The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 565

HOMILETICS. Vere. 1-21.-Elihu to Job: 3 . .A sermon on the Divine administration. I. To PREACHER INTRODUCES HIMSELF. 1. As having S<YTTUJthing further to say. A man who has nothing to communicate should not emerge from the safe regions of obscurity which Providence designs he should adorn. But alas I of preachers, orators, lecturers, talkers, who babble on without contributing anything to elucidate their themes or enlighten their hearers, however much to gratify themselves, the' number is legion. The first requirement in one who a.spires to be a teacher of men, whether from the pulpit or from the platform, is that he have something to impart. When iu Zecharia.h's vision the angel was directed to "run," and "speak to the young man " with the measuring-line, he was at the same time entrusted with a messsage (Zech. ii. 4). 'Ihe preacher who habitually delivers sermons of the vacuous and windy order affords perfectly sufficient evidence of having m.ist.aken his calling. Neither God nor Christ ever commissioned an ambassador without giving him a message. 2. As proposing to speak in God's behalf. Of the controversy which Job carried on with Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, Elihu disposed by a simple expression of indignation (eh. xu;i. 3, 12). The full strength of his ability was directed to maintain the cause of God against Job, and to ascribe righteousness to One whom Job had charged with want of equity. So the mission of the Christian pulpit is not to plunge into the labyrinthine intricacies of theological discussion, in the hope of definitely pronouncing upon long-standing, world- famous controversies like those -which engaged the attention of Milton's erudite devils (' Paradise Lost,' bk. ii. 559), but to speak with men on God's behalf-on the one hand, to ascribe right to God, i.e. to vindicate the Divine character, the Divine administration, the Divine redemption as being in perfect accord with right and truth; and on the other hand, to bring sinful men to a right state of mind and heart towards God. It is a profanation of the sacred office of the ministry when it is employed to diffuse philosophy, to propagate science, to advance politics, to promote what is called culture as distinguished from religion-in short, to do anything that does not directly con- tribute to either the vindication of God or the salvation of man. 3. As offering a wide and oomprehensive view of his subfect. The chief fault of controversialists, and one requiring to be guarded against even by the wisest and fairest, is that of one-lli.ded presentation, commonly resulting in exaggerated statement, rash generalization, unwarranted deduction. Such a fault usually proceeds from incapacity to perceive the.L truth is many-sided, or inability to grasp more sides than one ; from unwillingness to admit that aspects of truth may be presented to one which are denied to another1 680 THE BOOK OF JOB. [on, XXXVI, 1-33.