Light + Truth When Friends Wound with Their Words
Jan 6, 2026
John Piper, a renowned Reformed pastor and theologian, delves into the complexities of suffering through the lens of Job. He critiques how Job’s friends' harsh theology misrepresents God, highlighting the insensitivity in their responses. Piper explores the damaging implications of equating suffering with sin, showcasing failures in pastoral care. As Job’s frustration escalates, Piper emphasizes the need for tenderness in truth, reminding us that rigid theology can cause deep wounds to the hurting.
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Structure Reveals Theology Breaking Down
- The speeches in Job form three cycles where friends press a rigid justice principle against Job's suffering.
- The pattern shows the friends' arguments shorten and harden as their theology collapses under reality.
The Justice Principle Driving The Friends
- Eliphaz asserts a principle: suffering correlates with sin and prosperity with righteousness.
- He admits universal sinfulness but still insists extraordinary sin brings extraordinary suffering.
Let Hurtful Words Blow Away
- Do not fixate on hurtful words spoken in pain; treat many as 'words of the wind' and let them go.
- John Piper warns that keeping an account of every wrong will embitter you and ruin church life.
