SUMMARY
Job hopes that a redeemerA redeemer is someone who literally buys back, wins back, or frees from distress. The Hebrew term for redeemer (go'el) means to deliver or rescue. It may be a person or God who performs the act of redemption. will come forward to vindicate him. Here (as in Job 14) there seems to be a glimmer of hope that even if it does not happen while he is still alive, he will eventually be justified, and he will know about it.
ANALYSIS
This is, no doubt, the best known passage from the book of Job. Two questions need attention. Who is the redeemer? And, is this an expression of hope for life after death?
The Hebrew word translated as “redeemer” most often means “the next of kinThe next of kin is a person's closest living relative, and is usually defined as the closest living blood relative. In the book of Ruth, which deals with family relationships, Naomi (after the death of her husband and sons) returns home to live with Boaz,...,” the closest relative, usually the oldest brother. It is used to refer to the duties of the next of kin if someone is in a situation where he cannot help himself, maybe because he is dead. Three examples of this would be (a) to marry the widowA widow is a woman whose spouse has died, often plunging her into poverty and putting her in a vulnerable position in society. Jesus, in his concern for the poor, regards widows with compassion and concern. of a childless deceased person in order to provide the one who has died with descendants, (b) to avenge someone who has been killed, or (c) to buy property to keep it in the family when the owner has fallen on hard times. Eventually, especially in IsaiahIsaiah, son of Amoz, who prophesied in Jerusalem, is included among the prophets of the eighth century BCE (along with Amos, Hosea, and Micah)--preachers who boldly proclaimed God's word of judgment against the economic, social, and religious disorders of their time. and in Psalms, the word is used to speak about God, who may be the only help available when all human efforts have failed.
Job’s use of “Redeemer” may be similar to that of the “witness in heaven” in 16:19. Christians have often understood this passage as an expectation that is later fulfilled in the coming of JesusJesus is the Messiah whose life, death, and resurrection are God's saving act for humanity.. The Redeemer will save Job’s good name even if he cannot do it for himself and his friends have failed him.
This passage is often read as a hope for life after death and is sometimes proclaimed at funerals. It is impossible to know what Job had in mind. Most of the time, he seems quite sure that there is no individual existence beyond death, but here and in Job 14 there is some uncertainty and glimmers of hope. There are many problems with what the Hebrew actually says, as can be seen in all the footnotes to verses 25-26. What does seem clear is that Job hopes to be vindicated and that he will see it for himself. Whether he will see it before he dies or after he has come back from death is not certain.
Whatever Job meant, Christians have found profound words of hope in this familiar passage.
