At first glance, Jesus' words about the peace that should be offered to everyone seem somewhat strange. Of course, one must greet those inside when entering a house in any case, regardless of who lives in it. But after all, the meaning of the traditional Jewish greeting is inseparable from...
At first glance, Jesus' words about the peace that should be offered to everyone seem somewhat strange. Of course, one must greet those inside when entering a house in any case, regardless of who lives in it. But after all, the meaning of the traditional Jewish greeting is inseparable from wishing the house one enters that peace of God which by definition cannot be given to the wicked.
Does this mean that Jesus makes no distinction between sin and righteousness? Hardly. Apparently, He does put some different, new meaning into the traditional Jewish greeting. And it becomes clear in the context of the main essence of the preaching of the disciples sent by Him, which comes down to bearing witness to the Kingdom that has drawn near.
Then everything falls into place. Indeed, if we are talking about the Kingdom, then it is no longer up to a human being to decide who is worthy of it and who is not. Each of us is a sinner, and a sinner in our own way, and it is not for us to judge the measure of someone else's sin. If we can witness to the Kingdom, it is not because of, but in spite of our own sinfulness.
But then all that is left for us to do is to testify to what has been revealed to us and given to us by no means according to our merits. And the peace of the Kingdom is the only thing we can give to the house we enter. The rest is none of our business: who is worthy will be decided by the One Who brought the Kingdom into the world. And in any case, we will not lose anything: if someone in the house we visit accepts the Kingdom, there will be more of it in the world, and if no one accepts it, then at least there will not be less of it.
19 Job complains of the wicked usage of his friends, Job 19:1-7.
Of the shyness and strangeness of his relations and intimates, Job 19:8-19.
Pleads for pity, Job 19:20-22.
Testifies his firm belief of the resurrection, Job 19:23-27.
Cautions his friends against persisting in their hard censures, Job 19:28-29.
19:21 Touched me - My spirit is touched with a sense of his wrath, a calamity of all others the most grievous.
19:22 As God - As if you had the same infinite knowledge which God hath, whereby you can search my heart and know my hypocrisy, and the same sovereign authority to say and do what you please with me.Not satisfied - Are like wolves or lions that are not contented with devouring the flesh of their prey, but also break their bones.
19:23 My words - The words which I am now about to speak. And that which Job wished for, God granted him. His words are written in God's book; so that wherever that book is read, there shall this glorious confession be declared, for a memorial of him.
19:24 Lead - Anciently they used to grave the letters in a stone with an iron tool, and then to fill up the cuts with lead, that the words might be more plainly seen.
19:25 For - This is the reason of his confidence in the goodness of his cause, and his willingness to have the matter depending between him and his friends, published and submitted to any trial, because he had a living and powerful Redeemer to plead his cause, and to give sentence for him.My Redeemer - In whom I have a particular interest. The word Goel, here used; properly agrees to Jesus Christ: for this word is primarily used of the next kinsman, whose office it was to redeem by a price paid, the sold or mortgaged estate of his deceased kinsman; to revenge his death, and to maintain his name and honour, by raising up seed to him.All which more fitly agrees to Christ, who is our nearest kinsman and brother, as having taken our nature upon him; who hath redeemed that everlasting inheritance which our first parents had utterly lost, by the price of his own blood; and hath revenged the death of mankind upon the great contriver of it, the devil, by destroying him and his kingdom; and hath taken a course to preserve our name, and honour, and persons, to eternity. And it is well observed, that after these expressions, we meet not with such impatient or despairing passages, as we had before; which shews that they had inspired him with new life and comfort.Latter day - At the day of the general resurrection and judgment, which, as those holy patriarchs well knew and firmly believed, was to be at the end of the world. The earth - The place upon which Christ shall appear and stand at the last day. Heb. upon the dust; in which his saints and members lie or sleep, whom he will raise out of it. And therefore he is fitly said to stand upon the dust, or the grave, or death; because then he will put that among other enemies under his feet.
19:26 Though - Though my skin is now in a great measure consumed, and the rest of it, together with this body, shall be devoured by the worms, which may seem to make my case desperate. Flesh - Or with bodily eyes; my flesh or body being raised from the grave, and re - united to my soul.God - The same whom he called his Redeemer, ver. Job 19:25, who having taken flesh, and appearing in his flesh or body with and for Job upon the earth, might well be seen with his bodily eyes. Nor is this understood of a simple seeing of him; but of that glorious and beatifying vision of God, which is promised to all God's people.
19:27 See - No wonder he repeats it again, because the meditation of it was most sweet to him. For - For my own benefit and comfort.Another - For me or in my stead. I shall not see God by another's eyes, but by my own, and by these self - same eyes, in this same body which now I have. Though - This I do confidently expect, tho' the grave and the worms will consume my whole body.