it marks a decisive turning point in the book of Job and in the larger biblical story of redemption. It exposes the bankruptcy of purely human attempts to explain suffering through the simple doctrine of retribution. Job and his friends have exhausted every argument within that framework, yet the questions remain unanswered.
Chapter 28 quietly insists that true wisdom lies beyond human grasp; only God possesses it. The chapter therefore prepares the reader for the theophany in chapters 38–41, where God does not give Job the explanatory answers he demands but instead reveals Himself in sovereign majesty. This shift from human debate to divine self-revelation is central to the book’s message and to the broader biblical pattern.
In the redemption arc of Scripture, Job 28–31 deepens our understanding of the human condition after the fall. Even the most righteous person (Job is repeatedly affirmed as blameless) cannot fully understand or control life through moral effort or intellectual mastery.
The chapter underscores the limits of self-righteousness and the necessity of divine revelation and grace. It foreshadows the gospel by showing why humanity needs a Savior who is both perfectly righteous and willing to enter human suffering. Job, the innocent sufferer who cries out for a mediator and a hearing with God, ultimately points us forward to Jesus Christ, the true and greater Job, who suffers not for His own sin but to redeem His people and in whom “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3).
Relevance to the Essential Elements of Soteriology
The chapter’s content touches several essential elements of soteriology. It highlights human inability and the insufficiency of works-righteousness (Job’s detailed oath of innocence in chapter 31 shows that even the best of us cannot stand before God on the basis of our own record). It underscores the need for God to take the initiative and speak (preparing the way for the gospel, in which God reveals Himself decisively in Christ). It also illustrates the already/not-yet tension of the Christian life: we live in a world where the retribution principle often appears broken, yet we are called to trust the God who will one day make all things right. Most importantly, the chapter drives home the necessity of humble, reverent trust (“the fear of the Lord”) rather than autonomous understanding, the very posture that receives the grace of God in Christ.
In short, this chapter does not resolve Job’s questions, but it deepens the biblical portrait of our need for a Redeemer and prepares the way for the gospel’s answer: in Christ, God Himself enters our suffering, provides the wisdom we cannot attain, and becomes the righteousness we cannot produce.