Job 32:22

For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my maker would soon take me away. For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my maker would soon take me away.

Take me away - as a punishment (Psalms 102:24).

Remarks:

(1) A third party listening calmly to two disputants often sees much that is faulty on both sides which escapes the notice of the persons themselves in the heat of debate, at the same time that each side has something to be said in its favour. Job was certainly not the guilty man whom the three friends supposed him to be; and so far they were censurable, since they had condemned Job without proving his guilt (Job 32:2). On the other hand, Job was clearly in the wrong, in so far as he was eager to vindicate his own character, even at the expense of attributing harshness and injustice to God.

(2) It gives great weight to the counsels of a mediating friend that he wait patiently for the seasonable opportunity (Job 32:4), and that he should not obtrude himself before those who, in point of rank and age, have a claim to precedency. Still age does not always "teach wisdom" (Job 32:7; Job 32:9): and a younger man, when he has the Word of God on his side and the Spirit of God in his heart (Job 32:8), may, without presumption-nay, altogether seasonably-suggest the better way to his seniors.

(3) One great object of the book of Job is to teach the self-wise not to glory in their fancied wisdom (Job 32:13), but to confess that there are mysteries in God's government of the world which are beyond the reach of man's finite faculties to explain. Therefore God does not suffer Job's confutation to be effected by mere man's reasonings; but brings him to the true attitude of the afflicted creature before his Creator-namely, self-renouncing and self-abasing submission in the dust, by a divinely commissioned messenger (Job 32:3; Job 33:4; Job 33:23) in part, but mainly by God's own direct interposition.

(4) The more we realize the continual presence of God, and fear His wrath (Job 32:22), and speak under the influence of His Spirit, the more we shall discard "the fear of man," which "bringeth a snare" (Proverbs 29:25); and shall act faithfully under all circumstances, without "accepting any man's person, or giving unto man flattering titles" (Job 32:21).