Verse 12. If he suddenly ask, who shall answer him? 21. Man is not sufficient to answer God when he judges or strikes. God asks suddenly when he calls us unexpecting to the strictness of his examination. But man is not sufficient to answer his questioning, because if it be then sifted with piety set aside, in that examination even the life of the just fails. Or surely he asks when he beats us with hard blows, so that when our mind esteems great things of itself in tranquility, it may truly discover in perturbation what manner it is. And very often, because it is struck, it groans, but is not sufficient to answer, because the very adversity of its striking displeases it;
but nevertheless man, considering himself, is silent, and fears to discuss the divine judgments, because he acknowledges himself to be dust. Whence also it is said through Paul: O man, who art thou that answerest God (Romans 9:20)? He who is named 'man' is convicted of being unable to answer God, because through the fact that he is taken from the ground (humus), he is not worthy to discuss the judgments above. Whence here also it is fittingly subjoined: