Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 32 · Verse 8-10
Verſe 8. But there is a Spirit in man: and the inſpiration of the Almighty giveth them underſtanding.
9. Great men are not alwayes wiſe: neither do the aged underſtand judgement.
10. Therefore I ſaid, Hearken to me, I alſo will ſhew mine opinion.
Followeth, to v. 21. the ſecond branch of this Preface; wherein he gives five Reaſons, why he now interpoſeth to ſpeak in this cauſe. The firſt Reaſon (in theſe Verſes) is more general, containing this in ſumm; That the fountain of wiſdome, not being in man himſelf, but from God, who giveth it to whom he pleaſeth, v. 8. And who doth not always give it to great men, and men of experience, v. 9. Therefore, though he be a young man, yet, they having given over, he will hazard to ſpeak ſomewhat in that cauſe, v. 10. Which he might well undertake, being indeed inſpired by God (as he tells them, v. 18, 19. though here he ſpeak of that inſpiration only in general and abſtractly, v. 8.) which might ſupply his want of years and experience.
For clearing of this purpoſe, Conſider, 1. Theſe tearms, of Wiſdome, underſtanding, and Judgement, are here to be taken promiſcuouſly, for a gift of diſcerning, to judge betwixt right and wrong, and truth and errour, in matters and opinions, together with a gift of prudence, or ability to ſpeak rightly and pertinently to a cauſe. For theſe are the particulars of which Elihu is treating, which he expreſſeth by all theſe words.
2. As for that Spirit which he ſaith is in man, Some underſtand it of the reaſonable Soul of man, and take up the purpoſe thus; That all men have a reaſonable Soul, which by the ſpecial inſpiration of God may be ſo elevated, that even young men, by that aſſiſtance, may comprehend theſe things which aged and experienced perſons cannot know without it. Others underſtand it of the Soul of man, yet they take up the ſcope of the Verſe thus; That though there be ſuch a Spirit in man, yet it is not that, but the inspi…ation of the Almighty, which makes truly wiſe. But it is clearer to underſtand it of the Spirit of God, and ſo the latter part of the Verſe is exeget…ke, and explains the former; That it is by that Spirit in man, even by the inſpiration of the Almighty, that any attain to this underſtanding here ſpoken of.
3. As for this Spirit, or, inſpiration, as it is not given to all (as Elihu here aſſerts, v. 9. And ſo it is in man, not univerſally, but indefinitely, even in thoſe who have this underſtanding) nor in alike meaſure to all theſe to whom it is given (For Job and his Friends were not deſtitute of it, though they were not ſo right and able as he in this cauſe.) So it is beſt to take it here generally, for that inſpiration and furniture, (whether ordinary or extraordinary, whether by way of common gift only, or accompanied with ſaving grace alſo) which is given unto men.
4. As for thoſe great men, who are not alwayes wiſe, v. 9. We may underſtand the phraſe of thoſe who are aged, or, of great years, and ſo the latter part of the Verſe will be an explication of the firſt; Or it may be underſtood of great men in reſpect of birth or ſtate, who have means and opportunities of education, to teach them wiſdome; And yet neither thoſe advantages, nor their age (as it after followeth) will make them wiſe, unleſs God by his Spirit and inſpiration interpoſe to work it in them. In ſumm, however we underſtand it, under theſe two, greatneſs, and age, all ordinary means of attaining this wiſdome are comprehended, and all declared ineffectual (however they ought not to be neglected) unleſs the bleſſing and inſpiration of God concurr with them.
5. Whereas Elihu ſpeaks, v. 10. in the ſingular number, Hearken thou to me, (as it is in the Original) the ſingular number may be put for the plural, by a figure not unuſual in this language, and to ſhew that every one of them was to hearken, as if all had been ſpoken to him only. Or it may be conceived, that he directs his ſpeech particularly to Job, who was in greateſt need of a ſeaſonable word, conſidering his preſent preſſures, and with whom he hath only to do after this Preface.
From v. 8. Learn, 1. As wiſdome and underſtanding is an excellent gift; So they who do eſteem and commend it, do thereby evidence, that they have it in ſome meaſure: For, Elihu's ſcope in all this argument, is, to point out the excellency of Wiſdome, by ſhewing, that it is not a common g…ft conferred upon all, and by pointing out the Divine Fountain from whence it flows; And by this commendation of it, he gives proof, that he hath it in ſuch a meaſure, as he may confidently ſpeak in this cauſe before them, being a young man, v. 10. though as yet he hath given no particular account of his furniture and skill, which he ſpeaks of afterward. Wiſdome is indeed an excellent gift, whether we take it more generally, for Piety (which is frequently commended under the name of Wiſdome, in the Book of Proverbs) Or for that wiſe conſideration which begets patience, Jam. 1.4, 5 Or for that Wiſdome, whereby men diſcern right and wrong, and truth and errour, and are enabled to know what to do or ſay, in difficult times and caſes (as here, and 1 King. 3.7, 8, 9. 1 Chro. 12.32.) without which they will but run upon ſnares: But how excellent ſoever it be, none can prize or eſteem of it, but they, who, in ſome meaſure, have experienced the good and advantage of it.
2. Whatever natural faculty of underſtanding men have (which alſo comes from God) yet the furniture and exerciſe thereof is from God, who enlightens the mind, directs the judgement, and gives counſel what to do or ſay: For, it is a Spirit in man, and the inſpiration of the Almighty, that giveth them underſtanding. See Job 38.36. Prov. 2.6. Eccl. 2.26. Dan. 2.21. There is indeed a Wiſdome which is not from above, Jam. 3.13, 14, 15, 16. But all true and good Wiſdome is from above, Jam. 1.5. and 3.17. Hence, they who have any of this Wiſdome, ſhould acknowledge God in what they have, not glorying in it, while they want other and better things, Jer. 9.23, 24. Nor proudly boaſting of it, and deſpiſing others, when yet it is God who by his free gift hath made the difference between them and others, 1 Cor. 4.7. They who want this Wiſdome in that meaſure which others have received, ſhould not envy them, nor ſhould their eye be evil, becauſe God is good; But they ſhould rather run more diligently to the fountain, where there is enough to be had, in ſo farr as is good for them to receive; and they ſhould adore the Dominion and Wiſdome of God, who diſpenſeth thoſe gifts as he pleaſeth, and doth ſo order the body, as every member hath its own compleat furniture, in the improvement whereof it will be uſeful and accepted of him. And they who would attain to any of this Wiſdome, ought to be jealous of their own wit and underſtanding, Prov. 3.5. and 28.26. not judging by what is moſt likely and probable to them, without employing God; And as they ought not to neglect means (particularly, the ſtudy of the Word, Pſa. 119.98, 99, 100, 104.) and wait for Enthuſiaſmes and immediate Revelations; ſo in the uſe of means, they are to exerciſe much dependance upon God, who alone can bleſs means.
3. The Spirit of God is pleaſed to communicate unto men excellent common gifts, to invite them to ſeek better; For, this gift of wiſdome and underſtanding, of which Elihu here ſpeaks, is in its own nature, but a common gift of the Spirit, (whether it be communicated by extraordinary and immediate inſpiration, or in the uſe of ordinary means only) though it be ſanctified and accompanied with ſaving grace, in ſome who receive it; As it was in Elihu himſelf and others. Thus Bezaleel and Aho…iab had a Spirit of wiſdome and underſtanding to make the Tabernacle, Exod 31. Daniel and his Companions had skill in all wiſdome and learning, beſide what Daniel himſelf had, in knowing viſions and dreams, Dan. 1.17. And all ages afford inſtances of this bounty of God, in one meaſure or other: And yet all theſe are in themſelves but common gifts, as this phraſe is taken in contra-diſtinction to ſaving graces. And as all theſe inſtances proclaim the fulneſs and bounty of God; ſo thoſe who partake of theſe gifts ſhould beware, leſt they reſt upon them as marks of Gods ſpecial favour: But ſhould rather remember, that their taſting of theſe fruits of the Spirit, will be a dittay and witneſs againſt them, if they be not thereby invited to ſeek more and better things. And they who want them, ſhould ſo much the rather ſeek to have that loſs made up by ſaving graces, which will comfort them in the want of all thoſe common endowments, Jer. 9.23, 24.
4. As the Spirit of God can furniſh the weakeſt, and make them very able; So thoſe gifts ſhould humble men, and not ſuffer them to forget themſelves, as they will do where they are ſanctified: For, Man, here, gets the name, Enoſh, or, frail man, to point out that his frailty will not hinder God to give him underſtanding, when he pleaſeth; And to intimate, that when men have received ſuch gifts, they ſhould ſtill remember their frailty, as Elihu, a godly man, here did. See Iſa. 6.5.
5. It is not enough that men receive gifts from the Spirit of God, unleſs they receive alſo continual influences, to quicken and excite thoſe gifts, and keep them freſh and in vigour; For, there muſt be a Spirit in man, and the inspiration (or, breathing) of the Almighty, to give underſtanding. See Cant. 4.16. Without this, moſt eminent gifts, yea, and habitual graces, will ſoon wither, and fall into a decay.
6. As Gods bounty, in giving gifts to men, doth proclaim his All-ſufficiency; So thoſe to whom theſe gifts are ſanctified, will have high thoughts of him, and his fulneſs: Therefore is he called, the Almighty, or, All-ſufficient, here, to intimate, that this gift proclaims him to be ſuch, and that he to whom it was ſanctified, eſteemed of him as ſuch.
From v. 9. Learn, 1. Albeit men, generally, have a great conceit of their own Wiſdome (and readily they have moſt conceit, who have leaſt of wiſdome) yet it is not a gift given in common to all men; For, here ſome have it not.
2. Albeit ordinarily God bleſſeth the uſe of means; yet in ſome caſes it is verified, that wiſdome and ſound judgement doth not follow upon greatneſs and good education, nor is attained by age, or by men who might have had much experience: For, Great men are not alwayes wiſe (or, are not wiſe, that is, there are great men found who are not wiſe) neither do the aged underſtand judgement. There are great men who have had much pains taken upon them in their education, and aged men who yet have not been wiſe men; And what wiſdome they had, it did not ſlow principally from their greatneſs and age, but from the gift and inſpiration of God. This point doth more particularly import,
1. When men have any wiſdome, they muſt not ſacrifice to their own net, as if they had acquired it of themſelves, by the improvement of their means and time, but they ſhould aſcribe the glory of all to God.
2. Becauſe this is much forgotten by men, and God little ſeen and acknowledged by them; therefore God makes it viſible, that he is the Author of all they enjoy, by with-holding wiſdome from great men, and men of years; which ſtroak is the juſt fruit of the want of ſelf-denial.
3. (Which is the caſe in the Text) When men are indeed other-wayes wiſe and great men (as Job and his Friends were) yet, in ſome things and caſes they may be found deſtitute of wiſdome, and in an errour and miſtake; As all of them were in this debate. This the Lord ordereth, not only that he may declare that he is tyed to no condition or age of men; but that we may not take things upon truſt from any men, or pin our faith upon their ſleeve, but may be careful to try and examine all that men ſay or do, by the rule, laying aſide the conſideration of their perſons. And as we ſhould not reject truth, though it be offered by obſcure, young and unexperienced perſons; ſo we ſhould not implicitely give credit to men in every thing, becauſe they are known to be wiſe and holy perſons. For that may be our very tryal, and that whereby God takes proof of our ſincerity and reſpect to his Word, if we will call no man Rabbi. Only, in this caſe, men ſhould walk in much ſobriety, as hath been formerly marked. For as God is not tyed to great, able, and experienced men, ſo neither is he tyed to others. Farr leſs are men to be cryed down by their inferiours in parts and experience, upon this account, that great men are not alwayes wiſe, when yet they are never able to refute them, as Elihu ſolidly refutes both parties here:
From v. 10. Learn, 1. When God hath given abilities to men, they ſhould communicate their Talents to others, for their edification and clearing of miſtakes; For, ſaith he, I alſo (as well as ye) will ſhew mine opinion. As it is a ſin for men to be idle, and not put forth their Talents to uſe, eſpecially when there is great need of them, as here there was; So no baſhfulneſs and modeſty (which were ready to hinder him, being a young man) will warrant them to lye by from that work to which they are called.
2. Such as undertake to clear controverted truths, and, particularly, to contradict holy, able, and experienced men, themſelves being young, had need to be well grounded, fitted, and called to ſuch a work; For, this reſolution to ſhew his opinion, comes in with a Therefore, or by way of inference from what he hath ſaid, That being inſpired and excited by God (as he hints in general, v. 8.) and having noted their miſtakes (as he alſo inſinuates in general, v. 9▪) therefore he may well hazard to take his turn, having the call and aſſiſtance of God, and being able to inſtruct wherein they had erred. This young men had need to advert unto in debates; For however it may encourage men to ſtand for truth, if it be on their ſide, that the gifts of God are free, to beſtow them upon whom he will, and in what particular exigents and controverſies he pleaſeth: Yet, as it is a ſin to have a partial and implicite reſpect to the perſons of great and experienced men, as hath been marked; So it is a double ſin for young men to engage againſt them without cauſe, and to cry them down, and the truth which they maintain.
3. Whoever they be that ſpeak (having a calling) to matters in controverſie, they ought to be heard with attention (without ſtumbling through prejudices at their perſons) till what they ſay be tryed; For, even this young man, when he is ſpeaking to old and grave men, bids them hearken unto him.
4. Then do men hear aright, when every one doth not paſs what is ſpoken to many together, as nothing concerning them, but is careful to apply to himſelf what is ſpoken, as if none elſe were preſent; Therefore is this exhortation directed in the ſingular number, as hath been explained.
5. It evidenceth wiſdome in ſpeakers, when they ſingle out thoſe to deal with, who ſtand in greateſt need of help; and when they are careful to ſpeak what may tend moſt to edification; On this account, alſo, it may be conceived, that he will not inſiſt to deal with the three Friends, but ſingles out needy Job in particular, to whom it was to good purpoſe to ſpeak. And this is indeed an evidence of a man who is guided by the Spirit of God in ſpeaking, when he minds edification, and the need of Souls much.