Commentary on Job 1 part 11/15

'Why then did you bring me forth from the womb, and I did not die, no eye having beheld me, that I might become as though I had not been?'

The vanity of the things fought over in this life—such as wealth—is shown from this:

'Fear not when a man grows rich, or when the glory of his house is increased; for when he dies he shall take away nothing'—for these things do not follow the one who departs—'for his glory shall not go down with him.' For in this life only do such men place their trust.

But if the saints also desire, as the blessed Paul, having a longing to depart and to be with Christ, to be released from this life, yet they await the judgement that is from God.

And the saints have, fittingly, a longing to be out of the body.

For not only the saints, but also those outside the preaching of the truth, understand concerning the soul of man that it is immortal.

And such a thing is indeed evident from the things that befall it;

for it partakes of the Holy Spirit and receives knowledge of the Trinity;

for it is made like unto God so far as is possible, these being the things that befall it inasmuch as it subsists as simple in its essence — from which its immortality is confirmed.

And it is clear that, being superior to the body, whenever it is unmixed with it, it has a purer and more unalloyed activity.

And let there be a ready example of this, to show that things superior, when mingled with inferior ones, are diminished — as, for instance, honey mixed with wormwood is diminished, and wine with water.

But it was joined together not according to Mani, but following [along] . . .

. . . in other places . . .

. . . as the Creator [joined the soul] to the body, which was fashioned for union with it . . .

the constitution of life . . .

to be tried, but as . . .

beyond both of them is the untimely birth;

for it would not be called good, unless it were beyond . . .

But it is also said concerning Judas:

It were good for him, if he had not been born. For unless for him . . .

Am I set free? Is not the time of my life but short? Considering the time of the immortal life and comparing this present life with it, he says:

Is not the time of my life but short — so that it were better not to have been born? And these things . . .

Let me rest a little before I go whence I shall not return.

He utters these things in the manner of a prayer.

For the sufferings that lay upon him were not small, nor did he bear his pains without feeling them.

For this would not have been manly, if he did not feel them.

And he teaches, through the things for which he gives thanks in prayer, that it was by the power of God that he endured.

'Yet not I, but the grace which is with me.' And he wishes to be given relief before he goes whence he does not return.

Therefore it was not on his own account . . .

. . . but he prayed these things in order to instruct his friends, who reckoned those who endure toils as base, but those who are released from them as virtuous.

He wished to be given full assurance . . .

One must not suppose that Job denies the resurrection of the dead, but thus . . .

whence I do not return . . . according to this perishable life;

for he knows that he will rise incorruptible.

Into a dark and gloomy land, into a land of eternal darkness, where there is no light, nor to see the life of mortals.

And even while in the midst of his pains, that most valiant man was proclaiming concerning the age to come:

In this way, not denying the resurrection, he said, 'before I go whence I do not return.'

And he calls it a gloomy and dark land of eternal darkness, where there is no light nor life of mortals — the holy man first assigning to himself the lesser things:

For it did not befit him to say:

Before I was in the kingdom of the heavens and in the land [promised] in thy promises, O God . . .

Then he wishes those who hear to be instructed concerning the judgment, that as yet no correction of deeds had taken place.

And it is to be noted that the name 'earth' often signifies also a base disposition of mind.

And by this is signified 'ye have dug deep for a dwelling' and 'they shall go down into the lowest parts of the earth.'

And this befits those who bear the image of the man of dust.

And the soul too is often called 'earth,' but when it has virtue, it is good; and when it is stony and thorn-bearing, it is evil.

And to those who love the pleasure of this present life he speaks the striking word:

There is no light, nor to see the life of mortals. And Sophar the Minaean, taking up the discourse, says:

He that speaketh much shall also hear in return; or does the eloquent man think himself righteous?

Not having the fitting reverence toward the holy man, they treated him more boldly than was proper, supposing that he said much, since they were ignorant of the aim of what was being declared.

And speaking much is judged not from the multitude of words;

but when things are said in an inconsistent manner — which is what happens . . .

And, using invective against him as one who speaks much, he adds also, 'or does the eloquent man think himself righteous?' — which is plausible.

For many of those who sin, kindling words from words, think to hide their sins by the plausibility of their words, wishing to steal away the grievousness of the things they have done;

but such is not the righteous Job, who is attested by God.

Therefore, as was said, they treated him unfittingly, because they reckoned the cause of the painful things brought upon him to be sin;

he hints to him that even if . . .

. . . not on this account is he righteous.

Blessed is the short-lived one born of woman.

He now uses a plausible argument, but falls short of the fitting knowledge concerning the man.

He says, then, that even if someone be eloquent and, through the plausibility of the words he brings forth of himself, think himself righteous, yet he must know that he is short-lived.

even though he be reckoned blessed of God as long-lived — for they used to consider a man who became long-lived to be blessed — yet even he, as compared with the age to come, is short-lived;

wishing to show him that he does not have exact knowledge of matters, being short-lived as men are.

And this is clear from what is brought forward next:

And by 'born of woman' he signifies man in a periphrastic way.

We have this said by the Lord:

Among them that are born of women there is none greater than John. Gracefully the words to this effect . . .

are set forth, distinguishing Jesus from those born through a woman, because of his being of a virgin;

and gracefully we shall say that it is [said] of him . . .

having become of a woman — the name of 'woman' here indicating the female.

And in truth the human span of time is short;

and a proof of this is what was said by Paul:

If in this life only we have hoped, we are of all men most to be pitied. For this is the life of the composite man.

But if you would consider the life that belongs to the rational [soul], you would not be faint-hearted;

for if you would compare the life of Methuselah, even this would be little in comparison with the life in the age to come and the immortality of the soul.

Be not much given to words, for there is none that disputeth against . . .

. . . the virtue of him who . . . as was said before, being ignorant, and [ignorant] of the concordant aim of the things declared by him, he says to him:

Be not many in words. And the divine word, instructing us to restrain what is superfluous in speech, says:

By much speaking you shall not escape sin — here calling much speaking the reporting of things that are not fitting.

And it is ... (the text is defective here) ... and ...

That it is not the multitude of the words reported which constitutes much speaking, the Apostle makes clear, for he prolonged his discourse to those listening until midnight.

One may marvel at his boldness against Job, that though answering him he asserted that there was none able to answer him back:

There must be one more bold ... (the text is defective) ...

... he remains fixed on the notion that Job suffers because of wickedness, being ignorant of the other cause.

For do not say, 'I am pure in my works and blameless before Him.'

As one who, according to his own supposition, was ignorant of Job's purity, he brings to him in a certain manner an exhortation, thinking that this confession of his own purity and blamelessness is a rejection of divine providence.

For the friends supposed that, had he not sinned, he would not have fallen into such grievous misfortunes.

But they cannot show that Job said to God:

'I am blameless before You.'

For he knew that the stars are not pure in His sight, and that which was said by those who had achieved righteousness:

'All our righteousness is before You as the rag of one set apart (in her impurity).' For as toward You, who are the Judge that is Righteousness itself, even if we have righteousness, we hold it dimly in comparison to You.

'I know nothing against myself,' and he adds:

'yet I am not thereby justified' — showing the weakness of created nature.

'But how could the Lord speak to you, and open His lips with you?' Since they appear to be ... (defective) ... themselves also ...

Their words having a certain readiness, even if in one thing they erred — for it was said by one of them:

'Ask now the former generation, and search out according to the race of the fathers' — it is plain that he speaks of God's speech and the opening of His lips not in a manner subject to human passions.

He says, then, that you should not say:

'I am pure'; rather prepare yourself for purity, that thus God may speak to you and open His lips with you out of His goodness.

By His speech and His lips one must understand the converse that comes to be invisibly in the mind.

That the lips signify speech, the proverbial saying teaches:

'The lips of the wise are bound by discretion.' And also: 'Put unjust lips far from you.' Then he announces to you the power of wisdom, that it shall be double to one such as you.

Disposed as though God would teach him about a just recompense, he said these things to Job.

It is indeed true that, when God brings hardships because of sin, one who is able may perceive, even amid bitter things, His bringing-on of them together with His wisdom — that not to punish, but medicinally and for the health of the soul, He brings on afflictions.

Knowing this, one of the saints said:

'I will bless You, O Lord, for You were angry with me unto salvation.' And it belongs to a divine gift to receive knowledge of the judgments of God, concerning which it is said:

'Your judgments are a great deep.' Yet this much we know, that they are accomplished for our benefit, even if we do not comprehend them.

And let there be, by way of example, a certain island set apart, into which a ruler sends those who offend and go astray:

and this man is plainly assumed to be righteous. Yet as with everyone who is sent to the island to dwell there, he endures this because of having sinned, even if we do not know the precise cause of the fault.

And as a proof that God does all things by wisdom, he adds, saying that 'it shall be double to one such as you' — by 'double,' as I suppose, meaning one who surpasses by an incomparable pre-eminence, the phrase having been feebly expressed by him.

That the judgments of God possess a deep knowledge, blessed David teaches — to whom the hidden and secret things of wisdom have been made manifest — saying:

'Your knowledge is made too wonderful for me;

it is mighty, I cannot attain to it.' And another says concerning wisdom:

'I said, I will be wise, but it was far from me, farther than it was.

Who shall find it out? And then you shall know that things worthy of you have befallen you from the Lord, for the things you have sinned.'

Still keeping to the same thought, discoursing as though to one who had sinned, he says that if the Lord should speak to you and set you before Him according to His own wisdom, from which having come to know His pre-eminence you will learn that things worthy of you have befallen you from the Lord for the things you have sinned.

But he says these things out of rashness, not knowing the causes of the things done by God, to one who did know that Job endured these things for the sake of manly virtue, awaiting the praise from God who said:

'Do you think that I have dealt with you otherwise than that you might be shown to be righteous? For He Himself who makes all things and transforms them knows the judgment of each one.'

'Will you find the track of the Lord, or have you come to the uttermost bounds of the things that the Almighty has made?'

From some plausible ground he discourses boldly with the holy man:

for since he knows that it is a great thing to comprehend the administrations of providence, he makes a speech to him, asserting:

'Will you find the track of the Lord, or have you come to the uttermost bounds?' — by 'uttermost bounds' meaning the outcomes of the things that come to pass.

But this man too, and the other friends, are refuted:

for as though they had grasped that he suffers these things because of sin, they ran him down.

But it is possible to understand 'the uttermost bounds' in yet another way:

'bringing up clouds from the uttermost part of the earth.' And further, the 'uttermost' is that of such a kind for whose sake all the rest exist, while it itself exists for the sake of nothing.

For on account of this the other things exist — helps, I mean, and labors and endeavors are all directed to this.

And the limits of the world are also called 'uttermost bounds':

'The ocean, impassable to men, and the worlds beyond it are steered by the same ordinances of the Master.' Having a conception of God as encompassing both the beginnings and the ends, and altogether all things that come to be under Him, the psalmist said:

'Behold, You, O Lord, have made all the last things and the first. The heaven is high, and what will you do? And what do you know that is deeper than the things in Hades? Or longer than the measure of the earth, or than the breadth of the sea?' He wishes to show through all these things that the knowledge of men is measured, not reaching to the judgments of God.

There is heaven, he says, and things deeper than Hades, and things longer than the earth and than the breadth of the sea:

say something about them, if you are able.

And perhaps he hints that, even if one should undertake to talk at length about earth and sea and heaven, yet the things beyond these he does not know.

[refuting] those who suppose they can say something about the nature of heaven or of earth and sea, whereas even about these they lay down empty assertions, and about Hades saying many things — that it is a place of souls, and other matters — and they stitch together arguments whose demonstration they are unable to establish plainly:

for being without part in the Holy Spirit, they do not possess the exact knowledge concerning these things — whereas the saints, walking on earth yet having their citizenship in heaven, are able to say:

'God has given me an unerring knowledge of the things that are, to know the constitution of the world and the operation of the elements, the beginning and end and middle of times,' and what follows.

'But if He should overthrow all things, who will say to Him:

What have you done?' And this he says truly, even if he is not looking to the fitting aim.

For who withstands the will of God? Like to this is:

'Shall the thing formed say to Him who formed it:

Why have you made me thus?' But rashly was said by him the phrase 'if He should overthrow all things.'

Though it is possible to speak concerning [God's] administration, yet perhaps he is hinting to Job that, even if you are in pain, you cannot say:

'What have you done?' For it has come to pass justly:

assuredly, this does not confirm his judgment [about Job].

For He Himself knows the works of the lawless:

and having seen absurd things, He will not overlook them.

It is indeed clear that on His account he said the phrase 'but if He should overthrow':

for He knows, he says, the works of men, not overlooking their faults — showing the inescapability of God — and He sees them among the wicked.

This saying is useful against the negligent.

'But man floats otherwise upon words, and a mortal born of woman is like a wild ass of the wilderness.'

Setting the sureness of the knowledge of God over against the undertakings of men, he says that they float in vain, likening man to a wild ass of the wilderness; and by this he sets forth the exceeding sluggishness of men toward the comprehension of the divine judgements, employing an emphatic manner of speech.

For domesticated asses, being about the city, have from their familiarity some means of recognizing the wild ass of the wilderness, both by its being sluggish by nature and by its wildness, and by its being deprived of what belongs to the familiarity of tame beasts; to which he compares the human race with regard to the knowledge of the divine judgements.

This is confirmed also from blessed David, who takes upon himself the character of men's ignorance concerning the judgements when he says:

'Behold, these are sinners, and they prosper; they have possessed riches unto the age.'

'So then in vain have I justified my heart and washed my hands among the innocent,'

'and I have been scourged the whole day long.' And after these things he says:

'I became like a beast before thee.' And the phrase 'before thee' is well put:

for it means, 'in respect of the knowledge of God I became beastlike,' he says.

Then, that he might show that it was the character of men which he had assumed, he says:

'But I am continually with thee,' making clear that:

'by thy communion and participation I come to know and understand.'

Like 'I became a beast before thee' is 'But I am without reason' and 'I am but dust and ashes.'

'For if thou hast made thy heart clean, and dost lift up thy hands to him — if there is anything lawless in thy hands, put it far away from thee;'

'and let not unrighteousness lodge in thy dwelling.'

Bringing himself in, as it were, as a teacher, he offers him what purports to be an exhortation, saying that even if you are exceedingly pure — so as ever to stretch out your hands in prayer, asking for the things that come from God — be ready also to thrust away whatever base thing remains in you; nay more, let not even unrighteousness lodge in you.

And even if it should somehow come about that you fall into the beginning of doing wrong, yet let not the evil abide so as to lodge in your life.

He says these things to mean that, corresponding to the purity of the soul which is according to understanding, there should be also ethical virtue.

Like this is 'lifting up holy hands without wrath and disputing.' And he somehow errs in supposing it possible to have a clean heart and yet unrighteous deeds.

But the contrary of this one might say, asserting that it is possible to have righteous deeds and yet not a clean heart, as when one who gives alms in order to be seen by men, though his heart is defiled, makes the deed appear equal.

'For thus shall thy face shine forth like clean water.'

He says that, being freed from every stain and unrighteousness, you will have a face clean like water;

and it is clear that he is speaking of the face of the soul.

For the man who is in truth separated from all pollution will display the 'according to the image' as pure and unalloyed.

'And thou shalt put off filth and shalt not be afraid.'

He moves somewhat inconsistently in his discourse.

For after saying 'thy face shall shine forth like clean water,' to say again 'thou shalt put off filth' is a great inconsistency.

Nevertheless he means this: that by preparing yourself for purity you shall be freed from all filth, so as to be without fear and no longer to dread requital.

And plausibly he says this also: that after the putting off of filth he is without fear;

for God, who sees even the hidden things of the mind, does not punish such a one;

for men, inasmuch as they are ignorant of the hidden thing, having taken hold of someone even after he has repented and convicting him as one who sinned long ago, punish him;

but God, accepting the present virtue, is unmindful of the old sins, even as the repentant character sets forth, saying:

'Remember not against us our ancient iniquities.'

'And thou shalt forget thy toil like a wave that has passed by, and shalt not be dismayed.'

He says that the toil arising from the blows, which they supposed the holy man suffered on account of sin, shall there be forgotten and shall easily pass by like a wave, he being in no way dismayed by it.

By 'forgetfulness' he clearly means not the utter perishing of memory, but the passing away of the griefs;

in the sense in which it is also said concerning the righteous:

'For they shall forget their former affliction, and it shall not come up into their heart. For in the day of good things there is a forgetting of evils.' 'And thy prayer shall be like the morning star, and from midday life shall dawn upon thee.'

He says this as following upon what has gone before: that if you were to cleanse yourself so as not even to fall into filth, your prayer shall shine like the morning star.

And this perhaps signifies to him the early-morning illumination, according to which the radiance of virtue begins;

and thus the light shall grow strong, like that which is at its height.

But consider what he means by 'life shall dawn upon thee' — whether he perhaps means virtue, or the life to come, or the life without toils, once the toilsome things have been changed.

And the luminous life happens to be illumined by the Sun of righteousness.

'In the morning I will present myself to thee and will keep watch. And thou shalt be confident, because there is hope for thee.'

And again he says that, out of the preparation, he believes concerning the good things that are hoped for.

And it is clear that [it is] the ... of the soul ...

For upon him who wills to live according to God there follow the eternal things, as Paul says:

'Now abide faith, hope, love.' 'And out of care and anxiety peace shall appear to thee.'

He means this: that, being freed from the toilsome and grievous things by reason of the hope which has come to be out of the preparation, peace shall appear to thee — calling 'peace' the rest from adversities.

And we have in the divine Scriptures things said concerning the peace that is according to the soul, concerning which it is said:

'Great peace have they that love thy name, and there is no stumbling-block in them.' And this, being the untroubledness of the soul, is a fruit of the Spirit;

for the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace. From this those are called blessed concerning whom it is said:

'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.' For whenever anyone casts his own care upon the Lord, he shall have this peace;

but the sinner shall not be in this peace;

for the whole life of the ungodly is in troubled anxiety.

'And thou shalt be at rest, and there shall be none to war against thee; and many, having changed, shall entreat thee.'

'And many, having changed, shall entreat thee.'

Consider whether here again by 'rest' he means the no longer being reproached, in a manner, on account of the afflictions, as though for something base;

and when this has been brought in, he adds 'and many, having changed, shall entreat thee,' making clear that those who formerly ran him down shall, on account of the change concerning him, entreat him.

But the rest properly so called — the untroubledness of the soul — is given to the holy one, the text saying:

'... of his fig tree, and there shall be none to affright him.' And this not in a perceptible sense;

but he who has the active life, signified by the fig tree, and the contemplative life, which is indicated by the vine — being productive of gladness — is thenceforth without fear, having no devil to affright him nor demons.

But he who is in wickedness is not at rest, his reasoning being carried about here and there by passions and demons.

Straightway, then, it was said to Cain, when he was stirred as he ought not:

'Thou hast sinned; be still.' For the stillness of untroubledness is proper to the nature of man, but disorder is an intrusion from without.

'... to dwell in the soul ...'

'The earth feared and was still, when God arose to judgement.' For whenever those who practise earthly things come into repentance through fear of the judgement, they take up stillness instead of turmoil, hearing:

'And thou shalt be at rest, fearless of every evil. But salvation shall forsake them.'

He hints that those who formerly warred against the just — now that the man has become righteous — are forsaken by salvation; and it is clear, namely by that salvation which they fashioned for themselves, esteeming as salvation the ill-treatment of those against whom they warred, both in soul and in body.

'For their hope is destruction.'

The expectation of the malevolent, he says, is destruction.

He would call this their 'expectation' not at all as though they themselves expect this, but as having it as something that follows upon them;

just as we say to one who falls under punishment:

'You brought these things upon yourself' — not because he himself intended this, but because these things followed after him.

'But the eyes of the impious shall waste away.'

Perhaps he is hinting at the envious, and at the grief that comes upon them at the change of one who had fallen into distressing circumstances, as he has depicted.

Yet it is not of these bodily eyes that he speaks — for many of the impious have remained keen-sighted until their very last breath — but of the eyes of the soul.

You have in the divine Scriptures concerning the eyes of man:

'The commandment of the Lord is bright, enlightening the eyes' — clearly the eyes of the inner man — so that God's commandments save even the blind.

'Then are you men? Or shall wisdom die with you?' He means: you are indeed men, but thinking greatly of yourselves and reckoning yourselves alone to be men, you suppose that wisdom reaches only as far as you;

and you think that you are able to comprehend the judgements of God and to declare something concerning them;

but in truth it surpasses what is human. For 'Thy judgements,' he says, 'are a great deep.' And Paul too writes that they are unsearchable.

And by the words 'shall wisdom die with you?' he makes clear that the wisdom of God does not extend only as far as human affairs.

He knows, as the Apostle also does, that here knowledge is 'in part,' even for those who are perfect and who have the earnest of the Spirit;

and he who has the earnest of something does not have the whole of it, but a part of it;

but when that which is perfect has come, he has the part together with the whole.

For this is what the earnest is.

'And to me also there is a heart like yours.'

He wishes to represent to them that they hold fabrications in their own minds, saying:

'To me also there is a heart like yours, and I do not agree with you unto the same mind.'

'Or do you not think that I understand surpassingly? For I too comprehend.'

For one rational being does not differ from another rational being;

the difference arises in the application. At any rate, concerning the worthless it is said:

'Hear me, you who have lost your heart.' For it is not the substance of it, but its worthless activity, that he calls its 'loss.'

'For a righteous and blameless man has become a laughing-stock.'

Whenever he speaks of the lesser things, he attributes them to himself;

for out of humility he is disposed to belittle himself.

But whenever there is need of praise, he says that these things follow upon the righteous man and upon him who possesses virtue — as the blessed Paul, saying, 'I know a man in Christ.'

For God bore witness to him, saying:

being constrained because his friends held the contrary opinion:

'I know that I shall be shown to be righteous.' Making himself a representative type, he said this, declaring from his own case those who practise and work virtue, saying:

'I know that if I employ my courage to the end, I shall be shown to be righteous.' For he did not say:

'I am righteous,' but he reclined his expectation upon the time to come, declaring what is proper to the virtues.

'For at an appointed time it had been prepared for him to fall, and for his houses to be plundered by lawless men.'

It makes clear that he was handed over to those who had asked to test him.

Some, making poor use of this passage, have reckoned that there is 'fate,' referring the 'appointed time' to it.

For not every appointed time signifies fate.

What he sets forth, then, is this: that even if he became a laughing-stock, yet this did not come about without limit, but at a moment when God permitted it to happen — just as with those who were given into the hands of their oppressors.

He said an 'appointed time,' namely that in which a man can employ such virtue, according to which he is also said to be capable of waging war.

By 'houses' being plundered he means the virtues;

for these the adversaries are eager to shake and shatter through hardships;

and that 'houses' are taken in the sense of virtues, it has been said:

'Because the midwives feared God, they made themselves houses.' Were they then houseless before they feared God? But it is clear that it means the virtues — according to the one who hears the words of Jesus and builds his own house, which is his life, not upon a perceptible rock, but upon Christ, who said to Peter:

'You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church' — Peter clearly having a house upon such a rock.

And the Saviour builds the Church, being himself both rock and builder;

for God works together with the diligent.

So too the psalmist says:

'Thou hast exalted me upon a rock.' Now it is no great gift of God to be exalted upon a perceptible rock, but it is clear that it means upon the sure word, according to which again the psalmist says:

'Thou hast set my feet upon a rock.' And it should be noted that the righteous man, or otherwise ...

The being plundered indicates the courage of the righteous man against whom schemes have been contrived;

'Many a time have they fought against me from my youth up, yet they have not prevailed against me' — as Paul also:

'Who shall separate us from the love of God?' and what follows.

By 'houses' in the plural one must understand the multitude of virtue;