Matthew Henry Complete Commentary
on the Whole Bible
Current Chapter:
Chapter 34
Elihu here speaks
with a great deference to the divine will and wisdom, and a
satisfaction therein: it is highly fit that every thing should be
according to God's mind. He speaks also with a just disdain of the
pretensions of those that are proud, and would be their own carvers:
Should it be according to thy mind? Should we always have the
good we have a mind to enjoy? We should then wrongfully encroach upon
others and foolishly ensnare ourselves. Must we never be afflicted,
because we have no mind to it? Is it fit that sinners should feel no
smart, that scholars should be under no discipline? Or, if we must be
afflicted, is it fit that we should choose what rod we will be beaten
with? No; it is fit that every thing should be according to God's mind,
and not ours; for he is the Creator, and we are creatures. He is
infinitely wise and knowing; we are foolish and short-sighted. He is in
one mind; we are in many.
2. That it is in vain, and to no purpose, to expect it: "He will
recompense it whether thou refuse or whether thou choose. God will
take his own way, fulfil his own counsel, and recompense according to
the sentence of his own justice, whether thou art pleased or
displeased; he will neither ask thy leave nor ask thy advice, but, what
he pleases, that will he do. It is therefore thy wisdom to be easy, and
make a virtue of necessity; make the best of that which is,
because it is out of thy power to make it otherwise. If thou pretend
to choose and refuse," that is, "to prescribe to God and except against
what he does, so will not I--I will acquiesce in all he does; and
therefore speak what thou knowest; say what thou wilt do,
whether thou wilt oppose or submit. The matter lies plainly before
thee; be at a point; thou art in God's hand, not in mine."
III. He appeals to all intelligent indifferent persons whether there
was not a great deal of sin and folly in that which Job said.
1. He would have the matter thoroughly examined, and brought to an
issue
(Job 34:36):
"My desire is that Job may be tried unto the end. If any will
undertake to justify what he has said, let them do it; if not, let us
all agree to bear our testimony against it." Many understand it of his
trial by afflictions: "Let his troubles be continued till he be
thoroughly humbled, and his proud spirit brought down, till he be made
to see his error and to retract what he has so presumptuously said
against God and his providence. Let the trial be continued till the end
be obtained."
2. He appeals both to God and man, and desires the judgment of both
upon it.
(1.) Some read
Job 34:36
as an appeal to God: O, my Father! let Job be tried. So the
margin of our Bibles, for the same word signifies my desire and
my father; and some suppose that he lifted up his eyes when he
said this, meaning, "O my Father who art in heaven! let Job be
tried till he be subdued." When we are praying for the benefit of
afflictions either to ourselves or others we must eye God as a Father,
because they are fatherly corrections and a part of our filial
education,
Hebrews 12:7.
(2.) He appeals to the by-standers
(Job 34:34):
"Let men of understanding tell me whether they can put any more
favourable construction upon Job's words than I have put, and whether
he has not spoken very ill and ought not to cry, Peccavi--I have
done wrong." In what Job had said he thought it appeared,
[1.] That he did not rightly understand himself, but had talked
foolishly,
Job 34:35.
He cannot say that Job is without knowledge and wisdom; but, in this
matter, he has spoken without knowledge, and, whatever his heart
is, his words were without prudence. What he said to his wife
may be retorted upon himself (He speaks as one of the foolish men
speak) and for the same reason, Shall we not receive evil as
well as good at God's hand?
Job 2:10.
Sometimes we need and deserve those reproofs ourselves which we have
given to others. Those that reproach God's wisdom really reproach their
own.
[2.] That he had not a due regard to God, but had talked wickedly. If
what he had said be tried to the end, that is, if one put it to
the utmost stretch and make the worst of it, it will be found,
First, That he has taken part with God's enemies: His
answers have been for wicked men; that is, what he had said
tended to strengthen the hands and harden the hearts of wicked people
in their wickedness, he having carried the matter of their prosperity
much further than he needed. Let wicked men, like Baal, plead for
themselves if they will, but far be it from us that we should answer
for them, or say any thing in favour of them. Secondly, That he
has insulted God's friends, and hectored over them: "He clappeth his
hands among us; and, if he be not thoroughly tried and humbled,
will grow yet more insolent and imperious, as if he had gotten the day
and silenced us all." To speak ill is bad enough, but to clap our hands
and triumph in it when we have done, as if error and passion had won
the victory, is much worse. Thirdly, That he has spoken against
God himself, and, by standing to what he had said, added rebellion
to his sin. To speak, though but one word, against God, by whom we
speak and for whom we ought to speak, is a great sin; what is it then
to multiply words against him, as if we would out-talk him? What is it
to repeat them, instead of unsaying them? Those that have sinned, and,
when they are called to repent, thus go on frowardly, add rebellion to
their sin and make it exceedingly sinful. Errare possum,
Hæreticus esse nolo--I may fall into error, but I will not plunge
into heresy.