Job 4:17

KJV

Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?

KJV (with Strong's)

Shall mortal man {H582} be more just {H6663} than God {H433}? shall a man {H1397} be more pure {H2891} than his maker {H6213}?

Complete Jewish Bible

'Can a human be seen by God as righteous? Can a mortal be pure before his maker?

Berean Standard Bible

‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God, or a man more pure than his Maker?

American Standard Version

Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Job 4:17 presents a profound rhetorical question posed by Eliphaz the Temanite, challenging the notion that mortal humanity could ever be more just or pure than God. This verse serves as a cornerstone of Eliphaz's initial argument, subtly implying Job's inherent sinfulness as the cause of his suffering by emphasizing the vast, unbridgeable chasm between God's absolute righteousness and humanity's inherent impurity and fallen state.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is embedded within Eliphaz's first discourse (Job 4-5), which immediately follows Job's deep lament in [Job 3](/job/3 "Job 3 - Job's Lament"). Job has just cursed the day of his birth, expressing profound despair and a desire for death. Eliphaz, the first of Job's three friends to speak, responds to Job's anguish by appealing to traditional wisdom and a prevailing retribution theology. He attempts to explain Job's suffering by asserting that the innocent do not perish, implying that Job's immense suffering must, therefore, be a direct consequence of some hidden sin. [Job 4:17](/job/4-17 "Job 4:17 - Eliphaz's Rhetorical Question") functions as a foundational premise for his argument, setting up the logical conclusion that if God is perfectly just and pure, and Job is suffering, then Job must be less just and pure than God, and thus, guilty.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Book of Job is set in the ancient Near East, a region where wisdom literature flourished. A dominant cultural understanding of divine justice in this period, particularly among those who adhered to a simplified retribution theology, was that God directly rewarded the righteous with prosperity and punished the wicked with suffering. This belief system, while containing elements of truth about God's justice, often failed to account for the complexities of suffering, especially that of the innocent. Eliphaz's arguments, including the rhetorical questions of [Job 4:17](/job/4-17 "Job 4:17 - Man's Purity Compared to God"), reflect this prevailing cultural framework, where maintaining God's honor and justifying His actions often led to the conclusion that human suffering was always deserved.
* **Key Themes:** [Job 4:17](/job/4-17 "Job 4:17 - God's Justice and Man's Purity") contributes significantly to several overarching themes in the Book of Job and broader biblical theology. Firstly, it underscores the **absolute righteousness and sovereignty of God**. God is presented as the ultimate standard of justice and purity, beyond human comparison or critique, aligning with descriptions of God as one whose "work is perfect, for all his ways are justice" found in [Deuteronomy 32:4](/deuteronomy/32-4 "Deuteronomy 32:4 - God's Perfect Work"). Secondly, the verse highlights the **inherent frailty and sinfulness of humanity**. The contrast drawn between "mortal man" and "his maker" emphasizes human limitation and fallenness, a truth echoed throughout Scripture, such as in [Romans 3:23](/romans/3-23 "Romans 3:23 - All Have Sinned"), which declares that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Finally, while Eliphaz misapplies this truth, the verse implicitly touches upon the **problem of suffering** and the human attempt to reconcile it with divine justice, a central inquiry of the entire Book of Job.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Man (Hebrew, _'enosh'_):** This term for "man" often carries connotations of frailty, weakness, and mortality, contrasting sharply with the eternal, immutable, and all-powerful nature of God. Its use here emphasizes the inherent limitations and vulnerability of humanity when compared to the divine. It highlights that humanity, in its created and fallen state, is fundamentally incapable of reaching God's standard of righteousness or purity.
* **Just (Hebrew, _tsadaq'_):** Meaning "to be righteous," "innocent," or "justified," this word refers to a state of moral and ethical uprightness. When applied to God, it signifies His perfect and unblemished character, His adherence to moral law, and His equitable judgment. The rhetorical question posits the absurdity of any created being possessing a greater or even equal degree of this divine attribute.
* **Maker (Hebrew, _'asah'_):** This term emphasizes God's role as Creator and sustainer of all things. By referring to God as "his maker," the verse underscores the fundamental ontological difference between creature and Creator. The one who is made cannot possibly surpass the one who made him, especially in the very attributes that define the Maker's perfection. This reinforces God's inherent authority, sovereignty, and absolute superiority over His creation.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Shall mortal man be more just than God?":** This first clause poses an unanswerable rhetorical question, designed to elicit an emphatic "No!" from the listener. It challenges the very possibility of a human being, in their finite and fallen state, possessing a greater or even comparable degree of righteousness to the infinitely just God. The question implies that any attempt by humanity to claim superior or even equal justice to God is utterly preposterous, serving to humble human pride and self-righteousness.
* **"shall a man be more pure than his maker?":** The second clause functions as a synonymous parallel to the first, reinforcing the same truth with slightly different terminology. "Pure" (Hebrew, _tahar_) refers to moral and ceremonial cleanness, holiness, and unblemished character. The question reiterates the impossibility of a created being surpassing their Creator in holiness. It underscores God's absolute moral perfection and the inherent impurity of humanity, regardless of perceived human virtue.

#### Literary Devices
Eliphaz's statement in [Job 4:17](/job/4-17 "Job 4:17 - Rhetorical Question and Parallelism") is primarily structured around a **Rhetorical Question**. This device is used not to seek information but to make a forceful assertion or to produce an effect on the audience. By posing a question with an obvious, undeniable answer (no, mortal man cannot be more just or pure than God), Eliphaz powerfully conveys his conviction about God's absolute transcendence and humanity's inherent inferiority. The verse also employs **Parallelism**, specifically **Synonymous Parallelism**, where the second line reiterates the thought of the first line using different but equivalent words. "More just than God" is paralleled by "more pure than his maker," reinforcing the central idea of God's incomparable righteousness and holiness and the impossibility of human parity. This repetition adds emphasis and rhetorical force to Eliphaz's argument.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The theological truth embedded in [Job 4:17](/job/4-17 "Job 4:17 - God's Justice and Man's Purity") is profound and foundational: God is infinitely more righteous and pure than any human being. While Eliphaz misapplies this truth to Job's specific situation, using it to condemn an innocent man, the statement itself stands as a crucial reminder of God's transcendence and humanity's utter dependence on His grace. It challenges any human pride or self-righteousness, calling for profound humility before the divine. This verse establishes a baseline for understanding divine justice, even if human understanding of its application in the world is often flawed and limited. It points to the necessity of a righteousness that originates from God, not from human effort.

* [Psalm 14:3](/psalms/14-3 "Psalm 14:3 - None Who Does Good")
* [Isaiah 64:6](/isaiah/64-6 "Isaiah 64:6 - All Our Righteousness Like Filthy Rags")
* [Romans 3:10](/romans/3-10 "Romans 3:10 - None Is Righteous")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
For believers today, [Job 4:17](/job/4-17 "Job 4:17 - A Call to Humility") serves as a vital call to humility and reverence before the Creator. It reminds us that our own righteousness, no matter how diligently pursued, is inherently insufficient when measured against God's perfect standard. This profound inadequacy points us away from self-reliance and towards the necessity of a divine righteousness, a truth that finds its ultimate fulfillment in the Gospel. Understanding God's absolute purity and justice should cultivate a deep sense of awe and respect in our worship and daily lives, prompting us to approach Him not on the basis of our own merit, but on His grace. Furthermore, like Job, we are often confronted with circumstances that challenge our understanding of God's ways. This verse encourages us to trust God's character even when His actions or permissions are mysterious, acknowledging that our limited human perspective cannot fully grasp the depths of His wisdom or His overarching plans.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does Eliphaz's question challenge your understanding of personal righteousness?**
* **In what ways might we, like Eliphaz, mistakenly apply theological truths to specific situations or individuals?**
* **How does acknowledging God's absolute justice and purity shape your approach to prayer and worship?**
* **What does this verse teach us about trusting God's character even when His actions or permissions are incomprehensible?**

### FAQ
**Is Eliphaz's statement true, even if his application to Job was wrong?**

Answer: Yes, the theological truth expressed in [Job 4:17](/job/4-17 "Job 4:17 - God's Justice and Man's Purity") regarding God's absolute righteousness and purity compared to human sinfulness is a foundational truth consistently affirmed throughout Scripture. Eliphaz's error was not in the theological premise itself, but in his flawed application of it to Job's specific suffering. He operated under a rigid retribution theology that assumed all suffering was a direct consequence of personal sin, leading him to wrongly accuse Job. The Book of Job ultimately reveals that God's ways are more complex than human wisdom can fully grasp, and suffering is not always a direct result of personal transgression.

**How does this verse relate to the concept of human dignity if it emphasizes human frailty?**

Answer: While [Job 4:17](/job/4-17 "Job 4:17 - Man's Purity Compared to God") highlights human frailty, mortality, and inherent impurity in comparison to God's perfection, it does not negate human dignity. Rather, it grounds true human dignity not in self-achieved righteousness or inherent moral perfection, but in being created in God's image ([Genesis 1:27](/genesis/1-27 "Genesis 1:27 - Man Created in God's Image")) and in the potential for redemption and righteousness that is gifted by God. The verse sets the stage for understanding the profound need for divine intervention for humanity to be truly "just" or "pure" in God's sight, thereby exalting God's grace rather than diminishing human worth. It teaches that our value is not in our ability to be "more just than God," but in God's willingness to make us just through His own provision.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job 4:17, though spoken by Eliphaz with flawed application, powerfully sets the stage for the New Testament's revelation of Christ. The rhetorical question, "Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?" highlights humanity's undeniable inability to meet God's perfect standard of righteousness and purity. This profound theological truth finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. He is the only "man" who could stand before God not only as "just" and "pure" but as perfectly so, being God incarnate. Because "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" ([Romans 3:23](/romans/3-23 "Romans 3:23 - All Have Sinned")), humanity desperately needed a righteousness outside of itself. Christ, "who knew no sin," became "sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" ([2 Corinthians 5:21](/2_corinthians/5-21 "2 Corinthians 5:21 - Christ Became Sin for Us")). Through His atoning sacrifice, Jesus provides the perfect justice and purity that Job 4:17 asserts humanity lacks. Our justification is not achieved by our own efforts to be "more just than God," but by faith in the One who was perfectly just and pure on our behalf, granting us a "righteousness that comes from God and is by faith" ([Philippians 3:9](/philippians/3-9 "Philippians 3:9 - Righteousness from God by Faith")). He is our great High Priest, "holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens" ([Hebrews 7:26](/hebrews/7-26 "Hebrews 7:26 - Christ Our High Priest")), perfectly fulfilling the purity and justice that no mortal man could ever attain.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Job 9:2

I know [it is] so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?

Job 25:4

How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean [that is] born of a woman?

Ecclesiastes 7:20

For [there is] not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

Romans 11:33

¶ O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable [are] his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

Psalms 143:2

And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.

Romans 3:4

God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

Romans 3:7

For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?