Job 4:18
Even in his servants he puts no trust, and his angels he charges with error;
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse highlights that God doesn't find absolute perfection even in His angels, seeing their capabilities as flawed or incomplete in comparison to His own infinite being. This isn't necessarily about sin but about the inherent limitations of any created thing, meaning even the highest heavenly beings fall short of God's perfect standard.
Eliphaz is explaining the vision he received, arguing that if even God's perfect heavenly servants are flawed, then humanity's presumption to question divine justice is all the more absurd. He suggests that God knows the inherent imperfections, or even potential for error, in His own angels, implying that Job's suffering is not necessarily a sign of God's injustice but a reflection of a higher, incomprehensible standard. This sets up the following verse, which will contrast the angels' limitations with humanity's even greater frailty.
We often rely on people we deem 'good' or 'reliable.' But what if even God's most exalted servants aren't in the same league of trustworthiness?
Eliphaz, in the book of Job, is trying to make a profound point about God's absolute nature. He states that God "puts no trust in his servants" and "charges his angels with error." This isn't to say God's servants or angels are inherently bad or completely unreliable. Instead, it highlights an infinite gap.
The Infinite Divide
The idea that even angels could be 'charged with error' hints at a cosmic drama we often overlook. What does this reveal about free will and divine sovereignty?
Eliphaz's statement that God "charges his angels with folly" can also point to the reality of the fallen angels. While the text is debated, many scholars and early interpreters understood this to reference the angels who rebelled against God.
Understanding the 'Charge'
Understand the original words
malak · Hebrew Noun
Refers to spiritual beings who serve as God's messengers or ministers. While holy, they are created beings, and even they do not possess the absolute, unchangeable perfection of God.
toholah · Hebrew Noun
Often used to describe moral failing, mistake, or deviation from the correct path. In this context, it suggests that even the highest created beings are not infallible compared to God.
This verse is not tied to a specific human historical event but rather reflects a profound theological understanding of the spiritual realm. Eliphaz uses the perceived 'folly' or imperfection of angels, some of whom fell from grace, to argue that humans, who are far less perfect, have no standing to question God's justice.
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Angels Created and Tested
God created angels, beings of immense power and purity. While many remained faithful, a significant number fell into sin and rebellion, demonstrating that even exalted creatures are not inherently immutable.
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The Fall of Some Angels
A portion of the angelic host, through pride or rebellion, fell from their original state. This event serves as a stark reminder that even perfect beings can stray from God's will.
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Eliphaz's Vision and Interpretation
Eliphaz recounts a supernatural encounter where he received a message about the inherent imperfection of all creation when compared to God's absolute purity.
This passage speaks about working out our salvation with fear and trembling, acknowledging that it is God who works in us, reinforcing the idea that even our good deeds are not entirely our own doing and thus cannot be the basis of ultimate trust.
1 Peter 5:8This verse warns believers to be alert and sober-minded because their enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, highlighting the ever-present danger of spiritual falling and the need for reliance on God, not self.
Job 15:15Eliphaz reiterates the idea that God puts no trust in His holy ones and that even the heavens are not pure in His sight, emphasizing the vast gap between divine perfection and creaturely existence.
Psalm 14:1-3This psalm describes humanity as universally corrupt and foolish, stating that no one does good, showing that the inherent 'folly' or imperfection of creation extends to mankind as well.
2 Peter 2:4This verse directly addresses the judgment of angels who sinned, serving as a stark example of how even celestial beings are not beyond falling, underlining the profound imperfection inherent in created will.
bensonJob 4:18: "Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly:"
Job 4:18. Behold, &c. — For it deserves thy serious consideration. These and the following words seem to be the words of Eliphaz, explaining the former vision, and applying it to Job’s case, and enforcing it by further arguments. He put no trust in his servants — That is, in his angels, as appears both by the next words of this verse, in which, by way of explication and restriction, they are termed his an…
barnesJob 4:18: "Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly:"
Behold, he put no trust in his servants - These are evidently the words of the oracle that appeared to Eliphaz; see Schultens, in loc. The word servants here refers to angels; and the idea is, that God was so pure that he did not confide even in the exalted holiness of angels - meaning that their holiness was infinitely inferior to his. The design is to state that God had the highest possible holiness, su…
The verse highlights that God doesn't find absolute perfection even in His angels, seeing their capabilities as flawed or incomplete in comparison to His own infinite being. This isn't necessarily about sin but about the inherent limitations of any created thing, meaning even the highest heavenly beings fall short of God's perfect standard.
Eliphaz is explaining the vision he received, arguing that if even God's perfect heavenly servants are flawed, then humanity's presumption to question divine justice is all the more absurd. He suggests that God knows the inherent imperfections, or even potential for error, in His own angels, implying that Job's suffering is not necessarily a sign of God's injustice but a reflection of a higher, incomprehensible standard. This sets up the following verse, which will contrast the angels' limitations with humanity's even greater frailty.
Eliphaz is explaining the vision he received, arguing that if even God's perfect heavenly servants are flawed, then humanity's presumption to question divine justice is all the more absurd. He suggests that God knows the inherent imperfections, or even potential for error, in His own angels, implying that Job's suffering is not necessarily a sign of God's injustice but a reflection of a higher, incomprehensible standard. This sets up the following verse, which will contrast the angels' limitations with humanity's even greater frailty.
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"Even in his servants he puts no trust, and his angels he charges with error;" — The verse highlights that God doesn't find absolute perfection even in His angels, seeing their capabilities as flawed or incomplete in comparison to His own infinite being. This isn't necessarily ab…
