The following commentary covers Chapters 4 through 31.
Job's
friends: their ignorance of God and His ways
As to the friends of Job,
they do not call for any extended remarks. They urge the
doctrine that God's earthly government is a full measure
and manifestation of His righteousness, and of the
righteousness of man, which would correspond with it: a
doctrine which proves a total ignorance of what God's
righteousness is, and of His ways; as well as the absence
of all real knowledge of what God is, or man as a sinner.
We do not see either that the feelings of their hearts
were influenced by communion with God. Their argument is
a false and cold estimate of the exact justice of His
government as an adequate manifestation of His
relationship with man, though they say many true
commonplace things which even the Spirit of God adopts as
just. Although Job was not before God in his estimate of
himself, he judges rightly in these respects. He shews
that although God shews His disapprobation of the wicked,
yet the circumstances in which they are often found
overthrow the arguments of his friends. We see in Job a
heart which, although rebellious, depends upon God, and
would rejoice to find Him. We see, too, that when he can
extricate himself, by a few words, from his friends, who,
he is quite sensible, understands nothing of his case,
nor of the dealings of God, he turns to God (although he
does not find Him, and although he complains that His
hand is heavy upon him), as in that beautiful and
touching chapter 23, and the reasonings as to divine
government, chapters 24, 21. That is to say, we see one
who has tasted that God is gracious, whose heart, wounded
indeed and unsubdued, yet claims those qualities for
God—because it knows Him—which the cold
reasonings of his friends could not ascribe to Him; a
heart which complains bitterly of God, but which knows
that, could it once come near Him, it would find Him all
that it had declared Him to be, and not such as they had
declared Him to be, or were themselves—could he find
Him, he would not be as they were, He would put words in
his mouth; a heart which repelled indignantly the
accusation of hypocrisy; for Job was conscious that he
looked to God, and that he had known God and acted with
reference to Him, though God thought fit to bring his sin
to remembrance.
Job 31 Bible Commentary
John Darby’s Synopsis
Job's friends: their ignorance of God and His ways
As to the friends of Job, they do not call for any extended remarks. They urge the doctrine that God's earthly government is a full measure and manifestation of His righteousness, and of the righteousness of man, which would correspond with it: a doctrine which proves a total ignorance of what God's righteousness is, and of His ways; as well as the absence of all real knowledge of what God is, or man as a sinner. We do not see either that the feelings of their hearts were influenced by communion with God. Their argument is a false and cold estimate of the exact justice of His government as an adequate manifestation of His relationship with man, though they say many true commonplace things which even the Spirit of God adopts as just. Although Job was not before God in his estimate of himself, he judges rightly in these respects. He shews that although God shews His disapprobation of the wicked, yet the circumstances in which they are often found overthrow the arguments of his friends. We see in Job a heart which, although rebellious, depends upon God, and would rejoice to find Him. We see, too, that when he can extricate himself, by a few words, from his friends, who, he is quite sensible, understands nothing of his case, nor of the dealings of God, he turns to God (although he does not find Him, and although he complains that His hand is heavy upon him), as in that beautiful and touching chapter 23, and the reasonings as to divine government, chapters 24, 21. That is to say, we see one who has tasted that God is gracious, whose heart, wounded indeed and unsubdued, yet claims those qualities for God—because it knows Him—which the cold reasonings of his friends could not ascribe to Him; a heart which complains bitterly of God, but which knows that, could it once come near Him, it would find Him all that it had declared Him to be, and not such as they had declared Him to be, or were themselves—could he find Him, he would not be as they were, He would put words in his mouth; a heart which repelled indignantly the accusation of hypocrisy; for Job was conscious that he looked to God, and that he had known God and acted with reference to Him, though God thought fit to bring his sin to remembrance.