Your wickedness concerns a man like yourself, and your righteousness a son of man.
Elihu is answering Job's charge that God had treated him unfairly. Here he pushes the argument to its edge: whatever a man does, good or bad, the effect stops with other men. So is God indifferent to how we live — or does the verse expose something else?
The claim Elihu is answering
One writer names the two things Job had said, and where such talk leads.
Charles StanleyElihu now speaks to those who have an ear to hear. He shows where Job had so seriously gone wrong. First, in saying, "I am righteous"; and then in saying it was no use serving God. So self-righteousness leads to unbelief and to the deepest spiritual wickedness.
Another writer follows that same reasoning to where it ends up.
Samuel RidoutJob had declared that his claim was more righteous than God's. His reason (v. 3) was that God took no notice at all of whatever he did. There was no advantage in righteousness any more than in sin! Imagine an upright, God-fearing man bringing himself to such a conclusion! It leads to, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."
Nothing a man does reaches God
Man cannot damage God by sin, and cannot enrich Him by right living.
William KellyMan's sin is serious for himself, and may be so for his fellows; but what difference does it make for God? Not even the boldest sinners can darken a single ray of His glory. He may still turn everything, as He wills, to exalt and to show what He is. And so with the righteousness of man: what does it confer on God? or what does He receive at man's hand? God is the unchanging One, always good, never unrighteous: it is man, the human race, that one's righteousness or wrongdoing affects.
Where the effect lands
The verse does not say conduct has no effect. It says the effect falls on people — and first of all on the person himself.
James BoydA man may make his neighbour suffer through his sin, or do him good by his righteousness. But the chief sufferer because of sin is the one who commits it, and the one who gains most from righteousness is the one who practises it. But in this world this is not easily seen, for the ways of God in His government are not traceable.
Read the other way round, the verse strips away any idea that good behaviour puts God in our debt.
Leslie M. GrantOn the other hand, if one is righteous, does he think he is doing God a favour by this? (v. 7). In being righteous, he is not doing more than he should. Why should he expect special recognition? So Elihu levels man's pride to the dust. That may be pride in his own rebellious attitude, or pride in his righteous character. It is true that a man's actions, bad or good, may affect other people (v. 8), but they do not influence God.
The contradiction it exposes in Job
Elihu does not argue with Job's conclusion. He uses it against Job's complaint.
Samuel RidoutHe does not appear to contradict Job's conclusion. In fact he takes up Job's own thought and uses it to defend God's character. "You say, Job, that your conduct can be of no value, good or bad, because God is indifferent to it either way. Your companions reason little better. Yes, God is infinitely above you, and your conduct cannot directly interfere with Him. Why then have you charged Him with unfairness and arbitrary selfishness in afflicting you?" … Here is a clear contradiction on Job's part.
What Elihu is pressing
If nothing flows from man up to God, then everything that is worth having flows the other way.
William KellySo he shows that the question is not man profiting God, but God profiting man. Setting aside what man owes Him — will, and love, and glory — no one can walk in His ways without the richest reward of blessing. In every possible sense it is God who gives the increase. … So the wickedness of man does not lower the majesty of God. It ruins the man who walks in it. In the same way, the obedience of man brings no profit to God. But it brings very real and rich blessedness to the man who is led that way.
Summary
- Claim. Job reasoned that doing right gained him nothing. That kind of self-righteousness ends in unbelief.
- Ceiling. No sin can darken a ray of God's glory, and no righteousness adds anything to Him — He is the unchanging One.
- Landing. Conduct does have weight, but it falls on people. The one who sins suffers most; the one who does right gains most.
- Contradiction. Elihu takes Job's own point and turns it. If nothing you do touches God, why accuse Him of afflicting you unfairly?
- Reversal. The traffic runs downward, not upward. God profits man, not man God. Rich blessing waits for the one who walks in His ways.