Verse 14. — Do you suppose a dead man shall live again? 16. Sometimes words of weakness are to be taken up by the strong. — Righteous men are wont, in that which they themselves feel to be certain and firm, to put forth something as it were out of doubt, so that they may transfer to themselves the words of the weak. But again, by a strong statement they altogether contradict a wavering doubt, so that by this — that they are seen to speak in doubt — they may to some degree condescend to the weak, and by this — that they utter a certain statement — they may draw the doubting minds of the weak to firmness. And in doing this they doubtless follow the example of our Head. For the Lord, drawing near to his Passion, took upon himself the voice of those who are weak, saying:
My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me (Matthew xxvi, 39), and he took upon himself their fear, in order to draw it away; and again, showing the strength of fortitude through obedience, he says: Nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will (same place, 39), so that, when that which we do not wish to happen is impending, we may through weakness ask that it not come to pass, yet through fortitude be ready that the will of our Creator be done even against our own will. By this example, therefore, words of weakness are sometimes to be taken up by the strong, so that afterwards, through their strong declarations, the hearts of the weak may be more graciously strengthened. Hence blessed Job, when he had put forth words as it were of one doubting, saying: Do you suppose a dead man shall live again?