Job 34:18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

They express discontent, highlighting that the honor due to the Sabbath ought to be upheld by the Lawgiver as well, thus labeling Christ as a lawbreaker, while failing to recognize the saying: ‘Wicked is he that saith unto the king, Thou transgressest the law.’

These statements pertain to the Lord, the supreme Sovereign over all rulers and leaders, whose dominion encompasses all individuals, rendering distinctions between the wealthy and the impoverished inconsequential.

Confident that Job cannot dispute the validity of his statements, Elihu undertakes a thorough analysis of Job's assertion that the Lord punishes him unjustly (34: 1-9 = vv. 5-13; 18; 19: 7; 27: 2; 6: 4). He demonstrates that this perspective of God contradicts our understanding of Him as the all-mighty Sustainer of creation (10-12). If the Lord were to show favoritism or act unfairly, there would be chaos in the world, and He would not restrain from wrongdoing those who disregard the truth (13-20). Ultimately, His infinite knowledge, power, and compassion towards the wronged affirm His righteousness (21-30). Therefore, humanity should humbly submit to God's will (31-33). Elihu suggests that careful consideration of Job's mindset is necessary for his correction (34-37).