But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.
The verse falls within the debate between Job and his three friends about his afflictions. It is part of Job's reply to their constant accusations, both spoken and implied, and belongs together with those accusations and responses to be read together. It belongs to the great problems of overruling providence, sin and suffering. God is disciplining Job, bringing him through the fire of affliction, while his three friends charge him with sin and declare his sufferings are because of sin.
The verse is Job's rebuke of his friends as forgers of lies and worthless physicians. It means they speak falsehood and offer worthless counsel that gives no true healing, comfort, or help, like useless treatment from worthless physicians. The friends generally stated truths but misapplied them to Job's suffering, wrongly treating his affliction as proof of God's displeasure. The sharp rebuke answers his exasperating friends and shows that, though Job bore his suffering well, he was not always patient in his replies. The verse is an example of God condemning lying. It shows Job misjudged by his fellows, and humanity is still prone to misjudge others in the same way today. The image of worthless physicians applies to teachers who tell people to soften their own hard hearts through prayer, fasting, penance, or anguish before coming to Christ. Such counsel is useless and interferes with Christ's work, because only Christ can soften the heart.
The verse falls within the debate between Job and his three friends about his afflictions. It is part of Job's reply to their constant accusations, both spoken and implied, and belongs together with those accusations and responses to be read together. It belongs to the great problems of overruling providence, sin and suffering. God is disciplining Job, bringing him through the fire of affliction, while his three friends charge him with sin and declare his sufferings are because of sin.
The verse is Job's rebuke of his friends as forgers of lies and worthless physicians. It means they speak falsehood and offer worthless counsel that gives no true healing, comfort, or help, like useless treatment from worthless physicians. The friends generally stated truths but misapplied them to Job's suffering, wrongly treating his affliction as proof of God's displeasure. The sharp rebuke answers his exasperating friends and shows that, though Job bore his suffering well, he was not always patient in his replies. The verse is an example of God condemning lying. It shows Job misjudged by his fellows, and humanity is still prone to misjudge others in the same way today. The image of worthless physicians applies to teachers who tell people to soften their own hard hearts through prayer, fasting, penance, or anguish before coming to Christ. Such counsel is useless and interferes with Christ's work, because only Christ can soften the heart.