The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 512

Lenrn : 1. It is one IIiBrk of true wisdom to know when to be Hilent. 2. It 11 specially becoming in young men to be deferential towards their elders. 3. It is quite possible for good men to be righteous in their own eyes. 4. It is commonly the ca11e that of two controversialists both are wrong. 5. It is not unseemly for even young men to be jealous of the Divine honour. 6. It is no sin for young men who know the truth to instruct old men who know it not. 7. It is right in those who speak for God to bo raised above the fear of man. 8. H is certain that God never suffers saints to ho tempted without reinforcing them by Divine grace and teaching. 9. It is observable that heavenly succour mostly comes to men when human resources are exhausted. Vere. 6-22.-The apology of Elihu. I. THE REASONS OJ' HIS PREVIOUS RETICENCE. Elihu had been an earnest listener to the controversy Job waged with his three friends, "waiting for Job with words" (ver. 4), i.e. eager to pour out in speech the argu- ments that trembled on his lips; and now he declares that two things ha.d restrained him from joining earlier in the discussion. 1. A modest respect for their superior age. He was but a young man (literally, "few of years"), while they were very old. Their venerable aspect had inspired him with such awe that he feared to utter his opinion in their presence. Young men in modern times are not always so deferential towards their elders. But seniores priores is a maxim which should be of universal application. While it is at all times unbecoming and impertinent for a youth to interrupt or precede an elder in conversation, it is a special mark of rudeness in religious discussion for an inexperienced boy to " show his opinion" before men of mature years have delivered theirs. Jesus, a.t the age of twelve, among the doctors in the temple, was not delivering bis eonvictions, but" hearing and asking them qnestions." 2. A lnfty esteem/or their superior knowledge. He considered that old age, with its rich experience, should have ha.d wise and weighty thoughts immeasurably more worthy of being listened to than any crude sentiments and i=atnre judgments that he could utter. A young man who thus accurately gauges the relative importance of the wisdom of age and the " opinions" of youth is a rare phenomenon. It is characteristic of youth, though born like a wild ass's colt, to fancy itself a.s wise a.s Solomon. For the most part, the educa- tion of a lifetime is required to enable any one to gather successfully the ripe fruits of wisdom; and even then, the wisdom one gathers is chiefly this, that what one knows is as nothing in comparison to that of which one is ignorant. Occasitina.l examples may be found of amazing ta.lent, immense learning, extraordinary genius, in youth; but ripe wisdom, i.e. carefully verified, well-digested, skilfully arranged knowledge, is pre- eminently the property of age. II. THE MOTIVES J'OR BIS PRESENT INTERFERENCE. In justification of his behaviour, he offer~ the following considerations. 1. That true wisdom in its ultimate analysia is an inspiration of Heaven. "'l'ruly it is the spirit in man [literally, 'weak, feeble, mortal man'], and the breath of Shaddai that giveth them [i.e. man collectively] understanding" (ver. 8). That is to say, human life in all its departments-physical, intellectual, spiritual-is not an evolution or development from dead matter, but is the creation of God's Spirit (Gen. ii. 7). It is the breath of the Almighty that sustains the thinking principle in man no less than tbe principle of purely animal existence. Hence wisdom, spiritual insight, intellectual penetration, religious understanding, has its origin rather from within than from without. It is dependent not so much (if at a.II) upon accidental circumstances, such as age, capacity, opportunity, a.s upon the quickening influence of the vitalizing and enlightening Spirit. Nay, it demonstrates the possibility of a supernatural communication of wisdom to whomsoever Sbaddai wills, and upon whatsoever theme he may please. It proves that no man can justly, or without presumption, claim a monopoly of wisdom. The doctrine of Elihu, that all intelligence in man, and much more all spiritual understanding, proceeds from a Divine afflatus which brca;heth when, where, and how it wills, was the doctrine of Pharaoh (Gen. xii. 38), of Moses (Exod. :,xxi. 3), of Nehemiah (ix. 20), of Isaiah (xi. 2), of Christ (John xvi. 13), of St. Paul (1 Cor. ii. 10), and of St. john (1 John ii. 20). 2. That true wisdom ,snot necessarily the proptll'ty of age. "Great men are not 11lways wise; 11either do the aged understand judi:ment" (ver. 9). This was an advance upon the previous thought. Not only was wisdom not the property of age alone; the discourses  - THE BOOK QF JOB. [cm. xxxn. 1-2.2,.