CONTRIBUTORS TO THE EXPOSITOR. THE LATE DR. THIRLWALL, BISHOP OF ST. DAVID'S. THE VERY REV. THE DEAN OF CANTERBURY. REV. A. MACLAREN, B.A. REV. CANON FARRAR, D.D., F.R.S. REV. JAMES MORISON, D.D. REV. PROFESSOR PLUMPTRE, M.A., D.D. REV. H. R. REYNOLDS, D.D. REV. W. SANDAY, M.A. REV. J. OSWALD DYKES, D.D. REV. J. RAWSON LUMBY, B.D. REV. PROFESSOR A. B. DAVIDSON, M.A. REV. CANON PEROWNE, D.D. REV. ALEX. RALEIGH, D.D. REV. JOSEPH HAMMOND, LL.B. REV. HENRY ALLON, D.D. REV. PROFESSOR STANLEY LEATHES, M.A. REV. R. W. DALE, M.A. REV. RAYNER WINTERBOTHAM, M.A., B.SC. REV. MARCUS DODS, M.A., D.D. REV. A. B. BRUCE, D.D. REV. HENRY BURTON, B.A. REV. PROFESSOR W. ROBERTSON SMITH, M.A. REV. PROFESSOR A. M. FAIRBAIRN. THE EXPOSITOR. THE BOOK OF JOB. INTRODUCTION. THE Book of Job is admitted, with hardly a dissentient voice, to be the most sublime religious Poem in the literature of the world. Divines and expositors, who have studied it with devotion, find it difficult to express their sense of its beauty, grandeur, and value. Thus, for example, Canon Cook-one of its most recent, sober, and able commentators-writes :-" It. combines in a very singular degree various elements of human thought and most opposite characteristics. of human genius. Its most striking features are depth and boldness of speculative inquiry, of research, not only into what may be known of the dealings of God with man, but of the principles on which those dealings rest. The characters stand out, each and all, in broad strong outline, with traits of surpassing delicacy and vigour. The historical narrative is clear and rapid, with the simplicity and grace of antique letters; the dialogues full of vehement outbursts, vivid imagery, and sudden alternations of passionate struggles with deep, calm, earnest contemplation of spiritual truth. The reader is irresistibly impressed with the reality of the transactions, with the truth and naturalness of the JULY 1876. 2 VOL. IV. 253662 |