Ver. 2.—'I have not sinned, and my eye abideth in bitternesses.' 34. Job was smitten not for correcting guilt, but for augmenting grace.—As if he openly said: I did not commit guilt, and yet I received scourges. But in this matter it moves the mind, because in many places of this history he confesses that he has sinned: on what ground does he now deny that he has sinned? But to this a reason quickly comes forth: he neither sinned so much as to deserve scourges, nor yet could he be without sin. For that he was smitten not for correcting guilt but for augmenting grace, the Judge himself testifies, who both praises and strikes. And again, that he was not without sin, he himself does not deny who is praised by the Judge—and he is praised for this very reason, because he does not deny it.
But I believe that we discuss these words better if we understand them as spoken from the voice of the Head. (Vet. XVI.) For our Redeemer, coming for our redemption, both did not sin and yet endured bitterness, because he took upon himself the penalty of our guilt without guilt of his own; of whose voice it is subjoined: