Answer
Job is one of the most well-known figures in the Bible. Readers have always resonated with the Old Testament book that tells his story. People sympathize with Job as he experiences loss, echo the questions he asks about faith amid suffering, and grow alongside him when God finally speaks. Given Job’s legacy, it’s no wonder another ancient text that bears his name makes people curious. Yet, the Testament of Job plunders the Bible story to spread false teaching, using historical fiction to promote unbiblical theology.
The Testament of Job belongs to a category of literature known as the Pseudepigrapha—a collection of non-biblical writings composed from the sixth century BC to the third century AD. The word pseudepigrapha literally means “false writings.” In common use, the term refers to literature written under an assumed name. Other well-known books from the Pseudepigrapha include 1 Enoch, the Apocalypse of Peter, and the Gospel of Thomas.
In biblical studies, the word canon refers to the official list of texts that demonstrate inspiration from God (Psalm 119:160; cf. 2 Timothy 3:16–17). The divinely inspired books—that is, the 66 books of the Bible—are called “canonical,” while those that aren’t are “non-canonical.” The Testament of Job fails to exhibit inspiration; thus, it’s not canonical. None of the three major branches of historic Christianity—Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, or Protestantism—recognize the Testament of Job as canonical.
Comparing the biblical book of Job with the Testament of Job reveals stark contrasts, starting with when the narratives occurred and who wrote them. Most scholars believe the historical figure Job lived during the lifetime of Abraham, though his story wasn’t recorded in book form until centuries later. Though the book of Job is anonymous, tradition considers Moses or Solomon as probable authors. In contrast, the Testament of Job, likely written by a Hellenistic Jew in the first century AD, contains fictional stories about Job.
The two books share themes like God’s sovereignty and human suffering, yet they have important differences, too. For instance, the beginning of the book of Job features Satan’s dialogue with God, but the Testament of Job contains more passages about spiritual warfare. In the biblical book, Satan interacts with God in the heavenly court (Job 1—2), but in the pseudepigraphal book, he interacts with Job’s family on earth. Additionally, while the book of Job doesn’t mention any dealings angels or demons had with Job, the Testament of Job depicts Job talking with angels and demons afflicting his daughters (Testament of Job, chapters 8—9; 40).
Another difference between the writings is that the biblical book, although named for Job, is ultimately about God. Job illustrates this when he focuses his attention on God amid his loss saying, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). In contrast, the pseudepigraphal book places Job in the foreground of the narrative and God in the background. This difference is noticeable through the dialogues Job has with his friends who are mentioned in both books. Job receives praise from his friends in the Testament of Job, making him the hero of the narrative (e.g., chapters 8—9); in contrast, in the book of Job his friends mostly question and criticize him (e.g., Job 8:20–22).
Furthermore, the Testament of Job lacks a climactic epilogue, unlike the historical narrative where it is the theological heart of the story. In the climax of the biblical book, when God speaks to Job out of the storm, He says, “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding” (Job 38:4). This conclusion emphasizes Job’s humility rather than his merit, emphasizing that God is the main character of the book.
Popular media sometimes refer to the ancient literature that doesn’t meet the standards of canonicity as the “lost books of the Bible.” This description is historically inaccurate because the Christians knew these books well and rejected them for lacking inspiration. Thus, despite its name, the Testament of Job doesn’t offer readers biblical truth about history or theology.
