Job 35:1-16 - G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

Reader Related Verse
Bible Comments

Turning to the second quotation, Elihu suggested that when Job questioned the advantage of serving God, he set up his righteousness as being "more than God's." He then laid bare the very foundations of the truth concerning the divine sovereignty of God by declaring that there is a sense in which God is unaffected by man. Man's sin does nothing to God, and man's righteousness adds nothing to God.

This view had been advanced before in the controversy. Undoubtedly there is an element of truth in it, and yet the whole revelation of God shows that whereas according to the terms and requirements of Infinite Righteousness God is independent of man, according to the nature of His heart of love, which these men did not perfectly understand, He cannot be independent.

However, proceeding, Elihu declared that the reason why men do not find God is that the motive of their prayer is wrong. It is a cry for help rather than for God Himself. He declared that God will not hear vanity, and charged Job with this wrongness of motive in his search for God.

Related Commentaries of Job 35:1

Job 35:1-16

1 Elihu spake moreover, and said,

2 Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is more than God's?

3 For thou saidst, What advantage will it be unto thee? and, What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin?

4 I will answera thee, and thy companions with thee.

5 Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than thou.

6 If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him? or if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him?

7 If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand?

8 Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; and thy righteousness may profit the son of man.

9 By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty.

10 But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night;

11 Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven?

12 There they cry, but none giveth answer, because of the pride of evil men.

13 Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.

14 Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, yet judgment is before him; therefore trust thou in him.

15 But now, because it is not so, he hath visited in his anger; yet he knoweth it not in great extremity:

16 Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplieth words without knowledge.