Job 11:4Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He himself stated: ‘Verily I know that there is no mortal that is clean before the Lord’ (Job 9:2). Observe how they ascribe to him a meaning contrary to his words.

Previously, Job had expressed, "If I am at fault, why do I suffer without cause?" Did he not claim his innocence? However, these sentiments do not originate from Job but from God Himself. It was God who declared Job to be righteous in his actions and one who shuns wickedness. This implies that you, Sophar, dismiss the very witness of God.

Verse 4. You have declared, My words are just, and I am blameless in Your sight Job 11:4. One who recalls the declarations of the esteemed Job recognizes the falseness of the accusations leveled against him regarding his spoken words. For how could he claim to be innocent when he expresses, If I am justified, my own mouth will condemn me Job 9:20? Yet, within the depravity of the unrighteous, there lies a tendency to ignore the genuine faults within themselves while fabricating faults in others. This allows them to use these falsehoods as a way to mitigate their own wrongdoing, particularly if the life of the accuser is also marred by unfounded allegations.

Sophar, the third companion of Job, dismisses Job's earlier discussions as meaningless chatter that fails to substantiate his innocence (11:1-3). He believes that had God disclosed the hidden reasons behind Job's tribulations, it would have revealed that Job was deserving of even harsher penalties for his transgressions (4-6). While human beings may not grasp all of God's plans, it is clear that the Lord allows adversity to befall souls due to their wrongdoing (7-11). Thus, the most effective way to attain peace and restore a joyful existence is to amend one's actions, for in doing so, the source of anguish will naturally be obliterated and blessings will follow (12-20).