Wrestling with Job - by Bill Kynes & Will Kynes (Paperback)

About the Book

The unique richness of the book of Job cannot be simply explained--it must be experienced. In this collaboration between pastor father and scholar son Bill and Will Kynes, you will find exposition, spiritual application, and a deeper look at the thornier aspects of the text, equipping you to consider how you too might practice defiant faith.

Book Synopsis

The unique richness of the book of Job cannot be simply explained-it must be experienced. In this collaboration between pastor father and scholar son Bill and Will Kynes, you will find exposition, spiritual application, and a deeper look at the thornier aspects of the text, equipping you to consider how you too might practice defiant faith.

Review Quotes

"Wrestling with Job brings together the experience of a seasoned pastor with the expertise of a premier scholar to render the book of Job relatable and approachable for today's readers. The volume's pastoral voice, sensitivity to contemporary questions, and expositional orientation make it a valuable resource for those preparing to preach from this challenging text."

"Wrestling with Job is a superb guide to participating in Job's unsettling narrative, adopting Job's posture toward God, and ultimately persevering as Job persevered. Kynes and Kynes bridge the conventional gap between the academy and the pulpit, balancing nuanced commentary and informative exposition with distinctly Christian application. This book is a particularly helpful resource for those who read Job with a defiant faith, honestly challenging God in an effort to make sense of apparent unjust retribution in light of the benevolent character of God. If, like Job, you find yourself asking, 'Why, Lord?' this book will lead you to answers from Job by guiding you to the God of Job."

"A unique father-son double act, this challenging and yet nurturing rereading of Job by the Kyneses-one a pastor and the other a scholar-leads to a profound mixture of a personal, pastoral touch and strong scholarly foundations that impart key information for understanding this complex biblical book. Informed by a rich airing of intertexts and imbued with a strong sense of Christian ministry to those who suffer, the book of Job comes to life afresh in these pages with humor, sensitivity, and a deep engagement with Scripture across both testaments."

"Has anything like this ever appeared: a father-son duo teaming up on the book of Job? Even if one heard of such a thing with the hearing of the ear, now the eye can see it-and in the flesh! Across ten chapters covering all of Job, the elder Kynes, a pastor, offers wise ministerial exposition, with the younger Kynes, a biblical scholar, providing profound interpretive commentary. As the authors note, study of Job can be unsettling but, if done patiently and well can, at the end, be challenging and encouraging. I found all that to be true-and then some-in this rich and moving book. I recommend it most highly."

"I don't know many preachers willing to tackle Job. But this book can embolden anyone to teach from one of the Bible's most challenging and rewarding books. The combination of homiletical and exegetical commentary not only addresses concerns about how to teach a series through Job but also answers many of the book's thorniest theological questions. I hope the Kynes duo will give us an encore."

"The biblical book of Job takes a hard, honest look at the painful trials all of us suffer. In this exceptional guide to its main interpretations and applications, one of my favorite pastors (Bill Kynes) combines forces with a world-class scholar (Will Kynes) to produce a faith-building book for Bible teachers and the people they serve. Rather than attempting to solve the mysteries of evil and divine sovereignty, Wrestling with Job helps readers persevere through times of spiritual struggle with enduring trust in Almighty God, and in his Son, Jesus Christ."

"The father-son duo of Bill and Will Kynes has produced the rare gem in the Christian book world: a study on Job that is full of scholarly insight yet also down to earth and rich in pastoral wisdom and application for pastor and layperson alike. Beautifully written with engaging discussion questions, it's perfect for small groups. While readers may not have all their why questions answered on the issues of suffering and evil, they will be inspired to persevere with Job-like faith and put their hope in the One who sacrificed all to redeem this fallen world."

"This book will nourish your soul by giving you a glimpse of the glory of God. Its pages are filled with rich biblical insight communicated with deep pastoral feeling. I had to stop repeatedly to capture pearls of wisdom that I will pass on to others."

"True Christian faith has nothing to do with wish fulfillment but everything to do with facing reality, which is why every believer, sooner or later, has to wrestle with Job-and with what Job had to wrestle with: the reality of inequitable suffering. Bill and Will Kynes, pastor-father and scholar-son, have coauthored a precious gift: a wise and edifying twofer that provides not mere 'answers' but guidance for reading Job with understanding, deepening our trust in God, and persevering in our faith, come what may."

"Written by Bill Kynes, a longtime pastor and preacher, and his son, biblical scholar Will Kynes, Wrestling with Job is filled with insight into the meaning and application of this rich biblical book that means so much to those who experience suffering-namely all of us. This book is a feast for all readers who want to understand Job and what it means for our lives, but I would highlight its importance for clergy whose congregations need to hear what Job has to say to them. Thank you, Bill and Will, for combining your skill and passion for Scripture to illuminate Job's message for us today."

About the Author

Will Kynes (PhD, Cambridge) is associate professor of biblical studies at Samford University. He has written extensively on the book of Job and wisdom and suffering in the Hebrew Bible. His books include My Psalm Has Turned into Weeping: Job's Dialogue with the Psalms; An Obituary for "Wisdom Literature" The Birth, Death, and Intertextual Reintegration of a Biblical Corpus; and The Oxford Handbook of Wisdom and the Bible.

Bill Kynes (PhD, Cambridge) has been the senior pastor at Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church in Annandale, Virginia, since 1986. He is a senior teaching fellow with the C. S. Lewis Institute and a member of the TGC Council and has been a Veritas Forum speaker. His books include A Christology of Solidarity: Jesus as the Representative of His People in Matthew and Seven Pressing Questions: Addressing Critical Issues Confronting Christian Faith.