Behold, [in] this thou art not just: I will answer thee, that God is greater than man.
Ver. 12. Behold, in this thou art not just] In this thy expostulation with God, as if he had dealt unjustly with thee (think the same of thy postulation, or unreasonable request, that God should give thee a reason why he so grievously afflicteth thee, Job 33:13), thou art nothing less than what thou holdest thyself to be, viz. just, pure, innocent. Sorex suo perit indicio, the mole betrays himself by casting up the mould; and so dost thou, good Job, by throwing forth words without wisdom, as God himself will once tell thee, Job 38:2. Canst thou be just, whose words are thus unjust? Never think of it. Thus Elihu is as nimble with Job (but far more ingenuous) as that Jesuit was with Drusius; whom when he had called heretic, and Drusius in his own defence alleged that heresy must be in fundamentis fidei; the fundamentals of the faith, the Jesuit replied, that even that assertion of his was heresy.
I will answer thee, that God is greater than man] Longe superat frivolum hominem, say the Tigurines, is far above sorry man; the distance and disproportion is infinite. But how is this an answer to Job's justifying himself, and complaining of God as overly rigid? God's greatness here is not to be understood to be his power only (which yet should overawe us when ready to rise up against him), but also of his truth, wisdom, justice, goodness, &c., all of which Job, by his complaints, seemed to question and quarrel with; and is therefore fitly minded of this attribute of Almighty God, who is "glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders," Exodus 15:11. Great he is, without quantity; good, without quality; everlasting, without time; omnipresent, without place; containing all things, without extent. He is not only great, Psalms 77:13, but greater, as here; greatest, Psalms 95:3; greatness itself, Psalms 145:3. So he is not only good, Psalms 106:1, but better, Psalms 108:9; best of all, Philippians 1:23; goodness itself, Matthew 19:17. The least glimpse of this knowledge is worth all the gleams of human wisdom. And albeit this is a truth commonly known and acknowledged, yet very few are affected with it aright, as appears by their cross carriages toward this great God, and persumptuous misdemeanors, as if he were such another as themselves, Psalms 50:21. Certainly, if we were thoroughly persuaded of God's infinite greatness, so as it is set forth, Deu 10:17 and elsewhere, we would much more fear to offend him and care to please him than we do. The truth is, all the exorbitances in men's lives proceed from the weakness of this spring; and were they but well assured that God is Almighty they would walk before him, and be upright, Genesis 17:1. But to this none can attain but by the help of supernatural grace.