Job 4

Job 4:1

2. Eliphaz’s First Speech (Chaps. 4, 5)Chapter four commences the cycle of speeches of Job’s friends and his responses to them. Ridout summarizes the gist of their message as follows: In the controversy of the three friends we have a unity of thought, based on a common principle. That principle is that all suffering is of a punitive rather than of an instructive nature; that it is based on God’s justice rather than on His lovethough these are ever combined in all His ways. Such a principle necessarily fails to distinguish between the sufferings of the righteous and those of the wicked. In chapters 4 and 5, Eliphaz speaks. Eliphaz (his name may mean God is strength or God is fine gold) was a pious and prominent person, orthodox in his views of God’s greatness, but sadly lacking in compassion. He becomes harsher as the series of speeches progress. It is worth noting that while the three friends become less and less understanding (in both senses of that word) throughout the book, Job becomes more and more understanding of God’s ways, until, after speeches by Elihu and a true encounter with Jehovah, he accepts God’s will with true humility. 4:1-11 Eliphaz says in effect, “You helped others (‘Your words have kept men on their feet’ 4:4, James Moffatt), but now you cannot help yourself.” (These words are reminiscent of Christ’s mockers at the Crucifixion: “He saved others; He cannot save Himself.”) The reason he gives for this is Job’s self-righteousness. “Hath not thy piety been thy confidence, and the perfection of thy ways thy hope?” (4:6, JND). Since people suffer for wickedness, it must be that Job has sinned (vv. 7-9). 4:12-21 Then Eliphaz tells of a vision which was secretly brought to him at night. In this vision a spirit asks the question, “Can a mortal be more righteous than God? Can a man be more pure than his Maker?” (v. 17). The meaning of this seems to be that man has no right to reply against God. If a person suffers, it is his own fault, not God’s. After all, God is so great that He cannot trust His own servants, and when compared to Him, His angels are guilty of error. Since this is so, how much more untrustworthy and fallible are mortal men who are as transient as a moth!