Oftentimes, folks will mistake wisdom for the accumulation of knowledge. Indeed, some will say, because a person is intelligent and well educated, he must be wise. However, this isn’t necessarily so. While intelligence and a good education are good tools in the hands of the wise, it can be shown that some common folks are wise but didn’t have the means to become well educated. In ancient times, the general rule was that wisdom comes with age (Job 12:12; cp. Proverbs 16:31), because one learns through life’s experiences, or so was the expected end of the course of events. Mistakes might be made, but the wise one learns from his errors and doesn’t repeat them. Elihu says wisdom comes with age. The elder taught the younger, because the elder knew more about life (Job 32:6-7). Elihu, and most likely a group of others, listened quietly to the debate between Job and the friends, but Elihu had become disappointed in the fact that the friends hadn’t silenced Job with their wisdom! He was surprised over how events transpired, and wondered how these men could fail to do what was expected.[1]
According to ancient culture, the wisdom of youth was to practice self-control (Titus 2:6) and be in subjection to their elders (1Peter 5:5; Romans 13:7). In the context of the debate in the Book of Job over God’s righteousness, Elihu was the disciple. Job and the friends were the teachers! Should the disciple correct his teacher? Well, in Job 32:8 Elihu tells the friends that there is a spirit in man, through which the Lord gives inspiration and understanding. In other words, true wisdom comes through the spirit/breath of God[2] (Job 32:8; cp. verse-3; Genesis 2:7; Zechariah 12:1; Hebrews 12:9). Therefore, it must be available to all, whether one is a teacher or a disciple. While, technically, this may be true, Elihu’s statement is also a rebuke against the aged friends, and it comes from what appears to be a somewhat arrogant young man. He wants the dinosaurs (Job 32:9) to step aside, while he teaches them wisdom (Job 32:10; cp. 33:33).
Elihu says that he had listened and to the friends and waited for their argument to unfold, but he was disappointed in the results. Although they took great care in what they said, searching for a convincing theme that would be conclusive enough to rebuke Job and cause him to reconsider his statements, they had failed (Job 32:11-12). What I believe Elihu means is something similar to what we see today in the political and religious arenas. When the authorities are asked a question about a controversial matter, the religious and political authorities either change the subject and expound upon something that might make their replies look wise, or they talk around the question speaking wisely about other matters, perhaps related to the question asked. Nevertheless, they never come to the point desired by the inquirer. In other words, the authorities often cloud the discussion with high-sounding words in an effort to razzle-dazzle their audience! Elihu accused the friends of being hypocrites
So, Elihu didn’t want the friends’ pretense that Job won’t listen to reason, so God must correct him (Job 32:13; cp Proverbs 26:5) to be mistaken for wisdom. In other words, they made railing accusations against Job, accusing him of being wicked, yet they submitted nothing in the way of evidence that might prove their case. Such things are often done today in the public arena. Folks accuse one another of wrongdoing, because the accused disagrees with his accusers. Thus, having a difference of opinion is reason enough for the accuser, not only to believe his opponent is wrong, but he also must be wicked and evil. Yet, nothing in the way of evidence is offered to support their opinions. Folks are evil, simply because they disagree with their accuser![3]
To conclude, Elihu promises not to reply to Job according to the manner, in which the friends’ attempted to make their case. Instead, he would offer reasonable evidence that would prove Job’s wickedness (Job 32:14). In other words, Elihu will attempt to prove his case with many words (cp. Ecclesiastes 5:1-3, 7). He intends to argue his case according to the knowledge he has accumulated about God, vis-à-vis, knowledge and intelligence equals wisdom and understanding!
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[1] It may be true, perhaps most likely so, that Elihu was a disciple of one of the friends. He expected his master/teacher to be able to show Job where he erred, and how it could be corrected.
[2] I don’t mean to imply that the air we breathe has a property that grants reason or intelligence to folks. Rather, the ability to reason and store knowledge is already within the unborn babe, but lies dormant, until the child begins to breathe in oxygen or the air/spirit of God!
[3] This idea of one being evil and wicked simply because one disagrees with someone is in practice in modern America. In the political arena supporters of Donald Trump believe the election was stolen in 2020, yet they cannot present any evidence to support their claims. Democrats are wicked people, and the election deniers even orchestrated a coup on January 6, 2021, attempting to reinstate Donald Trump as President, even though the majority of Americans voted him out of office.
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