Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 15 · Verses 1-3
Verſ. 1. Then anſwered Eliphaz the Temanite, and ſaid,
2. Should a wiſe man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the Eaſt-wind;
3. Should he reaſon with unprofitable talke? or with ſpeeches wherewith he can doe no good?
THe firſt fault, reprehended in Job's diſcourſes, is general, that they were but unprofitable, empty, and hurtful. This is expreſſed in borrowed terms, v. 2. That his knowledge which he uttered, was but vain knowledge, or, knowledge of wind, that is, that it was empty and airie, did puffe him up and make him unſober, and was unprofitable, like windie meat, or feeding upon wind. Further, he is ſaid to fill his belly with the Eaſt wind, (which was both turbulent and noxious, Iſai, 27.8) that is, he filled himſelf with unruly paſſions, and peſtered his heart with them; which made him break forth in thoſe violent and hurtful ſpeeches. The firſt of theſe Metaphors is explained in proper terms, v. 3. That he made uſe of diſcourſes in his reaſonings that were no way profitable, nor could do good to himſelf or others. As for the other Metaphor, of the Eaſt wind, it is explained and inlarged in the following challenges, wherein he tells Job how violently, and how much to his own prejudice, he had expreſſed himſelf. In ſum; He layeth to Job's charge, that his ſpeeches were not only unprofitable to others, and violent and boiſterous againſt God and th…m, as if he would overturn and bear all down before him; B…t in reſpect of himſelf alſo, they were ſuch as could not profit him, nor help his cauſe; but, on the contrary, (like the Eaſt-wind) made it worſe, by diſturbing himſelf, and provoking God to make it worſe with him. And this he chargeth home upon Job, by way of queſtion, as very ſinful, and as unbeſeeming a wiſe man, ſuch as he gave out himſelf to be, when he contemned them, as knowing but common things, Chap. 12.2, 3.
Concerning this and other of the cenſures, which Eliphaz paſſeth upon Job's diſcourſes, and way of proceeding, it muſt be granted,
1. That the General Doctrine is ſound, and the faults challenged are in themſelves real faults, whatever miſtake be in the application, or his charging them upon Job.
2. That in ſome of theſe challenges (and but in ſome) he gueſſeth better at the truth of Job's miſcarriages, then in the General Controverſie. For Job's diſcourſes were not all to be juſtified, as hath been ſhewed in explaining of them, and will further appear from the cenſures which are paſſed by Elihu, and by God himſelf, upon them Yet,
3. Eliphaz's diſcourſe is full of prejudices, miſtakes and reflections. For, partly, he miſtooke Job and his doctrine, particularly, concerning mans purity, as may be marked upon ver. 14. Partly, while he is made hot with paſſion, becauſe of ſuppoſed reflections upon their abilities, v. 9, 10. he ſpeaks more unadviſedly then he ought. Partly, he conſidered not Job's diſtreſs and tentations, whence his ill-ordered expreſſions flowed, and ſo judged them to be evidences of wickedneſs, rather then of weakneſs. And hence (laſtly) it came to paſs, that all Job ſpake was, in his account, but wind, and prejudicial to himſelf, ſo long as he would not grant that he was a wicked hypocrite, and that God was purſuing him in anger, as is clear from the following part of the Chapter.
Having premitted this caution for clearing the words; I come to obſerve ſomewhat upon theſe verſes. And,
Firſt, This Reply, conſidered in General, may Teach,
1. Controverſies, once ſtarted, are not ſoon quieted and compoſed again; For, after all the three have aſſaulted him, they again fall to it afreſh. Gods quarrel, for which he ſends Debates and Controverſies, is not ſoon ſeen, nor laid to heart, and the diſcovery thereof made uſe of as it ought. Mens luſts, intereſt, and credit, which do engage, and (being engaged) entangle them in debates, are not ſoon compeſced and mortified; and right uſe is not ſoon made of theſe debates, nor are men fully tried, and truth cleared, by them; and therefore it is no wonder, they continue to be an exerciſe to men. Hence, times of contention and debate are very humbling times, and will produce growing, and (if mercy prevent not) endleſs toil.
2. Their order in dealing with him is alſo remarkable; For though they were in paſſion, and (it may be) did ſometime interrupt him; yet they do not fall upon him all at once, but one by one; See 1 Cor. 14 31. This may condemn the confuſions and diſorders practiced by thoſe who pretend to defend Truth; For though theſe men be eager enough to defend what they account Truth; yet they will do it in an orderly way.
3. Miſtakes of good men may be ſtarted and heightened in debate, even by good men; For, he doth miſtake Job here. And here we are to conſider theſe particulars,
1. Good men, who have a juſt cauſe, may yet give too much occaſion to others to miſtake them, when they are ſharply tryed and exerciſed; As Job ſaid much that was not juſtifiable, though Eliphaz and the reſt drew wrong concluſions from it.
2. Debates among ſinful mortal men cannot but raiſe paſſions, and breed alienations, which are a falſe Perſpective, miſrepreſenting them and their cauſe, one to another.
3. Perſonal reflections, reſented, will blind mens judgments, that they cannot ſee things as they are; As they cannot let paſs his undervaluing of their knowledge, Chap. 12.2, 3. without a taunt retorted, that his knowledge was but vain, and wind. Mens Credit and Reputation is a great Idol, and apt to blind-fold them, when it is touched upon.
4. Ignorance, and want of experience of the caſe of others, may cauſe us conſtruct hardly of their carriage; As Eliphaz judged thus of Job, becauſe he conſidered not his diſtreſs, which drave him to ſpeak as he did. See, Chap. 16.4.
5. It is dangerous, when we look upon the diſtempers of others in tentation from thence to conclude concerning their ſtate; For, Job's Friends judged him wicked, becauſe of his failings in trouble. All theſe conſiderations may warn men to look well about them, and to be a fraid and wary in judging of others, in times of contention, wherein miſtakes are ſo apt to be predominant.
More particularly; This challenge, conſidered abſtractly, and without his miſapplications to Job, may Teach,
1. Albeit paſſion and reflections be never lawful; Yet when men are indeed wrong, they who have a calling to it ought to be very full and free in reproving of them; as Eliphas here was, ſuppoſing Job to be wrong. Real faults are but cheriſhed by b…unt reproofs. See, Tit. 1.13. 1 Sam. 2.22, 23. with 3.13.
2. The beſt way to get reproofs made effectual, is, to put the Conſcience of the guilty perſon to it, and ſtudy to have that on the reprovers ſide; For, ſo doth he here, as thoſe many queſtions, poſing the Conſcience do teach. There is much need that Conſcience be put to it to do its office, in debates; For that alone will bind and ſilence men, whereas, otherwiſe, their will and parts may ſtand it out long enough.
3. There is a vanity in knowledge, wherewith men, oft-times are much taken up; as Eliphaz here ſuppoſeth, that there is vain knowledge, or, knowledge of wind. Thus imaginations, or reaſonings, are ſaid to become vain, Rom. 1.21. and ſome uſe of Philoſophy is explained to be a vain deceit, Col. 2.8. This vanity (omitting many other tryals) may be diſcovered, if we preſs a little the metaphor of wind, here made uſe of. It is but vain knowledge which is unprofitable, and doth not feed or edifie the man that hath it, but is empty and notional, like wind. That is alſo vain knowledge, which, like wind, makes a great noiſe, but doth not produce any ſolid effect; And which puffs up, and ſwells the man that hath it, as with wind; making him unſober in mind, or in expreſſions. Such knowledge is but vain, even albeit the ſubject matter which the man knoweth, were good. 1. Cor. 8.2.
4. As vain knowledge is ill in any; ſo, eſpecially, it is unbeſeeming a wiſe man, or him that would be accounted wiſe; For, ſaith he, Should a wiſe man utter vain knowledge? and ſo of all the reſt. See, Eccl. 10.1. A mans conceit of himſelf doth agreage his fault and folly, and prove him to be nothing, Gal. 6.3.
5. Men, notwithſtanding all their wit, are ready to run on unprofitable, hurtful and pernicious courſes in trouble; For, he ſuppoſeth that not only there is wind, but the Eaſt wind, in this knowledge, breaking forth boyſterouſly againſt God and them who were his Friends, and tending to undo himſelf. And albeit he did miſtake Job, yet the General Doctrine ſerveth for caution to all.
6. A ſpecial mean to drive men on hurtful courſes and ways in trouble, is, the ſuffering of violent paſſions to ariſe and harbour in their hearts; For, ſaith he, he fills his belly with the Eaſt wind, or peſters his affections with it, and then it breaks forth.
7. As much evil cometh by the tongue, James 3. So, in particular, it is an evil, when men do not propound this end in diſcourſe, that it may be profitable, to themſelves, or others; For, he ſuppoſeth it a fault for a man, to utter vain knowledge, to reaſon with unprofitable talk, or with ſpeeches wherewith he can do no good. Even idle ſpeeches are cenſurable, Math. 12.36, 37. as being an evidence of the heart and diſpoſition, Math. 12.33, 34. Pſal. 37.30, 31. and multitude of words are alſo condemned, Eccl. 5.3. Jam. 1.19. Prov. 10.19. Which teacheth us, that care ſhould be had to obſerve Scripture-cautions in our ſpeeches. Eph. 4.29. Col. 2.6. and elſewhere.
8. In particular, It is an addition to mens fault in trouble, when to their vain knowledge, and tentations and paſſions within, they add the venting and uttering thereof to others; As here, he chargeth upon Job, that having vain knowledge, and the Eaſt-wind, he did utter it, and had ſuch a conceit of it, as to preſume to reaſon, and argue therewith. Thus to ſpeak and utter tentations addeth to the guilt of entertaining them. Iſai, 40.27.