Job to Eliphaz: 1. Unacceptable comfort and unassuaged grief.
I. UNACCEPTABLE COMFORT. Job characterizes the offered consolation of Eliphaz and his companions as:
1. In its nature common' place. "I have heard many such things." Not that Job imagined self-evident and obvious maxims could not be true, or objected to a good lesson because it was common, or was himself "one of those nicelings who are always longing for I wet not what novelties, and cannot abide that a man should tell them one tale twice" (Calvin), like the Athenians (Acts 17:21), and some Christians of whom St. Paul writes (2혻Timothy 4:3); but that either he desired to rebuke the assumption of the friends, who had pretentiously styled their stale platitudes "the consolations of God" (Job 15:11), by discovering them to be exceedingly trite observations, or he wished to draw attention to the greatness of his misery which refused to be comforted by common means.
2. In its pertinence powerless. "Shall vain words [literally, 'words of wind'] have an end?" If Job meant, by designating Eliphaz's oration "words of wind," to repay him for the compliment contained in Job 15:2, most unquestionably Job was wrong, since good men should be meek (Galatians 5:23; 1혻Corinthians 13:7; Ephesians 4:2), and meek men should rather hear reproach than resent it (1혻Peter 2:20), being called thereunto by Christ's precept (Matthew 11:29), promise (Matthew 5:5), and example (1혻Peter 2:21); but if Job simply designed to direct attention to the fact that a truth might be precious in itself as well as eloquently set forth, and vet possess no relevancy to the subject under consideration?봶histling past it, in fact, like the idle wind?봦e gave utterance to a valuable remark. The public ear groans at the quantity of windy talk, irrelevant observation, impertinent argument, and pointless discussion to which it is obliged to listen. It is, however, a mistake to suppose that good people and religious literature enjoy a monopoly of this sort of wisdom. As much weak (Scottice "feckless") palaver may be heard in parliaments and scientific congress as in pulpits and sermons.
3. In its spirit irascible. "What emboldeneth [literally, 'goadeth'] thee that thou answerest?" Eliphaz had thrown off the somewhat calm and philosophic manner that had distinguished him in his first address, had given way to temper, and allowed the heat of his spirit to communicate a degree of sharpness to his tongue. Between the two, the tongue and the temper, there is an intimate connection. It is hard to pour forth floods of glowing eloquence when the soul is like an icicle; but equally it is a task for the wisest, when the whole inner man is on fire, to keep the conflagration from shooting out lambent flames, and emitting fiery sounds from the mouth. "It is good to be zealously affected in a good thing;" but "the discretion of a man deferreth his anger," "lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, back-bitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults," and because "the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God," while "an angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression."
4. In its utterance facile. "I also could speak as you do: if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you." The allusion seems to be to the glibness with which Eliphaz and his copartners tossed their trite maxims from their tongues; which, says Job, is not a great thing after all, but, on the contrary, is rather a poor accomplishment, in which I myself could rival you. Fluent speech is a great ornament, as well as a powerful handmaid, to fine wisdom; but, as a substitute for wisdom, it is wholly contemptible. Nimble-tongued talkers should also remember that sometimes those hear them who could eclipse them at their own trade, but are restrained from doing so, if not by regard for their fellows, by respect for themselves.
5. In its character insincere. "I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the solace of my lips would soothe you." The same sort of consolation they offered him, he could with perfect ease present to them?봫ere lip-salve, comfort proceeding from the teeth outward. But of course he would not, as they very well knew who had been acquainted with his previous manner of life (Job 29:11-17), and had even been constrained at the outset to acknowledge (Job 4:3, Job 4:4). Sincerity, that becomes and is binding upon all in every situation of life, is specially required of sympathizers. That which comes not from the heart never finds its way to the heart. Comfort without honesty wants the first element of success (1혻Corinthians 13:1), and is as hateful to God as it is distasteful to man (Proverbs 27:14).
6. In its result irksome. "Miserable comforters [literally, 'comforters of trouble'] are ye all." Instead of soothing, it annoyed; instead of healing, it wounded; instead of helping, it weakened. And no wonder, if its character was as above depicted.
II. UNASSUAGED GRIEF. Job declares that, much as his misery demanded right and effectual consolation, he was not able to find it in God, his friends, or himself.
1. No comfort from God. Not because God failed to appreciate his need of comfort (Genesis 21:17; Exodus 3:7; Isaiah 40:7), or that his case exceeded the Divine resources (2혻Corinthians 1:3), or that the will on God's part was wanting to alleviate his sorrow (Psalms 103:13; Isaiah 27:8; Isaiah 42:3; Isaiah 66:13; 2혻Corinthians 7:6); but that God sometimes, for wise and good purposes of trial and discipline, hides his face from afflicted saints (Isaiah 54:7, Isaiah 54:8).
2. No help from man. Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar had only proved "comforters of trouble," broken reeds that pierce the hand of those who lean upon them. Job had not gone to them for consolation; it was they who had proffered comfort to him. But, in either case, the result would have been the same. Man's resources in the shape of sympathy are soon exhausted.
3. No ease from himself. If he spoke, his grief was not assuaged; if he remained silent, he experienced no alleviation (verse 6). Common woes are usually relieved by tears or talking; and great sorrows, at least by great souls, full-orbed, self-contained, self-sufficient men, can be restrained, if not abated, by silent endurance; but Job's misery refused to yield to any medicine. This should have moderated Job's indignation against his friends, since if he, who best knew his own trouble, was unable to find a crumb of comfort in it, it was worse than foolish to expect that men, who in a manner only spoke at a venture, would be successful in ministering to a malady which they did not understand.
Learn:
1. That truths which seem original to ordinary minds are often recognized by wiser and better-informed persons as exceedingly trite and commonplace.
2. That well-meaning people sometimes bandy words with one another, and call each other bad names, like vulgar scolds and common sinners.
3. That it is no uncommon thing for men in trouble, whether saints or sinners, to meet with miserable comforters and physicians of no value.
4. That the three requisites for comfort are sincerity. sympathy, and sagacity.
5. That God can place the most capable of men in positions which shall reveal their insufficiency.