John Gill Commentary Job 35:7

John Gill Commentary

Job 35:7

1697–1771
Reformed Baptist
John Gill
John Gill

John Gill Commentary

Job 35:7

1697–1771
Reformed Baptist
SCRIPTURE

"If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? Or what receiveth he of thy hand?" — Job 35:7 (ASV)

If you are righteous, what do you give him ?
All righteousness is of God that any creatures have. What the angels in heaven have, or Adam had in a state of innocence; or what believers in Christ have in and from him; his righteousness imputed to them is of God; the grace of righteousness, or holiness, imparted to them and implanted in them, is from him; and it is under the influence of his Spirit, and by his grace and strength, they do works of righteousness externally;

and therefore can give nothing to him of their own, nor does he need any, being God all sufficient; even the goodness of his Son does not extend to him, but to the saints, (Psalms 16:2Psalms 16:3) ; much less any goodness of theirs:

their best works of righteousness are due to him, and not gifts; and though they may contribute to his manifestative glory, both in them that do them and in others that see them, they can add nothing to the essential glory of God;

or what does he receive from your hand ?
He can receive nothing but what he has given, or what he has a prior right to and is his due, and so cannot be laid under any obligation to man by what he does; nor can man merit anything at his hand, not even the least temporal mercy, and much less spiritual ones and everlasting life: and what notice God is pleased to take of the good works of men, in a way of reward, is not of debt, but of grace, and entirely owing to his goodness; and does not arise from any intrinsic worth in them, or from any advantage to him by them.