The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 422

1 C0r. xiii. 9-12). But, again, the eense of whi\t le unknown ehould le&d ua to hold the more firmly to that which is known, especially through the gospel or his grace and love. There he speaks to us from out the vastness and splendour or the creation with II voice that we can understand, that tonchos the heart-" My child I" This everlasting God is oars-our Father and our Love. Without the knowledge of bla grace and mercy in Christ, the knowledge of his majesty and purity must drive us to despair.--J. VerB. 2-4.-Cruel reproof helps not the sufferer. Job has endured the reproaohea of his "ould-be friends. Their words, instead of calming and comforting his wounded spirit, h11vc only irritated and tried him. He has sought in vain for the refreshment of ~~·mpatby. One prolonged attempt to prove his guiltiness, and to establish the justice of his affliction on that ground, he has had to meet by protestations of inno.cenoe. Jl11( the ill-judged and imperfectly instructed comforters, mistaking the ground of Job's ~111-c:ion, had poured gall into his troubled spirit. The testimony of the book is to the iusufficiency of human consolation, and to the great truth that there are afflictions which come upon men for other reasons than ns punishments of offence, The picture of Job sufferin.!! bodily pain is sad enough, but it is heightened by the cruel manner in which the proft'sscd words of comfort are turned into keen reproofs. Such reproofs are powerless to help the sufferer, for- I. 1'nERE rs NO ELEMENT OF REAL CONSOLATION IN THEM. The wise consoler may take opportunity to lead the sufferer to a just penitence for his sin; but merely to dwell upon wrong, and to point to it as the sole cause of suffering, is to leave the sufferer devoid of all true consolation. There is no word of hope, no promise of relief, no bracing of the 11p;rit, by the whisper of lofty principles. ll. THEY BUT SERVE TO mRITATE THE ALREADY TRIED SPIRIT. Bow~d down by manifold sufferings, the afflicted one is sensitive to every word, even every look, of those around him. Their tender patience, even their very silence, gives them some assurance of kindly feeling; but to speak words of reproof when the spirit is weak and oppressed with anguish is to add weight to weight, and to subject the sufferer to greater pain. He needs the balmy word of friendship, the touch of the tender band; not to be rudely taunted witl, keen thrusts of accusation which are as the bite of an adder, nor to be scourged by the severities of an antagonist. lil. THEY AFFORD NO EVIDENCE OF THAT SYMPATHY WHIOH IS THE BASIS OF ALL TRUE CONSOLATION. With the words of inspiriting brotherly love the truly afflicted one bas borne the heaviest calamity and remained calm under the severest trials, Pilin has lost its· power in presence of sympathy. To lay the aching head upon the shoulder of a strong friend gives might to the weak. The truest succour for the wounded is tender sympathy, whether the wounds pierce the flesh or the spirit. But 11ympathy knows nothing of severity or harsh accusation. It hides offence and soothes the self-nccused spirit until it has gained strength to bear the weight of condemnation. But no sign of this is present in the words of Job's friends; no sympathy ie expressed by cruel reproof: "How hast thou helped him that is without power?" IV. To all they add THE PAINFUL RECALL OF THE FRAILTIES OF THE SOUL AT THE TIHE WHEN IT 18 OVERBURDE~"ED AND UNABLE TO MAKE ANSWER. This ia uot the appropriate time to speak accUBingly. When the soul is in its strength it is hard to reply to either just or unjust accusation, but in its weakness and sorrow it i11 utterly incapable of reply. It is adding weight to weight, and taking unfair advantage of feebleness. This is neither neighbourly, nor brotherly, nor even kind. It ehowe a faulty jndgment and au UDBympat.hetic spirit.-R. G. Vers. 6--14.-77.e Divine ways but partially f't!W,Ql,ed. Bildad had given Job no comfort. .And Job at first (vers. 1-3) retorts upon him a reproof for hie unhelpful word£. He then bursts into an impressive representation of the wonderful works of God to whom Bildad had referred. The works of God in the heavens, the earth, and the deep sea are great and manifold; so are his works amongst the creatures of his power, of whom tLe serpent alone ie mentioned. But the hidden hand of God Job confesses, and the greatness of the Divine works and ways, of which only a part ie revealed, We ntaj' take a wider sweep than even Job does, and say- dB, llVI, 1-14.J THE BOOK OF JOB. 437