Sort of makes Josiah's point about "civil righteousness" doesn't it? How does this make the claim for 'sinlessness' in the Christian sense - i.e. Job being without inherent sin? (or, however you'd like to term it...)
Josiah complained about "without sin" not being said of Job but it is said of him. Then Josiah moved the "goal posts" and wanted "sinless" but nobody ever says that Job is sinless, nor that Blessed Mary is sinless. What is said of Job is that he is a man without sin and upright, fearing God and keeping himself far from evil. God said that of him. Enoch has the testimony that he walked with God and pleased God so God took him [into heaven]. Blessed Mary is like these men insofar as she did not sin by doing wicked things and she is unlike them insofar as she was preserved, from the instant of her conception, by God's grace so that she was free from the stain (corruption of nature and character) caused by inherited sin (original sin). That is what the Catholic Church teaches as the teaching of Christ and the apostles. Josiah may (or may not) reject this. Nobody outside of the Catholic Church is asked to receive this as true unless they want to. The comments made by God about Job is not about "civil righteousness" - whatever that may be. God speaks of Job in heaven before the angels. His comment is not about some kind of sub-righteousness applicable only in worldly sin-corrupted civil society. The context does not allow that interpretation to stand even if one wanted to present it. Job's repentance near the end of the story is not said to be repentance for sins and wickedness - far from it, God declares that Job spoke truthfully about him and was commended at the end of the story for having done so - what Job repents of is his creaturely ignorance and he does that after God reveals to him how little he - as a creature - knows. The word "repent" may be causing a misunderstanding. Take a careful look at the passage where Job repents and discover (if you can) what wickedness you think he did so that he needed to repent of it.
Then Job, responding to the Lord, said: I know that you are able to do all things, and that no thoughts are hidden from you. So, who is it that would disguise a lack of knowledge as counsel? Therefore, I have been speaking foolishly, about things whose measure exceeds my knowledge. Listen, and I will speak. I will question you, and you may answer me. By paying attention with the ear, I have heard you, but now my eye sees you. Therefore, I find myself reprehensible, and I will do penance in embers and ashes. [SUP]Job 42:1-6[/SUP]
The Hebrew word used in the last verse and translated in the KJV as 'repent" is ָ
נַחם (nāḥam) and it is
A verb meaning to be sorry, to pity, to comfort, to avenge. The verb often means to be sorry or to regret: the Lord was sorry that He had made people (Gen 6:6); He led Israel in a direction to avoid war when they left Egypt, lest they became so sorry and grieved that they would turn back (Exo 13:17). The Lord had compassion on His people (i.e., He became sorry for them because of the oppression their enemies placed on them [Jdg 2:18]). While the Lord could be grieved, He did not grieve or become sorry so that He changed His mind as a human does (1Sa 15:29). The word also means to comfort or console oneself. Isaac was comforted after Sarah, his mother, died (Gen 24:67).
The verb always means to console or comfort. Jacob refused to be comforted when he believed that Joseph had been killed (Gen 37:35). To console is synonymous with showing kindness to someone, as when David consoled Hanun, king of the Ammonites, over the death of his father (2Sa 10:2). God refused to be consoled over the destruction of His people (Isa 22:4; Isa 40:1); yet He comforts those who need it (Psa 119:82; Isa 12:1). The passive form of the word means to be comforted: the afflicted city of Zion would be comforted by the Lord (Isa 54:11; Isa 66:13). In the reflexive stem, it can mean to get revenge for oneself (Gen 27:42; Eze 5:13); to let oneself be sorry or have compassion (Num 23:19; Deu 32:36); and to let oneself be comforted (Gen 37:35; Psa 119:52).
In Job 42:1-6 Job confesses that he spoke things which he understood not. He had heard of God by the hearing of the ear, but now his eye saw Him, and he abhorred his former words and demeanour, and regretted them showing his sorrow in dust and ashes.
Yet how does God respond to Job's regret?
But after the Lord had finished speaking these words to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Themanite: My wrath has been kindled against you, and against your two friends, because you have not been speaking correctly in my eyes, as my servant Job has done. Therefore, have seven bulls and seven rams brought to you, and go to my servant Job, and offer these as a holocaust for yourselves. But also, my servant Job will pray for you; I will accept his face, so that foolishness will not be imputed to you. For you have not been speaking correctly about me, as my servant Job has done. So Eliphaz the Themanite, and Baldad the Suhite, and Zophar the Naamathite departed, and they did just as the Lord had spoken to them, and the Lord accepted the face of Job. [SUP]Job 42:7-9[/SUP]
Job's accuser was Satan [SUP]
Job 1:9-11; 2:4[/SUP] and his three friends who came to comfort him in his losses and suffering offered accusations too. The bulk of the story of Job is about accusations made against Job. Yet through all the accusations Job maintained his integrity [SUP]
Job 2:10[/SUP]. Anybody reading the story of Job cannot come away believing that Satan and the comforters were right all along and that Job was wicked deserving his losses and suffering. God himself exonerates Job and if God is for him who shall bring an accusation against him [SUP]
Rom 8:33[/SUP].