The Book of Job is an Old Testament book that explores themes of suffering, faith, and the nature of God. It tells the story of Job, a righteous man who endures immense suffering despite his piety. The book features dialogues between Job and his friends, who attempt to explain his suffering, and between Job and God. It raises profound questions about the relationship between God and humanity, the problem of evil, and the meaning of life. The Book of Job is considered a literary masterpiece, known for its poetic language and philosophical depth. It remains a source of reflection and inspiration for readers grappling with the complexities of faith and suffering.
Carl Jung's "Answer to Job" reinterprets the biblical Book of Job through the lens of analytical psychology. Jung challenges the traditional Christian interpretation, suggesting that God's suffering is not a mysterious plan but a consequence of God's own unconsciousness. The book explores the concept of God's 'shadow self' and the importance of confronting inner darkness for spiritual growth. Jung's analysis delves into the dynamics between the conscious and unconscious, highlighting the need for self-reflection and integration. Ultimately, "Answer to Job" offers a profound exploration of faith, suffering, and the human condition.
Proverbs 4 is a part of the Book of Proverbs, where King Solomon advises his sons to listen to his instructions and seek wisdom above all else. The chapter highlights the benefits of wisdom in providing defense against sin, promoting a comfortable and long life, and guiding one on the right path. It contrasts the path of the righteous with the path of the wicked, urging careful attention to one's heart, words, and actions to avoid straying from wisdom[3][4][5].
The Book of Ezekiel records the prophetic visions and messages of Ezekiel, who lived among the exiled Judeans in Babylon from approximately 593 to 571 BC. The book includes vivid, symbolic language and describes Ezekiel's commission as a prophet, his visions of God's throne chariot, the state of the temple in Jerusalem, and the impending destruction of Jerusalem and the surrounding nations. It also contains parables and allegories that depict Israel's rebellion and idolatry, as well as God's judgment and justice[1][3][5].
This book is a detailed commentary on the Book of Revelation, written by Ernest Findlay Scott. Published in 1940, it provides an in-depth analysis of the biblical text, offering insights into its historical, theological, and literary context. Scott's work is considered a significant contribution to biblical scholarship, particularly in the field of New Testament studies.
In 1952, at the age of seventy-six, Carl Jung wrote Answer to Job in a single burst of energy and with strong emotion. He completed it while ill, following a high fever, and upon finishing, he felt well again. The book explores the nature of God, particularly what Jung perceived as God’s dark side, a theme that preoccupied him throughout his life. In it, the theology first explored in the Red Book—the progressive incarnation of God, and the replacement of the one-sided Christian God with one that encompasses evil within it—found its clearest expression. This makes Answer to Job one of Jung’s most controversial works. Jung wrote in a letter that the book, “released an avalanche of prejudice, misunderstanding, and above all, atrocious stupidity.”
The fundamental idea in Answer to Job is that the pair of opposites is united in the image of Yahweh. God is not divided but is an antinomy—a totality of inner opposites. This paradox is the essential condition for His omniscience and omnipotence. Love and Fear, though seemingly irreconcilable, coexist at the heart of the divine.
The story of Job follows a righteous man whose faith is tested by Satan with God’s permission. Job loses his wealth, children, health, and the support of his friends, who insist he must be guilty. His cries for justice go unheard, so that Satan’s cruel wager can proceed undisturbed. God allows the innocent to suffer. Still, Job is certain that somewhere within God, justice must exist. This paradox leads him to expect, within God, a helper or an “advocate” against God.
Jung flips the traditional understanding of Christ’s work of redemption: it is not an atonement for humanity’s sin against God, but a reparation for a wrong done by God to man.
“God has a terrible double aspect: a sea of grace is met by a seething lake of fire, and the light of love glows with a fierce dark heat of which it is said, “ardet non lucet”—it burns but gives no light. That is the eternal, as distinct from the temporal, gospel: one can love God but must fear him.”
When Jung was once asked how he could live with the knowledge he had recorded in Answer to Job, he replied, “I live in my deepest hell, and from there I cannot fall any further.”
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⌛ Timestamps
0:00 Introduction4:28 Religion as a Psychic Truth5:31 Job: The Oldest Book of the Bible 8:07 Union of Opposites in God9:54 Abraxas10:55 The Divine Drama: Yahweh and Job15:57 The Creature Surpasses The Creator16:54 Yahweh and Sophia18:09 Abel: Foreshadowing the God-Man 18:58 God Becomes Man21:13 Christ and the Hero’s Myth22:01 Answer to Job22:04 Christ as Archetype of the Self24:31 The Role of Satan27:14 The Role of the Holy Spirit (Paraclete)29:01 Conflict of Opposites and Redemption30:28 Privatio Boni and Summum Bonum31:06 Enantiodromia32:00 Visions and Mental Illness32:32 The Book of Ezekiel33:55 The Book of Enoch37:08 The Book of Revelation46:53 Assumption of Mary48:04 Union of Opposites and Individuation53:30 The Challenge Ahead
Eternalised 
