We are discussing Eliphaz. We have now moved into the postmodern discussion. Job has challenged the entire problem with a notion of a closed system that what you see is what is. Job challenges that by saying you do not know what is and that the system you are in is so insane and you are biased that you will promote an ideal even if it contradicts evidence. Zophar says God will always get the wicked in his life, but Job points out examples, so everyone becomes postmodern. 

 Eliphaz is responding to Job and says “you sinned, you [fell] in this thing, if you would repent everything would turn out well for you.” and Job says “all you have to do is point out where I’ve sinned.” 

I want to point out to you: the dilemma behind the reasoning of Eliphaz as wisdom and Job will bring this out more and more, but I want to exploit it to you as we go through because I think the author is making an intentional portrayal of folly. A twofold intertwined kind of deal. 1. total adhomenim, we often do this in our lives. This is the way the world argues. That is what Eliphaz is resorting to.  It is a folly of human wisdom. Human wisdom when cornered, when it cannot reason, resorts to adhomenim. 2. Emotional argumentation, I feel therefore it is. Society argues based upon feeling just like Eliphaz. Human reasoning at this point fails to correspond with reality other than your own. That is postmodern and where Eliphaz is coming from. He argues that Job is wrong and that their system is right based on what he thinks. 

Job 22:1-2 

The first line in verse two argues two parallel ideas. We have to infer what is going on in the argument. Job is trying to prove his innocence and Eliphaz is trying to say “who cares?” does it really make a difference to God? Does God care if you’re mighty or not? Job argues about it because it benefits him. God doesn’t need Job to be a certain way for God. Eliphaz is pointing out that it’s not about Job. For God to frame Job he would have to care about and know Job.  

Job 22:3 

Eliphaz is arguing does it give God any aesthetic benefit when you are righteous? A righteous man doesn’t really do that for God though. It's like adding a ribbon to a wall that is already immaculate. You can’t add anything to God in any sense.  Eliphaz is both wrong and right. He is right in the sense that human righteousness does not add or subtract from God, but he is wrong in the way he applies it as if it makes no difference to God in the way he cares or doesn’t.  

Job 22:4-5 

Eliphaz asks Job is he thinks God judges him because he fears him. The irorny is that job did fear God, and gets rebuked for it.  

Job 22:6-7 

Eliphaz starts to point out what Job has done wrong. The things Eliphaz points our are not fully true, but Eliphaz has become postmodern so they become “true” because he says so.  

Job 22:8 

Eliphaz is arguing that Job has an incredibly selfish and arogant attitude. This is not acurate, but once again Eliphaz believes it because he is postmodern. 

Job 22:9 

In Eliphaz’s world Job is so evil, but it is made up. This is adhomenim. Your sin twists reality, which is what Eliphaz is going through. You cannot see outside of your own eye which are inheritently tainted.  

Job 22:10 

He says because of these things snares are around Job. This is a reference to Bildad. Eliphaz is implying that he was right and Job set himself into a trap. 

Job 22:11 

Eliphaz is essentially saying “by your own words, you are condemned.”.  

Job 22:12-13 

He now tries to use Jobs theology against him. Verse 12 by itself, taken out of context, is a beautiful passage about God’s omniscient ability. However, Eliphaz’s point is “Job, how dare you say God doesn’t know”, but Job never says that. Eliphaz is making more stuff up. Verse 13 suggests that God is too far away to judge anything. 

Job 22:14 

In this Eliphaz says that God is too far away to act. Job does not say this he believes God frames him which means God’s in the world and acted. 

Job 22:15 

Goes back to Eliphaz’s Thesis. This goes back to history, asking why Job is in the historical path, but he doesn’t.  

Job 22:16 

Emphasize that people on this path die young, again, this is not true. 

Job 22:17-18 

Job said this in chapter 21, so Eliphaz uses his words against him. He is taking Jobs words out of context. His point to Job is that by what he said Job belives God is far from him and has no connection with him. 

Job 22:19-20 

Job isn’t happy so by Eliphaz saying this then in his eyes Job must be evil. On one hand Eliphaz’s statements on jobs need to repent are really good the only problem is Job doesn’t need to repent. This is both Eliphaz’s folly as well as him making a lot of good observations about repentence. 

Job 22:21 

Be reconciled: same hebrew word as in verse 2. His argument is repent and then you will be useful to God.  

Job 22:22 

This is the fundemental reality that undgirds repentence: take up God’s word not only from his mouth but lay into your heart. This is ironic because Eliphaz got his revelation from an angel, but he says you can only get divine revelation from God.  

Job 22:23 

This says another component of repentence is moral change. Return to God and remove evil.  

Job 22:24 

 Eliphaz is saying that Job needs repentence of wealth. On one hand, Eliphaz is saying to take care of real and deep sins. On the other hand, this is not really Job’s problems, if anything Job’s problem is that he loves his family. They cannot figure out Job and that is the problem with human wisdom, you cannot understand it.  

Job 22:25 

Take what you were idolizing and you make God higher than whatever you were idolizing in return, a complete replacement. Again, it does not totally apply to God. 

Job 22:26-27 

If Job does all of this then Eliphaz says Job will finally delight in God, pray to God,  

Job 22:28 

Then what job says will happen because God will favor him and there will be a complete reversal of relationship. That is true, when you have complete repentence, but Job never lost that. 

Job 22:29 

“Verses 29 and 30 are hard to translate, but I would argue that verses 29 and 30 are what Eliphaz says Job would say.”. Notice, Job would finally be able to instruct the wicked. Job would become the teacher like Eliphaz and Bildad.  

Job 22:30 

The argument is that Job will now become the mediator. The irorny is that Eliphaz is totally wrong and partially right. In the end Job ransomes his friends from God.