The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 494

was 11rloring the sun 11nd kissing h11nds to the moon. A noble testimony to Job's spirituality of mind 11nd sincerity of heart I He could easily have offered homacre to tho host of heaven without exposing himself to observation by hie fellows; ~r if, wanting courage to risk detection, he had refrained from outward gestures of devotion, ho might havo inwardly with his hoart acknowledged their supremacy. But Job under- stood that God could read tho heart BB well as interpret the outward act, and that only thnt was acceptable worship which was inwardly sincere as well a.s outwardly correct. Hero, agnin, the doctrine of the sormon on the mount (Matt. vi. 6) and of the New 'l'estamcnt generally (John iv. 23, 24) has been marvellously anticipated. VII. WITH RESPECT TO THE LAW OF LOVE. (Vers. 29, 30.) Job declares hie manner of life in dealing with his enemies. 1. Their treatment of him. They hated him. Their enmity was in all likelihood excited and fostered by his piety. Good men •seldom pass through the world without meeting adveraaries and opponents. David did not (Ps. x:xxviii. 19, 20). St. Paul did not (1 Cor. xvi. 9). Even Ubrist did not (John x:v.18). Neither can;Christ's followers expect to live without molestation (John xv. 20). 'l'hey that will live godly shall suffer persecution (2 Tim. iii. 12). 2. His treat- ment ef them, Not only did he not rejoice in their destruction when evil fortune overtook them (ver. 29), but he was conscious of never having wished that such evil fortune shonld overtake them (ver. 30). • To exult in the downfall of an enemy, if natural to the sinful heart, is yet heathenish, fiendish, diabolic (Micah vii. 8); it was sorely punished in the case of Edom when she rejoiced over Judah (Obad. 12, 13); it is explicitly condemned in the Old Testament (Prov. xxiv. 17, 18); and is directly antago- nistic to the spirit of the Mosaic Law (Exod. xxiii. 4 ; Lev. xix. 18), ar.d much more to that of Christ's gospel (Matt. xix. 19; Rom. xiii. 9; Gal. v.14; Jas. ii. 8), which enjoins not only a negative abstinence from wishing harm to one's enemies, the virtue which Job claimed (ver. 30), but the positive bestowment on them of acts of kindness (Matt. v. 44; Rom. xii. 20), which also we may be sure Job practised. Job's doctrine is here again a striking approximation towards the teaching of Christ, and Job's conduct a lofty exhibition of the spirit of Christianity, which will only shine out with brighter lustre if the reading (ver. 31) be adopted which supposes Job was urged by the men ofhis tabernacle to avenge himself upon his adversary. VIII. WITH RESPECT TO THE LAW 01!' HOSPITALITY. (Vere. 31, 32.) Tbis also Job maintained ho had observed : 1. With conspic-uous publicity. So open-handed had been his beneficence' that with triumphant confidence he appealed to the members of his vast household to give witness in his behalf. They could testify, he was certain, that they had never seen a poor man depart unsatisfied from his mansion gate, but rather that they had every day beheld the contrary. So Job allowed his light to shine before men. 2. With unrestricted liberality. So lavish had been his hospitality that his domestics could fairly ask-Where was the man whom their master had not sump- tuously entertained? His table had stood open for all comers-for friends and relatives, as a matter of course, but also for strangers and travellers of every sort and degree. So did Abraham and Lot invite travellers and strangers to their tents (Gen. x:viii. 1-4; xix. 1); so are Christians exhorted to bo given to hospitality (Rom. xii. 13; Heb. xiii. 2), 3. With unstinted generosity. Not simply hau he practised hospitality, but he had done so with no niggard hand. The stranger he had welcomed to a lodging in his house, To the hungry traveller by the way he had extended, not a crust of bread merely, but a full meal, yea, a rich feast. So are Christians commanded to use hospitality without grudging (1 Pet. iv. 9). IX. WITH RESPECT TO THE LAW OF SINCERITY. (Vers. 33-37.) The language may be understood as conveying: 1. .An important admission. Job's use of the phrase, "my transgressions," is by some (Canon Cook) regarded as tantamount to an acknowledg- ment that, notwithstanding his blameless character and life, he was not free from sin- a statement which was certainly correct in itself, since "there is not a just man on earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not" (Eccles. vii. 20), and hopeful as an indication of the mind of Job, inasmuch as it proved he was not depending on his virtues for salvation, as well;as comforting for those who should afterwards peruse the story of his life, and who but for this recognition of the fact of sin might be prone to think that Job's morality wns beyond their reach. Still, it is open to grave question whether Job really intended to make this admission, or whether he did not rather design to convey  610 THE BOOK OF JOB.