Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 2 · Job · Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX.
TEn times have yee reproached mee, yee are not ashamed, that yee estrange your selves from me. They had spoken yet but five times against Job, Vers. 3. Gregor.sayth Gregory, how then calleth hee them ten times? and he answereth, that hee meaneth not only the vexation that he had by their speaking so often to him, but also by his own speakings in answering to their calumnies; because, as he once sayd, whether he spake or held his peace, he could have none ease: Some others will have a certain number put for an uncertain, and the number of ten, because it is a number of perfection, and therefore in saying ten times he intimateth, that they had even spoken to the full whatsoever they could devise to aggravate his misery, so that now for shame they had need hold their peace, and not multiply words any more in that way; and this I think to be the best, for it standeth not with reason to understand by the manifold reproaches of him, his own speeches in any part whereby he defended himself against them.
Be it known indeed that I have erred, mine errour remaineth with my self. Vers. 4. Vers. 5.If yee will magnify your selves against me, and plead against me my reproach. Here Job humbleth himselfe, not denying, but that he might have erred, but he sayth it was to himself, he did beare the shame and reproach thereof abundantly, and humbled himself, therefore, but they not like friends, nor like men that feared God, taking occasion from hence for the magnifying of themselves over him, to plead these his sufferings against him hereby, and herefrom to argue, that he was notoriously wicked as they did.
But when they saw another, no way inferiour to them, thus dejected, it should have stricken fear into them, and have made them thus to reason with themselves, we are as well worthy of these judgments as he, what need then have we to humble, and not lift up our selves against him, least God seeing it destroy us with a far greater destruction then him: For this use do the righteous make of Gods judgments upon others, but contrariwise to Note. take occasion hereupon to strout out themselves, as if they were better and to insult over the afflicted is the part of men farr gone in wickednesse, that may well expect, that their turne shall come next to drink of the cup of Gods wrath filled even up to the brim.
Know now that GOD hath overthrown me, and compassed me with his net Vers. 6.This he spake in reference to that which Bildad had sayd of the wicked, being taken in a net and snare. The vulg. At the least now understand that God hath not afflicted me with an equal judgment, he that compassed me with his scourges: but the word rendred in New Translation overthrown is smitten foreign and in the rest it agreeth wel… with the Hebr. But they who defend the vul. say that foreign signifieth to smite so, as to oppres with his power which smiteth, which is in effect the same with the vul. But this being granted, what shall we say, can any man say, that God judgeth unjustly in any case, without the sin of blasphemy? It is answered, that Job meaneth nothing else, but that if he smote him thus, as they conceived, making him an example to others, for his notorious sinns, he proceeded not with equity against him, for he by Gods own testimony to Satan, after that he was first smitten in all that he had, suffered so much by Satans instigation without cause, and therefore if these judgments had come upon him for his sinnes and not for some other occult reason, known only to God, they had not been just or equall: But all Gods proceedings in judgment are just, therefore his meaning is such as hath been sayd, and that his friends ought not as they did, to looke at his sinns as the cause, but conceive that God had some other end in thus smiting him, and therefore it was their part and duty to forbeare calumniating him any more, and contrariwise to pitty and comiserate his case: Job saith Gregory sinned not herein, because he spake no more then God spake of him to the Devill, Chap. 2. concluding, In quo itaque peccavit, quias authoris sui sententia in nullo discrepavit.
Behold I cry out of wrong, but Iam not heard, I cry aloud but there is no judgment. Job having sayd, that he was not dealt justly withal, V. 6. Now Vers. 7.beginneth to declare wherein: First, In respect of God, from hence to the end of V. 12. Secondly, In respect of men, V. 13. &c. to the end of V. 19. Thirdly, In respect of his sufferings in his Body, V. 20.
For the first, herein he sayth the same in effect that he did before, he was not equally dealt withall for this, that in his extreamity of sufferings his prayers were not heard, he had pleaded hereby, that the sufferings layd upon him, not for his sinnes, might be taken off, but he could have no audience: But it may be sayd, if they were layd upon him for his tryall, and the proofe of his patience, and consequently for his greater future good, how could he say without sin? that he could have no judgment, or justice, Sol. Sinn he did not in this or any other thing that he sayd, for if he did, as Gregory sayth well, the Devill had prevailed, and would have triumphed, and with joy have been ready to object unto God, that it had fallen out as he had sayd, and that he was deceived in the man, whom he had so much Gregory.magnifyed. In saying therefore that he was not heard, neither could have justice done him, he meaneth nothing else but that his extreame suffering continued still, he not knowing wherefore, although God knew very well, and through Gods delaying to here him he was judged by men to be an extraordinary sinner, which was in them a most unjust judgment, V. 8.
He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, he hath set darkness in my paths: This is the second thing in his Declaration, his way out of trouble was, as it were, fenced about, or guarded with such a strong guard to keep him in misery still, that he saw not how he should ever get out, as a man going in the dark cannot see his way, but is wildred, and by darkness also he meant the darkness of his understanding, because there might be somewhat in him at which GOD was offended, although he knew it not, and so he was of a perplexed mind, as being uncertain, what the issue of these his calamityes should be: For he had yet no inward comfort, but as sufferings without, so terrours within, as other faithful servants of God have also sometimes had? and Christ himself hanging upon the Cross, when he cryed out, My God my God, why hast thou forsaken me? But as he was heard, and had a way made for him out of all his miseries, so Job at length had, and that with Note. great advantage; and so shall all the righteous have in Gods good time, though for the present they want all sense of this comfort, which should make them hope against hope, in all times of greatest temptations.
He hath stript me of my glory, and taken the Crown from my head. This Vers. 9.is the third particular, at which he found himself greived, as being wronged, for the understanding of which, according to the letter, there needeth no exposition; for Job being so great a man before, lived in great glory, which was all now gone: But here is something further meant, viz. his righteousnesse; for righteousnesse is as a glorious garment: For which the Psalmist saith, Let thy Preists be clothed with righteousness. Of this Job counted Ps. 132.himself stript, when injustice and wrong was by these men laid to his charge, and God continued stil silent; not doing for him, so as they might be confuted: For the crown of his head, that was the reward of righteousnesse in Heaven, which is given to those that overcome; but from him is this crown taken away; that lyeth down under sufferings, looking only at worldly things, and not at heavenly, hereby to be comforted against them: But he that sometime doth thus, may raise up himself again, and so recover it being almost lost: And the Garment of righteousnesse; which Note. righteousnesse may be well called in some, for their putting it on outwardly, but not being made hereby glorious within, as it is said, the Kings Daughter is: This I say a man may be stript off, and recover it again by repenting, after fading through infirmity under sufferings, and have it so fixed in his heart, as never to be denuded hereof any more.Ps 45.
He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone, and my hope hath he removed like a tree. Here is the fourth particular in his declaration, be Vers. 10.was not only smitten, but on every side, if he turned him to the left hand or to the right, if he look before or behinde him, he saw nothing but destruction on the left hand, and behinde him were worldly things, before him and on the right hand were heavenly; for those of the World they were gone; of the great abundance which he had, there being nothing left, for those that pertained to salvation, the spirit comforting in all sufferings; this also was now gone: Not only men, but God seeming also to be against him, and for the present his hope was no better, then of a dead tree plucked up by the roots, which cannot grow again.
He hath kindled his wrath against me, and counteth me as one of his enemies. This is a further amplyfication of that which he said, V. 10, shewing Vers. 11.that the Lord in destroying him on every side, had set fire, as it were, round about him, as an enemy doth by a City which he beseigeth and overcometh, and burneth it in every part down to the ground: And that nothing might be wanting to make it evident, that God was set to destroy him, he addeth, V. 12. His troups come together, and raise up their way against me. &c. Wherein speaking of troupes, he may well be thought to relate Vers. 12.to the bands of the Arabians and Sabeans, the fire and windes before spoken of that destroyed his Children, Servants, and Cattel, in a very short time: All which being put together, O! How great were Jobs miseries: But this was not all, for V. 13. He proceedeth to his sufferings, in respect of other men, saying, first, He hath put my Brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance. In reckoning up these he nameth. First, His Brethren. Vers. 13. Vers. 14. 15. 16 17. 18. 19.Secondly, Acquaintance. Thirdly, Kinsfolk. Fourthly, Familiar friends. Fifthly, Maides. Sixtly, Men-servants. Seventhly, His own Wife. Eeightly, Children. Ninthly, Inward friends.
Touching all which it is easily to be understood, according to the letter, what was meant hereby; he had no kinsman or friend abroad, or any in his house that regarded him, to minister to him in this his misery: But mystically here saith Gregory, Iob was a tipe of Christ, to whom the Jews were as all these Brethren and kinsfolk in the flesh; daily conversant Gregory.with him, and such as even before his coming in the flesh, were familiarly acquainted with him, by reading the Prophets, out of whose prophesies they taught him to come: They are also called his maids & servants, because of their servile condition under the law: And yet some of them; as the Priest and Levites, served him more inwardly, as maides do, waiting in their Chamber upon them: They are also called his Wife, because he had joyned the Jewish Church to him, as in marriage; but she abhoreth his breath, because he taught himself to be the Messiah, counting it an abomination, that any man should be the Son of God, and his equal: And these Brethren and kinsfolk, are said to have stood far from him, and to have estranged themselves; yea his most inward friends: B…cause the Scribes and Pharisees, and expounders of the Law, and so his privy Counsellors, as it were, received him not; but stood off a great distance in their affections from him, yea they were at defiance with him: And herein the children, that is, the common people, who are children in understanding; and therefore in Vulg. Tr. rendred Fools, followed them, when they had a little before cryed Hosanna, crying by their instigation, Crucifie him. And of the same being Servants he saith, that he called unto them and they would not heare, because when in his teaching he sought to draw them saying, Come to me Math. 11. 28. Ioh. 7 3.all yee that are weary, &c. And again, If any man thirsteth let him come to me, &c. Yet none of them were moved to come; he prevailed no more then the charmer with the deafe Adder, yea though he intreated them with his mouth; whereby is intimated in what a manner he should be amongst them, not as a Master commanding, but a servant intreating: And it is to be noted, that he imputeth all to God, that he had made all about him, thus Note. strange to him; and that he calleth the Troupes or robbers, that came against him, Gods Troupes: For hereby he intimateth, that whosoever they be, by whom we suffer, we ought not to look so much at them, as by their own power doing any thing against us, as at God, by whose permission and providence, they do it for our punishment, which we most commonly by our sinnes deserve, or he causeth to come for our tryal. One question before I leave this catalogue of Friends, being now estranged, is moved amongst Expositors, and diversly answered, what is meant by this saying, V. 17. I intreated her for the children of my body. Because Job was now without children. In vulg. rendred, I intreated the children. and Hebr. it is foreign to the children, or being taken only for a note of the accusative Case, I intreated the children. And against this reading, I confesse, I have nothing to say: But then what children were these? It is not worth the while to mention some Expositors, as that these were children, which Job had after the destruction of his seven Sonnes and three Daughters: for there was no time for him to have more betwixt that time and this: The most probable is, that these were his Grand-children; for although all his Sonnes and Daughters dyed, yet they were first men and women grown, and it is not improbable, but that having each one his house, some of them had children; which were out of the dint of that fall: And these he might well call the children of his body, because they came from his body, although not immediatly; and they commonly are as deare to Grand-Fathers as their own children, and love them as well: Again amongst others then of whom he sought comfort in his misery, but found none, he speakes of these also; in whose sight his visage was so altered, that they would not know him any more, then others of his house: Some say, that these children, were such as were born in his house, coming of his Servants; but then he would not have called them the children of his body. Some, that they were children which he had by Concubines, which it was not unlawful for a man then to have, for the increase of posterity; but because we read not before or after, that Iob had any, but only one Wife, and she was fruitful enough: So that by her he had ten children before this, and that which first moved Abraham to go in to another besides Sarah, was her barrennesse, and Iob was a faithful man like Abraham; I cannot agree with them, that hold, that Iob had any Concubine, or children by Concubines, but only by his Wife.
My bone cleaveth to my skin and my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of Vers. 20.my teeth. The vulg. My bone, the flesh being consumed, cleaveth to my skin, and only lips are left about my teeth. But herein the sense is more respected then the signification of the words, which is in N. Tran. For the meaning is, that he was nothing but skin and bones: so greatly was he pined away by his sufferings, and the words may be brought to this; my bone cleaveth to my skin, and my flesh, Sub intellige, is gone, and I have only remayning the skin of my teeth (or about my teeth) and what is that, but lips fallen away through leannesse to a skin. So that Job here setteth forth the poor and consumptuous estate of his body, through his continual pangs; and that it must be thus understood appeareth, because he, whose bones cleave to his skin, hath no flesh left, but it is all consumed away: Gregory, in applying this to Christ, that his flesh consumed, setteth Gregor.forth his Apostles, who were as the flesh, nearest to the bone, who were nearest unto him, but at the time of his passion, they all fled from him; but the women that ministred of their goods unto him, were as his skin cleaving constantly to him, following him to the cross, and afterwards to the grave, to imbalme his body with spices, which they had provided: For his lips left him about his teeth, they were the Apostles, who although they fled from him, yet they talked of him; for two of them travelling towards Emmaus, when he joyned himself with them, spake stil of him, but yet beleived not in him, neither had they the courage to do any thing more pertayning to their ministry; they were as teeth indeed, being bidden by him in the person of Peter, kil and eate, that is, by reproving mens Act. 10.sinnes, to mortifie them hereunto, and to leave them, as it were, with their teeth, that they might by being converted, be incorporated into them, by being made one with them in faith, and consequently with Christ, who is the head of all beleivers, and they altogether his body.
Have pitty upon me (O yee my friends) For the hand of God hath Vers. 21.touched me. Although they have been his friends, yet now they were turned enemies; why then doth he call them friends? To this Gregory saith, that even persecutors are by the faithful to be looked upon as friends, because their sufferings by them are turned to good unto them, as the railing of Shimei upon David, God turning his cursing into blessing, by restrayning David, and bringing him in all humility to submit himself unto him, as he also did by Job, bidding these men at last to crave of Job, that he would offer sacrifice for them, that their lives might be spared. The hand of God hath touched me: It was Satan that did him the mischief, yet he imputeth it to God, because done not without his permission, Vers: 22. Why do yee persecute me us God, and are not satisfied with my flesh? God is said to Vers. 22.persecute his servants, when he inflicteth greivous punishments upon them, for their sinnes; which he knoweth to be in them, although men do not, neither do they know it by themselves: As Paul saith of himself, 1. Cor. 4. 4. So David saith, that he persecuted the detractors from their neighbours; but what meaneth he by saying, Why do yee persecute me as God? Psal. 111.For if they did it as God, what reason had he to complain of their doings? Sol. They are said to persecute as God, who by word or deed oppresse other men, and vex them externally; but because they have another intention Note. in persecuting, doing it out of malice or envy, God out of love; and they being sinners also, as well as he whom they persecute, but God without sin, they are most unlike unto God, yea wicked for their so doing, not only in regard of the corrupt minde, from whence their persecutions come, but for their pride, in that being sinful men, they take upon them as God, and for their unmercifulnesse, persecuting him, whom God hath smitten, whereas they ought rather to comfort him in this case, as they would be dealt withall, if they should fall into the like misery: And this is further intimated, in the next words, And are not satisfied with my flesh. As if he had said, yee do as if yee thought it not suffering enough for me, that my flesh is consumed, and I am brought to skin and bones. The vulg. rendreth it affirmitively. Yee are satisfied with my flesh. According to which Gregory saith, that detractors feed as it were upon the flesh of those, whom they calumniate and speak against, like savage Canibals; or beasts: But the speech is negative, Hebr. Although this may be also thus made the sense.
Oh that my words were now written, O that they were printed in a book. Vers. 23.Job seeing, that nothing else would prevail with his cruel friends, who so greatly vexed him, but to remember them of the resurrection, and of the judgment to come, falleth now to the speaking of it; but because it is a matter most weighty, and worthy the serious consideration of all men; he speaketh not of it without a preamble, expressing his desire, that it might be published in writing, never to be obliterated or blotted out, but to stand as an everlasting monument of his faith, all men learning of him to hold the same, to the worlds end, wherein he had his desire, not only this, but his whole book, so ful of divine instruction, preparatory to that day, being committed to writing, and put amongst the Canonical books of Scriptures; over which Gods providence so vigllently watcheth, that although Heaven Matth. 5.and Earth passe away, yet not one jot or tittle hereof shall passe, but all that is written herein shall be fulfilled, and therefore this prophesied of by this holy man so long before, of the resurrection of the dead: And what Job said here, Christ said also, The dead shall heare the voice of the son of man Ioh. 5. 29.and come forth, they that have done good to everlasting life, they that have done evil to everlasting condemnation. After the preamble Job cometh to the memorable words which he had to speak. I know that my Redeemer liveth. That is, Christ Jesus shall come, and although he shall suffer death to ransome Vers. 24.us from our sinnes, yet he shall live again, and live eternally, and come at the last day to judge all men. And I shall behold him not with other, but with these same eyes, &c. Whereby he sheweth, that the true faith Vers. 5.is to beleive, that as Christ liveth again after death, so shall all the faithful, and that in the same bodies, in which they lived before in this World: neither shall their being consumed in the grave with worms hinder it, wherein Gregory saith, Euticius the Bishop of Constantinople opposed him, declaring in his book of the resurrection, that men rising again should have ayrean bodies and not fleshly, yea more subtle then the aire, abusing hereunto that place of the Apostle, It is sown a natural body, but shall rise again a spiritual, and as the grain cast into the ground, riseth not again the same 2 Cor. 15.body that was sown, so is the resurrection of the body: But all this is not spoken to teach, that the body rising again shall not be the same, to every soule it is one body of flesh being reunited, but being then more excellent, as the grain coming up hath somewhat added unto it, nothing taken from it; for which it is said, not to be barely the same, but a new body given it of God at his pleasure; in like manner our bodies shall rise the same, but with an addition, making them more excellent, as without blemish or deformity, lamenesse, or blindnesse, or other imperfection, which here they had, as spirits not carried now by the weight of the flesh downward, but upward, and not needing meat, or drink, or sleep, as now they do; yet visible with bodily eyes and palpable, as was the body of Christ after his resurrection; and he saith, that Tiberius Constantinus calling him to him in secret, and hearing the difference betwixt them, and reasons, condemned his book to be burnt as heretical, and within a short time after both he and the said Euticius fel sick, and Euticius shortly after dyed.
But yee should say, why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is Vers. 28.found in me. The vulg. Why say yee, let us persecute him▪ seeing the root of the word is found in him. As if it were their speech, stirring up one another to proceed in persecuting him stil, as if there were matter enough to be found in him or his speeches, if they were wel looked into, so to do; but the Hebr. will not bare that reading, but as in N. Tran. and his meaning is, that by what he had said, they might perceive such a root of the feare of God to be in him, that if they would consider it, in stead of proceeding to persecute him with their virulent tongues any more, they would check themselves for that which they had said, saying, Why doe we speak thus against him? And he calleth the feare of God, and the faith, of which he made this famous Declaration, the root of the word, as foreign also signifieth, because growing of that word, which he declared, the word, that was God, Christ Jesus, who had thus inlightned him; For what man that Ioh. 1. 1.speakes for God, durst speak against him; that hath Christ the Son of God in him by faith: And so the reproaches cast upon him, redound to Christ himself, with whom the true Beleiver is one.
Be yee afraid of the sword, for wrath bringeth the punishment of the sword, Vers. 29.that yee may know that there is a judgment. The vulg. For the sword is the revenger of iniquities, and know yee, that there is a judgment. Hebr. it is. The wrath of iniquity is the sword: That is, iniquity causeth wrath to come from God, in way of revenge therefore; which is all one with the Vulg. Tran. And therefore it is herein to be preferred, and so likewise in the last clause: It is then, as if he had said, if nothing else will move you to cease persecuting me, let this move you; the wrath of God is ready, as a sharp sword to be unsheathed against you, for this your wickednesse; flee therefore from it, by ceasing thus to persecute me any more, and let not this my warning, which I give you to flee from the wrath to come, seem as a vain talking unto you, but know assuredly, that there shall be a judgment at the day of the resurrection, which no man that persisteth in his wickednesse, shall be able to indure.