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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Job 35:1–8. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
We have here,
I.The bad words which Elihu charges upon Job, Job 35:2, Job 35:3.
To evince the badness of them he appeals to Job himself, and his own sober thoughts, in the reflection: Thinkest thou this to be right? This intimates Elihu's confidence that the reproof he now gave was just, for he could refer the judgment of it even to Job himself. Those that have truth and equity on their side sooner or later will have every man's conscience on their side. It also intimates his good opinion of Job, that he thought better than he spoke, and that, though he had spoken amiss, yet, when he perceived his mistake, he would not stand to it. When we have said, in our haste, that which was not right, it becomes us to own that our second thoughts convince us that it was wrong. Two things Elihu here reproves Job for: - 1. For justifying himself more than God, which was the thing that first provoked him, Job 32:2. "Thou hast, in effect, said, My righteousness is more than God's," that is, "I have done more for God than ever he did for me; so that, when the accounts are balanced, he will be brought in debtor to me." As if Job thought his services had been paid less than they deserved and his sins punished more than they deserved, which is a most unjust and wicked thought for any man to harbour and especially to utter. When Job insisted so much upon his own integrity, and the severity of God's dealings with him, he did in effect say, My righteousness is more than God's; whereas, though we be ever so good and our afflictions ever so great, we are chargeable with unrighteousness and God is not. 2. For disowning the benefits and advantages of religion because he suffered these things: What profit shall I have if I be cleansed from my sin? Job 35:3. This is gathered from Job 9:30, Job 9:31. Though I make my hands ever so clean, what the nearer am I? Thou shalt plunge me in the ditch. And Job 10:15, If I be wicked, woe to me; but, if I be righteous, it is all the same. The psalmist, when he compared his own afflictions with the prosperity of the wicked, was tempted to say, Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, Psa 73:13. And, if Job said so, he did in effect say, My righteousness is more than God's (Job 35:9); for, if he got nothing by his religion, God was more beholden to him than he was to God. But, though there might be some colour for it, yet it was not fair to charge these words upon Job, when he himself had made them the wicked words of prospering sinners (Job 21:15, What profit shall we have if we pray to him?) and had immediately disclaimed them. The counsel of the wicked is far from me, Job 21:16. It is not a fair way of disputing to charge men with those consequences of their opinions which they expressly renounce.
II.The good answer which Elihu gives to this (Job 35:4):
"I will undertake to answer thee, and thy companions with thee," that is, "all those that approve thy sayings and are ready to justify thee in them, and all others that say as thou sayest: "I have that to offer which will silence them all." To do this he has recourse to his old maxim (Job 33:12), that God is greater than man. This is a truth which, if duly improved, will serve many good purposes, and particularly this to prove that God is debtor to no man. The greatest of men may be a debtor to the meanest; but such is the infinite disproportion between God and man that the great God cannot possibly receive any benefit by man, and therefore cannot be supposed to lie under any obligation to man; for, if he be obliged by his purpose and promise, it is only to himself. That is a challenge which no man can take up (Rom 11:35), Who hath first given to God, let him prove it, and it shall be recompensed to him again. Why should we demand it, as a just debt, to gain by our religion (as Job seemed to do), when the God we serve does not gain by it?
1.Elihu needs not prove that God is above man; it is agreed by all; but he endeavours to affect Job and us with it, by an ocular demonstration of the height of the heavens and the clouds, Job 35:5. They are far above us, and God is far above them; how much then is he set out of the reach either of our sins or of our services! Look unto the heavens, and behold the clouds. God made man erect, coelumque tueri jussit - and bade him look up to heaven. Idolaters looked up, and worshipped the hosts of heaven, the sun, moon, and stars; but we must look up to heaven, and worship the Lord of those hosts. They are higher than we, but God is infinitely above them. His glory is above the heavens (Psa 8:1) and the knowledge of him higher than heaven, Job 11:8.
2.But hence he infers that God is not affected, either one way or other, by any thing that we do.
(1.)He owns that men may be either bettered or damaged by what we do (Job 35:8): Thy wickedness, perhaps, may hurt a man as thou art, may occasion him trouble in his outward concerns. A wicked man may wound, or rob, or slander his neighbour, or may draw him into sin and so prejudice his soul. Thy righteousness, thy justice, thy charity, thy wisdom, thy piety, may perhaps profit the son of man. Our goodness extends to the saints that are in the earth, Psa 16:3. To men like ourselves we are in a capacity either of doing injury or of showing kindness; and in both these the sovereign Lord and Judge of all will interest himself, will reward those that do good and punish those that do hurt to their fellow-creatures and fellow-subjects. But,
(2.)He utterly denies that God can really be either prejudiced or advantaged by what any, even the greatest men of the earth, do, or can do.
[1.]The sins of the worst sinners are no damage to him (Job 35:6): "If thou sinnest wilfully, and of malice prepense, against him, with a high hand, nay, if thy transgressions be multiplied, and the acts of sin be ever so often repeated, yet what doest thou against him?" This is a challenge to the carnal mind, and defies the most daring sinner to do his worst. It speaks much for the greatness and glory of God that it is not in the power of his worst enemies to do him any real prejudice. Sin is said to be against God because so the sinner intends it and so God takes it, and it is an injury to his honour; yet it cannot do any thing against him. The malice of sinners is impotent malice: it cannot destroy his being or perfections, cannot dethrone him from his power and dominion, cannot disturb his peace and repose, cannot defeat his counsels and designs, nor can it derogate from his essential glory. Job therefore spoke amiss in saying What profit is it that I am cleansed from my sin? God was no gainer by his reformation; and who then would gain if he himself did not?
[2.]The services of the best saints are no profit to him (Job 35:7): If thou be righteous, what givest thou to him? He needs not our service; or, if he did want to have the work done, he has better hands than ours at command. Our religion brings no accession at all to his felicity. He is so far from being beholden to us that we are beholden to him for making us righteous and accepting our righteousness; and therefore we can demand nothing from him, nor have any reason to complain if we have not what we expect, but to be thankful that we have better than we deserve.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
“He said, you do not like what is virtuous.” Elihu says that holy Job had a wrong opinion about God, and these words are gathered from his reflections, because God is offended by this fact, as Job ascribes to him the errors of others. “What advantage will you get if I sin?” This concept is even more evident in another passage, “What advantage did I get from not committing sin?” That is, What else would I have suffered because of the iniquity of my actions, if I received such misfortunes after my dedication to virtue? “I will answer you and your friends with you.” Since your friends taught you to agree with a wrong opinion about the judgments of God, so that you think to be righteous. Whereas God is unjust, now I will take care to answer in order to confute you and them.
16. If the whole course of the book is attended to, blessed Job is proved to have said none of these things. But haughty men, as we have also said before, are wont to have this peculiarity, that while they go on in violent invective, they also speak falsely in their inveighing, and that, when they cannot justly blame the things which exist, they reprehend, in their falsehood, those which do not exist.
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Summary
Job 35:3 encapsulates Elihu's critical interpretation of Job's profound laments, accusing Job of questioning the inherent value of righteousness and the practical utility of seeking purification from sin. Elihu perceives Job's despair as a cynical inquiry into whether human uprightness offers any "advantage" to God or whether human sin truly impacts the Almighty, thereby implying a transactional view of faith and a challenge to divine justice and God's active engagement with humanity. This verse serves as a pivotal point in Elihu's discourse, aiming to expose what he considers Job's self-righteousness and a flawed understanding of God's absolute sovereignty and human accountability.
Context
Literary Context
Job 35:3 is situated within Elihu's third major speech, which spans from Job 35 through Job 37. Elihu, a younger man, has patiently observed the lengthy dialogue between Job and his three friends, believing that all parties have failed to grasp the full truth of God's ways. He positions himself as a divinely inspired arbiter, claiming to speak with superior wisdom (e.g., Job 32:8). In this specific verse, Elihu does not directly quote Job but rather provides his own interpretation or paraphrase of Job's earlier expressions of anguish and bewilderment, particularly those where Job questioned the apparent lack of distinction between the righteous and the wicked in their suffering (e.g., Job 9:22-23 or Job 21:7-15). Elihu's accusation here is a direct challenge to Job's perceived self-justification and sets the stage for Elihu's subsequent arguments concerning God's transcendence, justice, and the purpose of suffering as a means of divine instruction.
Historical & Cultural Context
The Book of Job is set in a patriarchal society, likely in the land of Uz, and functions as a profound piece of wisdom literature exploring the complexities of suffering, righteousness, and divine justice. In the ancient Near East, there was a prevalent belief in a direct, often transactional, correlation between human actions and divine responses. Prosperity and well-being were typically seen as blessings for righteousness, while suffering was commonly attributed to sin or divine displeasure. Elihu's argument, reflecting this common worldview, assumes that Job is operating under a similar transactional framework. He challenges Job's perceived notion that if God does not directly "profit" from human righteousness or suffer loss from human sin, then human moral choices become inconsequential. This perspective, while culturally widespread, falls short of grasping the deeper theological truth of God's inherent righteousness and self-sufficiency, which transcends human transactional models. The cultural emphasis on communal well-being also meant that individual actions were often seen to have broader societal implications, reinforcing the idea that moral choices should yield tangible results.
Key Themes
Elihu's interpretation in this verse contributes significantly to several overarching themes within the Book of Job. Firstly, it highlights the theme of the Value of Righteousness, specifically questioning whether obedience is merely a means to an end, a transactional exchange for divine favor. Elihu accuses Job of viewing righteousness through a utilitarian lens, seeking a tangible "profit" from it. Secondly, it implicitly introduces the profound theme of God's Self-Sufficiency and Transcendence. While Elihu misapplies this truth to Job, his subsequent arguments (e.g., Job 35:6-8) correctly assert that human actions do not add to or detract from God's intrinsic glory or essence. God is not dependent on human service or righteousness, a truth echoed in passages like Acts 17:25 and Psalm 50:9-12. Thirdly, the verse touches upon Human Accountability and the Nature of Sin. If God is not directly affected by human sin, what then is the purpose of moral striving or seeking cleansing? Elihu's broader argument attempts to reassert human responsibility, clarifying that while our actions do not impact God's being, they profoundly affect ourselves and our fellow human beings, as well as our relationship with God.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
A primitive root; to be familiar with; by implication, to minister to, be serviceable to, be customary; acquaint (self), be advantage, [idiom] ever, (be, (un-)) profit(-able), treasurer, be wont. In Job 35:3, Elihu uses this term to accuse Job of questioning the "return on investment" of his righteousness. It implies a calculation of benefit, suggesting Job believes his obedience should yield a clear, discernible gain for himself or for God, and that its absence renders it pointless. This highlights Elihu's focus on a quid pro quo understanding of divine-human interaction.
A primitive root; properly, to ascend; figuratively, to be valuable (objectively; useful, subjectively; benefited); [idiom] at all, set forward, can do good, (be, have) profit, (able). This word, alongside "advantage," intensifies Elihu's accusation. It refers to a tangible gain or benefit. Elihu suggests that Job's perceived grievance stems from a desire for personal "profit" or reward from his piety, and a questioning of its utility if such a profit is not immediately evident, especially in the face of suffering.
Or חַטָּאת; from חָטָא; an offence (sometimes habitual sinfulness), and its penalty, occasion, sacrifice, or expiation; also (concretely) an offender; punishment (of sin), purifying(-fication for sin), sin(-ner, offering). When Elihu attributes to Job the question of what "profit" one gains from being "cleansed from my sin," he is referring to the act of purification or atonement for wrongdoing. Elihu implies Job views spiritual purity as lacking practical benefit if it doesn't prevent suffering or guarantee prosperity, suggesting a cynical view of repentance.
Verse Breakdown
"For thou saidst, What advantage will it be unto thee?"
Elihu begins by attributing a statement to Job, though it is more accurately Elihu's interpretation of Job's expressions of distress and questioning. The phrase "What advantage will it be unto thee?" refers to God. Elihu accuses Job of believing that God gains nothing from human righteousness or obedience. This challenges the notion that human actions could somehow increase God's glory, power, or well-being, framing Job's perspective as one that questions the very purpose of righteous living if it doesn't directly benefit the Almighty in a tangible way.
"[and], What profit shall I have, [if I be cleansed] from my sin?"
This second part of Elihu's accusation shifts the focus to Job's perceived self-interest and utilitarian calculus of faith. Elihu claims Job is asking what personal "profit" or material gain he will receive from being purified or forgiven of his sins. This implies that Job views spiritual cleansing as a transactional act that should yield a discernible reward, and his ongoing suffering leads him to doubt the efficacy or benefit of such cleansing if it does not guarantee a life free from hardship or provide tangible prosperity. Elihu suggests Job's complaint stems from a demand for a visible return on his spiritual investment.
Literary Devices
Elihu's statement in Job 35:3 employs several potent literary devices to advance his argument and characterize Job. Firstly, it utilizes Rhetorical Question, albeit presented as an accusation of Job's own rhetorical questioning. Elihu frames Job's supposed thoughts as cynical questions that challenge divine justice and the inherent value of righteousness, thereby implicitly inviting the audience to agree with Elihu's own (unspoken) counter-arguments. Secondly, there is a clear element of Paraphrase or Misrepresentation. Elihu is not directly quoting Job but rather interpreting Job's laments and frustrations in a way that serves Elihu's own theological agenda, potentially exaggerating Job's despair into a cynical questioning of God's character and the purpose of morality. This subtle distortion is a form of Characterization, painting Job as self-righteous and transactional in his faith. Finally, the verse contains a profound Irony, as Elihu, in his zealous attempt to correct Job's perceived errors, himself falls into a flawed understanding of God's justice and the nature of suffering, demonstrating the limitations of human wisdom in fully comprehending divine ways.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Elihu's accusation in Job 35:3, while a misrepresentation of Job's heart, inadvertently opens a profound theological discussion about the nature of God's sovereignty and human responsibility. It challenges the common ancient Near Eastern (and often modern) transactional view of faith, where piety is seen as a means to manipulate divine favor or guarantee prosperity. The verse forces us to confront the truth that God's glory is inherent and not dependent on human actions; our righteousness does not make Him greater, nor does our sin diminish His essence. Yet, this truth does not negate human accountability. While our actions do not add to God's being, they profoundly impact our relationship with Him, our own character, and our relationships with others. True righteousness is not pursued for personal "profit" from God, but out of love, obedience, and a recognition of His intrinsic worth. The ultimate "advantage" of righteousness is not what God gains, but the transformation of the human heart and the alignment of our lives with the divine will, leading to true flourishing and a deeper communion with our Creator.
Reflection and Application
Job 35:3, viewed through Elihu's critical lens, serves as a powerful mirror for self-examination, prompting us to scrutinize the true motivations behind our faith and obedience. Do we, like Elihu accuses Job of doing, approach God with a transactional mindset, seeking a tangible "advantage" or "profit" from our righteousness or from being cleansed from sin? Are our spiritual disciplines and moral choices driven by a desire for personal gain, an expectation of a specific return on investment from God, or are they born out of genuine love, reverence, and a humble recognition of God's inherent worth and our absolute dependence on Him? True faith understands that while God blesses obedience, His nature is not that of a cosmic vending machine. Our righteousness is not for His benefit, but for our good, for the transformation of our character, and for the positive impact we have on the world around us. Embracing God's absolute sovereignty and self-sufficiency frees us from demanding returns and instead cultivates a heart of humble obedience, worship, and joyful surrender, recognizing that the greatest "profit" is simply to know and walk with Him, finding our ultimate satisfaction in His presence and purpose.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Did Job actually say what Elihu attributes to him in Job 35:3?
No, Job did not explicitly utter these exact words. Elihu is not quoting Job directly but rather paraphrasing, interpreting, and perhaps misrepresenting Job's earlier expressions of despair and frustration. Job had indeed questioned the apparent lack of distinction between the righteous and the wicked in their suffering (e.g., Job 9:22-23), and he lamented that his integrity seemed to offer him no protection from calamity. Elihu takes these laments and interprets them as Job cynically questioning the "advantage" or "profit" of righteousness and cleansing from sin, implying Job believes God is unaffected by human actions and therefore human morality is pointless. This is Elihu's flawed interpretation of Job's profound spiritual struggle, reflecting his own limited understanding of God's complex ways.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Job 35:3, with its focus on the "advantage" and "profit" of righteousness and cleansing, finds its ultimate and transformative fulfillment in Jesus Christ. While Elihu wrongly accused Job of a transactional view, Christ reveals that the true "profit" of righteousness is not a gain for God, but a gracious gift to humanity. Our righteousness, as Scripture makes clear, is like "filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6), utterly incapable of providing any "advantage" to a holy God or earning us salvation. Instead, Christ's perfect obedience and sinless life provided the ultimate righteousness, which is imputed to believers by grace through faith (Romans 3:21-26). The "cleansing from sin" that Job indirectly yearned for, and Elihu questioned the "profit" of, is fully accomplished through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus on the cross (1 John 1:7 and Hebrews 9:14). The "profit" for us is not a material gain, but eternal life, reconciliation with God, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Romans 6:23). In Christ, we discover that God's love and grace are not transactional but freely given, transforming our hearts to pursue righteousness not for what we can gain from God, but out of gratitude for what He has already given us in His Son (Philippians 3:8-9). The true "advantage" is union with Christ, where His righteousness becomes ours, and our lives are lived for His glory, not our own perceived profit, culminating in the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27).