Albert Barnes Commentary Job 33:12

"Behold, I will answer thee, in this thou art not just; For God is greater than man." — Job 33:12 (ASV)

Behold, in this you are not just – In this view of God, and in these reflections on His character and government. Such language regarding the Deity cannot be vindicated; such views cannot be right. It cannot be that He wishes to be the foe of humanity, that He watches with a jealous eye every movement with a view to find something that will justify Him in bringing heavy calamities upon His creatures, or that He sets Himself as a spy upon the way in which people go, in order to find out something that shall make it proper for Him to treat them as an enemy.

It cannot be denied that Job had indulged in language making substantially such representations of God, and that he had thereby given occasion for the reproof of Elihu. It is equally undeniable that such thoughts frequently pass through the minds of the afflicted, even if they do not express them in words; and it is just as certain that these thoughts should be immediately banished from the soul.

They cannot be true. It cannot be that God in this way regards and treats His creatures; that He wishes to find “occasion” in them to make it proper for Him to bring calamity upon them, or that He desires to regard them as His foes.

I will answer you – That is, I will show that this view is unjust. This he does in the subsequent verses by stating what he supposes to be the real design of afflictions, and by showing that God in these trials had a good and benevolent purpose.

That – כי kı̂y. Rather, “because,” or “for.” The purpose is not to show that God was greater than man – for that would hardly be new information – but to show that because He was far above man, He had great and elevated purposes in His dealings with him, and man should submit to Him without a complaint.

God is greater than man – The meaning of this is that man should acknowledge that God has good reasons for all that He does, and that man might not be qualified to understand the reason for His actions. Man should therefore acquiesce in His arrangements and not call in question the equity of the divine dealings. In all our trials, it is well to remember that God is greater than we are. He knows what is best; and though we may not be able to see the reason for His actions, it is fitting for us to acquiesce in His superior wisdom.