Matthew Henry Commentary Job 2
Matthew Henry Commentary
Job 2
Matthew Henry Commentary
Job 2
"Again it came to pass on the day when the sons of God came to present themselves before Jehovah, that Satan came also among them to present himself before Jehovah. And Jehovah said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered Jehovah, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And Jehovah said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job? for there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and turneth away from evil: and he still holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. And Satan answered Jehovah, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. But put forth thy hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will renounce thee to thy face. And Jehovah said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thy hand; only spare his life." — Job 2:1-6 (ASV)
How good it is for us that neither men nor devils are to be our judges! But all our judgment comes from the Lord, who never errs. Job still holds fast to his integrity as his weapon. God speaks with pleasure of the power of His own grace.
Self-love and self-preservation are powerful in the hearts of men. But Satan accuses Job, representing him as wholly selfish and caring for nothing but his own ease and safety. Thus, the ways and people of God are often falsely blamed by the devil and his agents.
Permission is granted to Satan to test him, but with a limit. If God did not chain up the roaring lion, how soon he would devour us! Job, thus slandered by Satan, was a type of Christ—the first prophecy concerning Him being that Satan should bruise His heel and be foiled.
"So Satan went forth from the presence of Jehovah, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself therewith; and he sat among the ashes. Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still hold fast thine integrity? renounce God, and die. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips." — Job 2:7-10 (ASV)
The devil tempts his own children, draws them to sin, and afterwards torments them when he has brought them to ruin. But this child of God, he tormented with affliction and then tempted to make a bad use of his affliction. He provoked Job to curse God. The disease was very grievous.
If at any time we are tried with severe and grievous illnesses, let us not think we are treated differently from how God sometimes deals with the best of His saints and servants. Job humbled himself under the mighty hand of God and accepted his condition. His wife was spared for him, to be a troubler and tempter to him.
Satan still endeavors to draw people from God, as he did our first parents, by suggesting harsh thoughts about Him, which are entirely false. But Job resisted and overcame the temptation. Shall we, guilty, polluted, worthless creatures, receive so many unmerited blessings from a just and holy God, and shall we refuse to accept the punishment of our sins when we suffer so much less than we deserve?
Let murmuring, as well as boasting, be done away with forever. Up to this point, Job stood the trial and appeared brightest in the furnace of affliction. There might be risings of corruption in his heart, but grace had the upper hand.
"Now when Job`s three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place: Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, and they made an appointment together to come to bemoan him and to comfort him. And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his robe, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven. So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great." — Job 2:11-13 (ASV)
The friends of Job seem noted for their rank, as well as for wisdom and piety. Much of the comfort of this life lies in friendship with the prudent and virtuous. Coming to mourn with him, they vented grief which they really felt. Coming to comfort him, they sat down with him.
It would appear that they suspected his unprecedented troubles were judgments for some crimes, which he had concealed under his professions of godliness.
Many regard it only as a compliment to visit their friends in sorrow; we must look to true life. And if the example of Job's friends is not enough to lead us to pity the afflicted, let us seek the mind that was in Christ.
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