Matthew Henry Commentary Job 31
Matthew Henry Commentary
Job 31
Matthew Henry Commentary
Job 31
"I made a covenant with mine eyes; How then should I look upon a virgin? For what is the portion from God above, And the heritage from the Almighty on high? Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, And disaster to the workers of iniquity? Doth not he see my ways, And number all my steps? If I have walked with falsehood, And my foot hath hasted to deceit (Let me be weighed in an even balance, That God may know mine integrity); If my step hath turned out of the way, And my heart walked after mine eyes, And if any spot hath cleaved to my hands: Then let me sow, and let another eat; Yea, let the produce of my field be rooted out." — Job 31:1-8 (ASV)
Job did not speak the things here recorded by way of boasting, but in answer to the charge of hypocrisy. He understood the spiritual nature of God's commandments, as reaching to the thoughts and intents of the heart. It is best to let our actions speak for us; but in some cases we owe it to ourselves and to the cause of God, solemnly to protest our innocence of the crimes of which we are falsely accused.
The lusts of the flesh, and the love of the world, are two fatal rocks on which multitudes split; against these Job protests he was always careful to be on his guard. And God takes more exact notice of us than we do of ourselves; let us therefore walk circumspectly. He carefully avoided all sinful means of getting wealth.
He dreaded all forbidden profit as much as all forbidden pleasure. What we have in the world may be used with comfort, or lost with comfort, if honestly gotten. Without strict honesty and faithfulness in all our dealings, we can have no good evidence of true godliness. Yet how many professors are unable to abide this touchstone!
"If my heart hath been enticed unto a woman, And I have laid wait at my neighbor`s door; Then let my wife grind unto another, And let others bow down upon her. For that were a heinous crime; Yea, it were an iniquity to be punished by the judges: For it is a fire that consumeth unto Destruction, And would root out all mine increase. If I have despised the cause of my man-servant or of my maid-servant, When they contended with me; What then shall I do when God riseth up? And when he visiteth, what shall I answer him? Did not he that made me in the womb make him? And did not one fashion us in the womb?" — Job 31:9-15 (ASV)
All the defilements of life come from a deceived heart. Lust is a fire in the soul: those who indulge it are said to burn. It consumes all that is good there and lays the conscience waste. It kindles the fire of God's wrath, which, if not quenched by the blood of Christ, will consume even to eternal destruction. It consumes the body; it consumes the substance. Burning lusts bring burning judgments.
Job had a numerous household, and he managed it well. He considered that he had a Master in heaven; and as we are undone if God should be severe with us, we ought to be mild and gentle towards all with whom we deal.
"If I have withheld the poor from [their] desire, Or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail, Or have eaten my morsel alone, And the fatherless hath not eaten thereof (Nay, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, And her have I guided from my mother`s womb); If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, Or that the needy had no covering; If his loins have not blessed me, And if he hath not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep; If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, Because I saw my help in the gate: Then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, And mine arm be broken from the bone. For calamity from God is a terror to me, And by reason of his majesty I can do nothing." — Job 31:16-23 (ASV)
Job's conscience gave testimony concerning his just and charitable behaviour toward the poor. He is most expansive on this topic, because in this matter he was particularly accused. He was tender toward all, and hurtful to none.
Notice the principles by which Job was restrained from being uncharitable and unmerciful. He stood in awe of the Lord, knowing the Lord would certainly be against him if he wronged the poor. Regard for worldly interests may restrain a man from actual crimes, but the grace of God alone can make him hate, dread, and shun sinful thoughts and desires.
"If I have made gold my hope, And have said to the fine gold, [Thou art] my confidence; If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, And because my hand had gotten much; If I have beheld the sun when it shined, Or the moon walking in brightness, And my heart hath been secretly enticed, And my mouth hath kissed my hand: This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judges; For I should have denied the God that is above. If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, Or lifted up myself when evil found him; (Yea, I have not suffered by mouth to sin By asking his life with a curse); If the men of my tent have not said, Who can find one that hath not been filled with his meat? (The sojourner hath not lodged in the street; But I have opened my doors to the traveller);" — Job 31:24-32 (ASV)
Job protests:
That he never set his heart upon the wealth of this world. How few prosperous believers can appeal to the Lord, that they have not rejoiced because their gains were great! Through the determination to be rich, many ruin their souls or pierce themselves with many sorrows.
He never was guilty of idolatry. The source of idolatry is in the heart, and it corrupts people and provokes God to send judgments upon a nation.
He neither desired nor delighted in the hurt of the worst enemy he had. If others bear malice toward us, that will not justify us in bearing malice toward them.
He had never been unkind to strangers. Hospitality is a Christian duty (1 Peter 4:9).
"If like Adam I have covered my transgressions, By hiding mine iniquity in my bosom, Because I feared the great multitude, And the contempt of families terrified me, So that I kept silence, and went not out of the door- Oh that I had one to hear me! (Lo, here is my signature, let the Almighty answer me); And [that I had] the indictment which mine adversary hath written! Surely I would carry it upon my shoulder; I would bind it unto me as a crown: I would declare unto him the number of my steps; As a prince would I go near unto him. If my land crieth out against me, And the furrows thereof weep together; If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, Or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life: Let thistles grow instead of wheat, And cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended." — Job 31:33-40 (ASV)
Job clears himself from the charge of hypocrisy. We are reluctant to confess our faults, willing to excuse them, and to lay the blame upon others. But he that thus covers his sins, shall not prosper (Proverbs 28:13). He speaks of his courage in what is good, as an evidence of his sincerity in it.
When men obtain estates unjustly, they are justly deprived of comfort from them; it was sown wheat, but will come up thistles. What men do not obtain honestly will never do them any good. The words of Job are ended.
They end with a bold assertion, that, with respect to accusation against his moral and religious character as the cause for his sufferings, he could appeal to God. But, however confident Job was, we will see he was mistaken (Job 40:4, 5; 1 John 1:8). Let us all judge ourselves; where we are guilty, let us seek forgiveness in that blood which cleanseth from all sin; and may the Lord have mercy upon us, and write His laws in our hearts!
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