Jó 31

Jó 31:1

Barnes - Upon a virgin—על־בתולה; comp. Pr. 6:25, “Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids;” see, also, the fearful and solemn declaration of the Saviour in Mt. 5:28. There is much emphasis in the expression used here by Job. He does not merely say that he had not thought in that manner, but that the thing was morally impossible that he should have done it. Any charge of that kind, or any suspicion of it, he would repel with indignation. His purpose to lead a pure life, and to keep a pure heart, had been so settled, that it was impossible that he could have offended in that respect. His purpose, also, not to think on this subject, showed the extent of the restriction imposed on himself. It was not merely his intention to lead a chaste life, and to avoid open sin, but it was to maintain a pure heart, and not to suffer the mind to become corrupted by dwelling on impure images, or indulging in unholy desires. This strongly shows Job’s piety and purity of heart, and is a beautiful illustration of patriarchal religion. We may remark here, that if a Man wishes to maintain purity of life, he must make just such a covenant as this with himself—one so sacred, so solemn, So firm, that he will not suffer his mind for a moment to harbor an improper thought. “The very passage of an impure thought through the mind leaves pollution behind it;” and the out breaking crimes of life are just the result of allowing the imagination to dwell on impure images. As the eye is the great source of danger (comp. Mt. 5:28; 2 Peter 2:14), there should be a solemn purpose that that should be pure, and that any sacrifice should be made rather than allow indulgence to a wanton gaze: comp. Mark 9:47. No Man was ever too much guarded on this subject; no one ever yet made too solemn a covenant with his eyes, and with his whole soul to be chaste. George Barton - (Lusting with one's eyes is) a very prevalent sin—especially prevalent with the owner of large numbers of slaves. Robert Alden - As in all the Old Testament’s references to making “a covenant,” the expression is “cut a covenant,” alluding either to inscribing such solemn words on stone or to the cutting of a sacrificial animal to accompany the ceremony (Gen 15:10, 18). The second stich is grammatically a question, “How could I look at a girl [bĕtûlâ, “virgin”]?” The effect, however, is that of a negative sentence. Why is this one sin at the head of this chapter? Some would move it closer to Job 31:9, which addresses adultery. Some say it is such a cardinal sin and avoidance of it bespeaks such a high level of purity that it comes first and ties in with God, who “sees my ways” (Job 31:4). Others suggest that “virgin” refers to Venus or Anat, the virgin consort of Baal, and by this means Job swore that he would not so much as look at an idol (cf. Job 31:26–28). Still others emend the text to read “folly.” The NIV has added “lustfully” to the translation of the verb “look,” which I wished to translate in Job 30:20 as “scrutinize/ examine.” The subject matter brings to mind Jesus’ warning in Mt 5:28, “Anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Ben Sira had similar advice, “Entertain no thoughts against a virgin, lest you be enmeshed in damages for her” (Sir 9:5, NAB). If such temptations existed in biblical times, how much more should Christians today heed these warnings and emulate Job (The New American Commentary - Job) Robert Hawker - Job 31 deserves our attention the more, because, though Job takes no pride in what he here saith, in the justification of himself, yet in those secret sins, which are known only to the Lord, on numberless occasions of evil, the Patriarch pleads not guilty; and which therefore serves to confirm the divine testimony which the Lord gave concerning his servant, in the opening of the book itself, that there was none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feared God, and eschewed evil. Job 2:3. There is a great beauty in Job’s expression in this verse, of having made a covenant with his eyes, to preserve, under grace, the chastity of the mind and body. By the eye, the lust of the flesh is frequently excited: and our adored Redeemer hath set it down as uncleanness and adultery already committed, if a man so looks on a woman as to lust after her. Matt. 5:28. There may be many causes, in the difficulty of attainment, or the shame and punishment which might attend the gratification of unlawful passions, which restrain the actual commission of the sin; but nothing but the grace of God can preserve the chastity of the mind from so much as wishing it, or thinking upon it. Joseph’s views of this subject was similar to Job’s, that wickedness is against God. Gen. 39:9. Reader, though I have made this long note upon this verse, yet it is so very important, that I venture to make it a little longer, and to observe, that since from the corruption of our poor fallen nature, evil thoughts, and the whole train of the imaginations of the heart arise, how infinitely precious ought it to be to us, to eye the grace of Jesus as our preservative against this, and every evil; and, conscious of the uncleanness within, to keep the heart with all diligence, and to beg of God to keep it for us, since out of it are the issues of life. Pr. 4:23. (Poor Man’s Old Testament Commentary, Vol. 4: Job–Psalms) Adrian Rogers - The Principle of Determination - Now that's the first step. It's the principle of purification. Get totally clean. That's verse 9. Now, let's look at verse 10. And here's the next principle. Not only the principle of purification, but principle number two, the principle of determination. Determine to stay clean. Look in verse ten. "With my whole heart have I sought Thee." With my whole heart—"… my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not stray from Thy commandments." Some are going down tonight. Some will never have victory. And the reason you will not have victory is you are half-hearted rather then whole-hearted. No one, no one, no one has ever won a moral victory half-heartedly. Let me give you some Scriptures to add to this. Deuteronomy 4:29, God says, "But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find Him, if thou seek Him with all thy heart and with all thy soul." Have you ever sought God with all of your heart? James 4:8, "Draw nigh to God and God will draw nigh unto you. Cleanse your hands ye sinners and purify your heart ye double-minded." "A double-minded man is unstable in all of his ways," James 1:8. Daniel 1:8, "But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself." Have you purposed in your heart that you would not defile yourself? Job said in Job 31:1, "I made a covenant with my eyes that I would not look upon a maid." And the Hebrew idea is that I will not lust after a woman. I made a covenant with my eyes. Question: have you done that? Have you said, O my God, with all of my heart I determine to be pure. I'm telling you, if you don't say that and mean it in today's society you are going down without that determination. God does business with those that mean business. Now after you do this, it doesn't mean the battle is over. But it will never be enjoined until you go in with all of your heart. You get perfectly clean. And then you say by God's grace I will stay clean. Years ago I read how people would hunt for a little animal that they made fur coats out of, an ermine. This particular ermine had a coat of snow white. These kinds of animals. What they would do, they would find the hole where the ermine would run in to hide. And they would take and smear filth around the hole. Something vile, something dirty, something defiling. And then the dogs would hunt the ermine and the ermine would run as fast as he could to the hole to get away. But when it would see that filth and, realize it would have to defile its coat of snow white to go into that hole, the ermine, rather than defile itself would turn around and face the dogs. And would give its life, give its life rather than defile itself. Does purity mean that much to you? If not, you're going to go down. You are half-hearted. And if you're half-hearted, you're not going to make it. The principle of purification, you get totally clean. The principle of determination, you determine to stay clean. I tell you again, God does business with those that mean business. I went to the marriage altar a virgin. I married a virgin. I'm glad I did. I knew the temptations that every young man knows. In college, I kept a motto on my desk and it said this, "He who would not fall down ought not to walk in slippery places." Determination. Determination. Purification. Determination. (Sermon on Ps 119:9-16 = "Guard Your Heart") Apologetics Study Bible - Some critics attempt to link the “young woman” that Job mentioned with either the Ugaritic virgin Anat or the Mesopotamian Ishtar, thus suggesting the worship of fertility goddesses. But this is unfounded. The standard warnings against the lust of the eyes are sufficient to explain the verse without resorting to deeper meanings gleaned from supposed pagan precedents. David Jeremiah - Following the advice of Job 31:1 (make a covenant with your eyes), Proverbs 4:23 (keep your heart pure with all diligence), and Proverbs 6:25 (do not lust after the beauty of another) is a good way to guard your heart. And being forewarned is to be forearmed. The sign of the house of adultery that says, “Nothing to pay” is only true for getting in the door. But to get out, you will have to leave all you have and all you are. Resolve today to guard your heart with all diligence. (Powerful principles from proverbs: Study guide) Terry Muck - G. K. Chesterton once likened this world to the desert island site of a shipwreck. A sailor awakes from a deep sleep and discovers treasure strewn about, relics from a civilization he can barely remember. One by one he picks up the relics—gold coins, a compass, fine clothing—and tries to discern their meaning. According to Chesterton, fallen humanity is in such a state. Good things on earth still bear traces of their original purpose, but each is also subject to misinterpretation or abuse because of fallen, “amnesiac” human nature. Evil is a kind of subverted echo of goodness and spirituality. Power, a wonderful human gift, can be used for great good or can through violence be used to dominate others. Wealth may lead to charity or to exploitation; delicious food may inspire gratitude or gluttony. Sexual desire, one of the most powerful “relics” we find on this earth, invites obsession. When we experience sexual desires, it seems only right to follow where they lead. As the modern song puts it, “It can’t be wrong when it feels so right.” (Sins of the body: ministry in a sexual society) Wycliffe Bible Commentary: Old Testament - Protestation of innocence has been Job’s main burden all along. Here, elaborately formulated, it becomes the climax of his peroration. In form, this is a retroactive oath of covenant allegiance (cf. v. 1a). In such oaths the speaker called down curses upon his own head for proved violations of the moral code (cf., e.g., the Hittite Soldiers’ Oath, ANET, 353, 354). Even the imagery of the extant samples of such ancient oaths corresponds with Job’s (e.g., loss of crops, grinding, breaking of limbs, thistles. See Job 31:8, 10, 22, 40). The picture, therefore, is that of the covenant vassal protesting his faithfulness to the various stipulations laid upon him, dumbfounded that his sovereign has visited him with the curses rather than the blessings of the covenant (cf. Deut 28:18, 31, 35). God seems to Job to have forsaken the suzerain’s role as protector, and strangely turned enemy against an obedient vassal. Job 31:1-8. Job begins by disclaiming private sins of the heart—lust (Job 31:1), vain deceit (Job 31:5), covetousness (Job 31:7). Job wisely recognized that the eye is the main avenue for temptation (see Job 31:7, 9, 26, 27). He who would not fall down ought not to walk in slippery places. Job deliberately refused to allow any thoughts of lust to enter his mind when he chanced to see an attractive young woman. Dearly beloved, be careful here. Don't try to do this in your own strength or power! That is tantamount to placing a heavy burden on your back! Another word is legalism. "If I just try harder." "If I do this or do that or don't do this or don't do that!" Notice the little pronoun "I"! Yes, we ultimately have to make the choice to turn our eyes, but we can only do so in the liberty and freedom provided by the enabling power of the Holy Spirit Who indwells every believer (Ro 8:13-note). The Spirit is in us, continually giving us the "desire" (the will) and the power to walk in a manner pleasing to our Father. See Php 2:12-note = our responsibility and Php 2:13-note = the Spirit's provision - in Php 2:12 we "work out what God has worked in." It is not just "Let go and let God." That is misleading and will end in failure. Adrian Rogers writes making his covenant is "One big decision - wholehearted - will make an incredible difference. Do you have such a wholehearted desire for purity? God does business with those that mean business." Job comes from the dawn of civilization, and yet Job in the world of his day knows that in order to keep clean (holy) before God he has to be careful about what he sees (cp 2Cor 7:1). He makes a covenant with his eyes. In order to properly handle his sexual drives. He has to watch his thought life, and he goes on to tell us he realizes that if he does not, "Calamity will befall the unrighteous, and disaster the workers of iniquity." (Job 31:3) Kent