Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 32 · Verses 4-5
Verſe 4. Now Elihu had waited till Job had ſpoken, becauſe they were elder than he.
5. When Elihu ſaw that there was no anſwer in the mouth of theſe three men, then his wrath was kindled.
The third Antecedent, and a more near occaſion of Elihu's ſpeech, (which explains and enlargeth that Antecedent, v. 1.) is, That having patiently kept ſilence ſo long as they ſpake (however they ſpake not right) as reverencing their age, now he muſt break off his ſilence with indignation, conſidering that they gave over without any reply to Job which was to purpoſe, and particlarly, without ſpeaking a word to his laſt diſcourſes. It is ſaid only, He had waited till Job had ſpoken; but it imports alſo, that he had waited, and hearkned to what all of them had ſpoken, all the while of the diſpute (For when a reaſon is given of this his ſilence, they are all of them ſpoken of in the plural number, They were elder than he, to intimate, that he had waited on them all) Only it is here ſaid, that he waited till Job had spoken, or, expected Job in his words, becauſe Job ſpake laſt, and becauſe this is ſpoken more particularly with a reference to that laſt diſcourſe which cloſed that debate upon which he is now to paſs a judgement; And ſo it importeth, That he waited patiently in hearing Jobs long diſcourſes, and waited alſo after Job had ſpoken, to ſee if they would ſay ought in anſwer to him; And finding them ſilent, his zeal breaks forth in the following diſcourſe.
This purpoſe will come to be ſpoken of afterward, when Elihu himſelf mentions it; Here, Learn,
1. True zeal is not furious, but bounded with ſobriety, and drives not a man without his ſtation; For, ſuch is Elihu's zeal here, who ſilently waits all the time they ſpake, however he was diſ-ſatisfied; and lets not h…s zeal and wrath break forth, till they have all given over, whereby a call is given him to interpoſe. It is true, there are ſome heroick acts of zeal, which fall not under ordinary rules; As when Phinchas, a Prieſt, ſlew Zimri and Cazbi, Numb. 25.7, 8, 12, 13, 14. Samuel (then only a Prophet) ſlew Agag, whom the Magiſtrate had ſpared, 1 Sam. 15.32, 33. And Elijah ſlew the Prophets of Baal, 1 King. 18.40. But theſe are not to be imitated, and we are to take heed to wild-fire inſtead of true zeal. And particularly, well managed and ſober zeal hath thoſe properties which may be gathered from the Text.
1. It will nor drive men raſhly, and in an headlong way, to engage in quarrels and debates which they can avoid; For, he waited long to ſee if theſe miſtakes might be cleared and rectified without him. This rule is tranſgreſſed by all who do precipitantly ruſh and engage in debates, and particularly, by private men, when they do needleſly engage in Controverſies and Church quarrels which lye out of their way. See Prov. 26 17,
2. Right and ſober zeal proceeds according to knowledge (ſee Rom. 10.2.) and will not paſs judgement upon any thing, but after a fair hearing, and ſerious tryal of the matter; For, before his anger was kindled, and brake forth, he had waited and heard them patiently, that he might take up the buſineſs well, as he profeſſeth, v. 11. See Prov. 13.10. and 18.13. This is little obſerved by an any, whoſe wit is all in their fore-head, and their heart at their mouth; And therefore they ruſh upon courſes before they ponder them, they are beguiled with fair masks and pretences, and they look not to the conſequences of courſes before they do engage in them.
3. True and ſober zeal will never lead men to ſeek themſelves, but makes them content that a good turn be done, though they be not ſeen in it; For, he waited upon them, as minding, if the matter were otherwiſe cleared, not to appear. Hence it may be concluded, That boaſters of themſelves, and extollers of themſelves, do reflect upon their own zeal, as not found.
4. True zeal teacheth men to reverence thoſe with whom they have to do, for their age, parts, and experience; For, he waited and heard them patiently and reverently, becauſe they were elder than he. Of this afterward; Only, it argues paſſion, and not zeal, when men leave the defence of their cauſe, to reflect upon perſons, and do behave themſelves unſoberly toward them.
Doct. 2. Though true zeal ought to be managed with ſobriety (as hath been ſaid) yet it is no evidence of ſobriety, or of a right temper of zeal, for men not to ſee the errours that are in the beſt of men, and not to defend truth, were it even againſt never ſo many godly men; For, Elihu marks errours in Job, and here alſo (and v. 3.) in his three Friends, and argues againſt them all.
3. It is alſo no kindly mark of zeal, for men to be furious at a fit, and then to cool, if they be not taken at firſt, but true zeal is conſtant in its heat and fervour; For, here, after all his long waiting, his wrath is kindled.
4. Men, and even good men, may have that opinion of themſelves, and their way, which differs very farr from truth; For, v. 1. they judged they had ſaid enough, and that Job was obſtinate, and yet Elihu finds, there was no anſwer in their mouth, as hath been fully cleared, v. 3.
5. They are juſtly cenſurable, in the judgement of all zealous men, who deſerts cauſe of God, and (either in a neutral way, or otherwiſe) lye by from defending it; For, this kindles his wrath, that they had no anſwer to Job, eſpecially on Gods behalf.