Job is a profound book on human suffering, worthy of a lifetime of study. But was Job himself a real, historical character? And does it matter? The book of Job is a profound work on human suffering, worthy of a lifetime of study and reflection. But was Job himself a real, historical character (like John Bunyan), or is Job a mythic legend (like Paul Bunyan)? And does it really matter in the end which he was — fact or folklore? The question comes to us from a listener named Lori. “Dear Pastor John, I have enjoyed your messages on the book of Job. Recently, I was at a memorial service at a Reformed church in which the pastor said Job was a fictitious character. The lessons of the book, he said, are still helpful. But what do you think? Was Job a real person or not? Why or why not? And do you think it matters?” Episode 1353: https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/was-job-a-man-or-a-myth Related Resources: “I Read the Bible and Feel Nothing — What Should I Do?” https://youtu.be/2Odypthz9aI “Your Suffering Is Working for You” https://youtu.be/ZquGb86rW9s “Five Ways Jesus Changes Our Relationship to the Old Testament” https://youtu.be/gaAOUf6G9OY “If the Bible Has Been Added To, Can We Trust It?” https://youtu.be/1ALw1Pr0vLg Ask Pastor John Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFF7F6AE365DA3564 Find other recent and popular Ask Pastor John episodes, http://desiringgod.org/ask-pastor-john