The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 273

do : if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could heap up wordu against you, and shake mine hel\d at you," 'fhe allusion seems to be to the glibness with which Eliphaz and his copo.rtners tossed their trite maxims from their tongues; which, says Job, is not a greo.t thing o.fter nll, hut, on the contrary, is rathn a poor accomplishment, in which I myBeH could rival you, Fluent speech is a great ornament, as well as a. powerful hanrlmaid, to fine wisdom; but, as a substitute for wisdom, it is wholly contemptible. Nimble-tongued tRlkers 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- mere lip-salve, comfort proceeding from the teeth ontwa.rd. But of course he would not, as they very well knew who had been acquainted with his previous manner of life (eh. xxix. 11-17), and had even been constrained at the outset to acknowiedge (eh. iv. 3, 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 (1 Cor. xiii. 1), and is as hatP,ful to God as it is distasteful to man (Prov. xxvii. 14). 6. Jn 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 (Gen. xxi. 17 ; Exod. iii. 7 ; Isa. xl. 7), or that his case exceeded th0" Divine resources (2 Cor. i. 3), or that the will on God's part was wanting to alleviate his sorrow (Ps. lliii. 13; Isa. xxvii. 8; xiii. 3; !xvi. 13; 2 Cor. vii. 6); but that God sometimes, for wise and good purposes of trial and discipline, hides his face from afflicted saints (Isa. Jiv. 7, 8). 2. No help from man. Eliphaz, Bihlad, 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 expelieaced no alleviation (ver. 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 he successful in ministering to a ma.lady 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 scokls 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. Vers. 7-17.-Job to God: resumption of the third controversy: 1. The sorrows oJ a weary man. I. DIVINELY BENT. Whether directly addressed in the second person (vers, 7, 8), or indirectly alluded to in the third (vers. 7, 9, 12, 14), it is ever God to whom Job traces back his sufferings. It is faith's functio □, as well as faith's delight, to recoonizo God's hand in affliction as in felicity; but not seldom sense intervenes to miscon~true the end and motive of God's dealings with the saint, and to rcgarJ. M indicative of anger l\nd enmity what, rightly viewed, is rather symptomatic of affection and care (ver. 17; Ps. xciv. 12; Prov. iii. 12; Heb. xii. 6; Rev. iii. 19). From the til'st Job had connected his adversity with God's appointment (eh. i. 21; ii. 10). For  'l'HE noo'K or Jon. tou. XVI. 1-21'!.