Job 36:22
Behold, God is exalted in His power. Who is a teacher like Him?
Behold, God is exalted in His power. Who is a teacher like Him?
Behold
This word serves as a call to attention, urging the listener or reader to pause and consider the significance of what follows. In the Hebrew text, the word is "הֵן" (hen), which is often used to draw focus to a profound truth or revelation. It is an invitation to witness the majesty and authority of God, setting the stage for the subsequent declaration of His attributes.

God
The Hebrew word here is "אֵל" (El), a term that emphasizes the might and strength of the divine. It is a reminder of the supreme being who is the creator and sustainer of all things. In the context of the Book of Job, this reference to God underscores His sovereignty and the ultimate authority He holds over the universe, a central theme in the dialogues between Job and his friends.

is exalted
The phrase in Hebrew is "יַשְׂגִּיב" (yasgib), which conveys the idea of being lifted high or elevated. This exaltation is not just a matter of position but also of character and essence. God’s exaltation is inherent, not dependent on human acknowledgment. It speaks to His transcendence and the reverence due to Him, highlighting His unparalleled greatness.

in His power
The Hebrew word for power is "בְּכֹחוֹ" (bekhocho), indicating strength, might, and authority. This power is not merely physical but encompasses all aspects of God’s nature, including His wisdom, justice, and love. In the narrative of Job, this power is a source of comfort and awe, reminding Job and the readers that God’s capabilities are beyond human comprehension and control.

Who is a teacher
The Hebrew term "מוֹרֶה" (moreh) refers to one who instructs or imparts wisdom. This rhetorical question emphasizes the unparalleled wisdom of God as the ultimate teacher. In the context of Job, it challenges human presumption and the limitations of human understanding, pointing to God as the source of all true knowledge and insight.

like Him?
This phrase underscores the uniqueness and incomparability of God. It is a reminder that no human teacher or source of wisdom can match the depth and breadth of God’s understanding. In the broader biblical narrative, this serves as a call to humility and trust in God’s guidance, recognizing that His ways and thoughts are higher than ours.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Job
A man described as blameless and upright, who feared God and shunned evil. The central figure in the Book of Job, he undergoes severe trials and suffering.

2. Elihu
A younger friend of Job who speaks in chapters 32-37. He offers a perspective on Job's suffering, emphasizing God's greatness and justice.

3. God
The Almighty Creator, whose power and wisdom are beyond human understanding. In this verse, His exalted nature and role as the ultimate teacher are highlighted.

4. Uz
The land where Job lived, often associated with the region east of Israel. It serves as the setting for the events of the Book of Job.

5. The Heavenly Court
The setting at the beginning of the Book of Job where God and Satan discuss Job's faithfulness, leading to Job's trials.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty and Power
Recognize that God's power is unmatched and His sovereignty is absolute. In our lives, we should submit to His will, trusting in His perfect plan.

God as the Ultimate Teacher
Understand that God is the source of all wisdom and knowledge. Seek His guidance through prayer and scripture, especially in times of confusion or doubt.

Humility in Learning
Approach God with humility, acknowledging that our understanding is limited. Be open to His teaching, even when it challenges our preconceived notions.

Trust in God's Wisdom
Trust that God's wisdom surpasses human understanding. In difficult times, rely on His insight rather than solely on human reasoning.

Reflecting God's Attributes
Strive to reflect God's attributes of wisdom and understanding in our interactions with others, serving as a testament to His influence in our lives.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does recognizing God's exalted power influence your perspective on personal challenges and suffering?

2. In what ways can you seek God's wisdom and teaching in your daily life, and how can this impact your decision-making?

3. How does the acknowledgment of God as the ultimate teacher affect your approach to learning from scripture and prayer?

4. Can you identify a situation where trusting in God's wisdom rather than your own understanding led to a positive outcome? How did this experience strengthen your faith?

5. How can you reflect God's attributes of wisdom and understanding in your relationships and community, and what impact might this have on those around you?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Isaiah 40:13-14
This passage speaks of God's unparalleled wisdom and understanding, reinforcing the idea that no one can teach or counsel God.

Psalm 147:5
Highlights God's infinite understanding and mighty power, echoing the themes of God's exalted nature in Job 36:22.

Romans 11:33-36
Paul marvels at the depth of God's wisdom and knowledge, similar to Elihu's acknowledgment of God's unmatched teaching ability.
Exaltation and InstructionW.F. Adene Job 36:22
God's Teaching, Our ExampleT. Hughes.Job 36:22
The Being and Agency of GodHomilistJob 36:22
People
Elihu, Job
Places
Uz
Topics
Behold, Exalted, Exalteth, Lifted, Loftily, Power, Ruler, Sit, Strength, Teacher, Teacheth, Truly
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Job 36:22-37:18

     1440   revelation, creation

Job 36:22-23

     1145   God, transcendent

Library
Whether by his Passion Christ Merited to be Exalted?
Objection 1: It seems that Christ did not merit to be exalted on account of His Passion. For eminence of rank belongs to God alone, just as knowledge of truth, according to Ps. 112:4: "The Lord is high above all nations, and His glory above the heavens." But Christ as man had the knowledge of all truth, not on account of any preceding merit, but from the very union of God and man, according to Jn. 1:14: "We saw His glory . . . as it were of the only-Begotten of the Father, full of grace and of truth."
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether Christ Acquired his Judiciary Power by his Merits?
Objection 1: It would seem that Christ did not acquire His judiciary power by His merits. For judiciary power flows from the royal dignity: according to Prov. 20:8: "The king that sitteth on the throne of judgment, scattereth away all evil with his look." But it was without merits that Christ acquired royal power, for it is His due as God's Only-begotten Son: thus it is written (Lk. 1:32): "The Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of David His father, and He shall reign in the house of Jacob for
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether Christ Will Judge under the Form of his Humanity?
Objection 1: It would seem that Christ will not judge under the form of His humanity. For judgment requires authority in the judge. Now Christ has authority over the quick and the dead as God, for thus is He the Lord and Creator of all. Therefore He will judge under the form of His Godhead. Objection 2: Further, invincible power is requisite in a judge; wherefore it is written (Eccles. 7:6): "Seek not to be made a judge, unless thou have strength enough to extirpate iniquities." Now invincible power
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether the Old Law was from God?
Objection 1: It would seem that the Old Law was not from God. For it is written (Dt. 32:4): "The works of God are perfect." But the Law was imperfect, as stated above [2060](A[1]). Therefore the Old Law was not from God. Objection 2: Further, it is written (Eccles. 3:14): "I have learned that all the works which God hath made continue for ever." But the Old Law does not continue for ever: since the Apostle says (Heb. 7:18): "There is indeed a setting aside of the former commandment, because of the
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether Man Can Know that He Has Grace?
Objection 1: It would seem that man can know that he has grace. For grace by its physical reality is in the soul. Now the soul has most certain knowledge of those things that are in it by their physical reality, as appears from Augustine (Gen. ad lit. xii, 31). Hence grace may be known most certainly by one who has grace. Objection 2: Further, as knowledge is a gift of God, so is grace. But whoever receives knowledge from God, knows that he has knowledge, according to Wis. 7:17: The Lord "hath given
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether the Judicial Power Corresponds to Voluntary Poverty?
Objection 1: It would seem that the judicial power does not correspond to voluntary poverty. For it was promised to none but the twelve apostles (Mat. 19:28): "You shall sit on twelve seats, judging," etc. Since then those who are voluntarily poor are not all apostles, it would seem that the judicial power is not competent to all. Objection 2: Further, to offer sacrifice to God of one's own body is more than to do so of outward things. Now martyrs and also virgins offer sacrifice to God of their
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether Hypocrisy is the Same as Dissimulation?
Objection 1: It seems that hypocrisy is not the same as dissimulation. For dissimulation consists in lying by deeds. But there may be hypocrisy in showing outwardly what one does inwardly, according to Mat. 6:2, "When thou dost an alms-deed sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do." Therefore hypocrisy is not the same as dissimulation. Objection 2: Further, Gregory says (Moral. xxxi, 7): "Some there are who wear the habit of holiness, yet are unable to attain the merit of perfection.
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

The Great Teacher
Teaching was the great business of the life of Christ during the days of his public ministry. He was sent to teach and to preach. The speaker in the book of Job was thinking of this Great Teacher when he asked--"Who teacheth like him?" Job xxxvi: 22. And it was he who was in the Psalmist's mind when he spoke of the "good, and upright Lord" who would teach sinners, if they were meek, how to walk in his ways. Ps. xxv: 8-9. And he is the Redeemer, of whom the prophet Isaiah was telling when he said--He
Richard Newton—The Life of Jesus Christ for the Young

"That which was from the Beginning,"
1 John i. 1.--"That which was from the beginning," &c. Things are commended sometimes, because they are ancient, especially doctrines in religion, because truth is before error, and falsehood is but an aberration from truth and therefore there is so much plea and contention among men, about antiquity, as if it were the sufficient rule of verity. But the abuse is, that men go not far enough backward in the steps of antiquity, that is, to the most ancient rule, and profession, and practice of truth
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Whether Hypocrisy is Always a Mortal Sin?
Objection 1: It seems that hypocrisy is always a mortal sin. For Jerome says on Is. 16:14: "Of the two evils it is less to sin openly than to simulate holiness": and a gloss on Job 1:21 [*St. Augustine on Ps. 63:7], "As it hath pleased the Lord," etc., says that "pretended justice is no justice, but a twofold sin": and again a gloss on Lam. 4:6, "The iniquity . . . of my people is made greater than the sin of Sodom," says: "He deplores the sins of the soul that falls into hypocrisy, which is a greater
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether those to whom Christ's Birth was Made Known were Suitably Chosen?
Objection 1: It would seem that those to whom Christ's birth was made known were not suitably chosen. For our Lord (Mat. 10:5) commanded His disciples, "Go ye not into the way of the Gentiles," so that He might be made known to the Jews before the Gentiles. Therefore it seems that much less should Christ's birth have been at once revealed to the Gentiles who "came from the east," as stated Mat. 2:1. Objection 2: Further, the revelation of Divine truth should be made especially to the friends of God,
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Divine Grace.
GRACE, LOYE, AND MERCY. I FIND that the goodness of God to his people is diversely expressed in his word, sometimes by the word grace, sometimes by the word love, and sometimes by the word mercy. When it is expressed by that word grace, then it is to show that what he doeth is of his princely will, his royal bounty, and sovereign pleasure. When it is expressed by that word love, then it is to show us that his affection was and is in what he doeth, and that he doeth what he doeth for us with complacency
John Bunyan—The Riches of Bunyan

Messiah's Easy Yoke
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. T hough the influence of education and example, may dispose us to acknowledge the Gospel to be a revelation from God; it can only be rightly understood, or duly prized, by those persons who feel themselves in the circumstances of distress, which it is designed to relieve. No Israelite would think of fleeing to a city of refuge (Joshua 20:2.
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1

Epistle v. To Theoctista, Sister of the Emperor.
To Theoctista, Sister of the Emperor. Gregory to Theoctista, &c. With how great devotion my mind prostrates itself before your Venerableness I cannot fully express in words; nor yet do I labour to give utterance to it, since, even though I were silent, you read in your heart your own sense of my devotion. I wonder, however, that you withdrew your countenance, till of late bestowed on me, from this my recent engagement in the pastoral office; wherein, under colour of episcopacy, I have been brought
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

The Greatness of the Soul,
AND UNSPEAKABLENESS 0F THE LOSS THEREOF; WITH THE CAUSES OF THE LOSING IT. FIRST PREACHED AT PINNER'S HALL and now ENLARGED AND PUBLISHED FOR GOOD. By JOHN BUNYAN, London: Printed for Benjamin Alsop, at the Angel and Bible in the Poultry, 1682 Faithfully reprinted from the Author's First Edition. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. Our curiosity is naturally excited to discover what a poor, unlettered mechanic, whose book-learning had been limited to the contents of one volume, could by possibility know
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Job
The book of Job is one of the great masterpieces of the world's literature, if not indeed the greatest. The author was a man of superb literary genius, and of rich, daring, and original mind. The problem with which he deals is one of inexhaustible interest, and his treatment of it is everywhere characterized by a psychological insight, an intellectual courage, and a fertility and brilliance of resource which are nothing less than astonishing. Opinion has been divided as to how the book should be
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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