John Chrysostom — Commentary on Scripture

Job 19:25-27

“For I know that he, who is about to deliver me on earth, is immortal.” That is, he who has to deliver me on earth is God. What does this mean? If God is immortal, why do you want your words to be written and their memory to remain eternally, in an imperishable manner? Notice the state of the soul of those who are in distress. They want not only those who are seeing these events now, but also those, who will come later, to be witnesses of their own misfortunes, in order to obtain, in a sense, a certain sympathy from everyone. This is evidently what the rich man tried to do when he wanted to inform everybody about his own misfortunes and about the situation in which he who previously lived in luxury finally finds himself.“He will raise up my body that endures these sufferings, for it is the Lord who caused them.” Did Job know the doctrine of resurrection? I believe so, and the doctrine concerning the resurrection of the body, unless he says here that the resurrection that he speaks about is the deliverance from the afflictions that pressed him. That is why, Job says, even after my del…

“For I know that he, who is about to deliver me on earth, is immortal.” That is, he who has to deliver me on earth is God. What does this mean? If God is immortal, why do you want your words to be written and their memory to remain eternally, in an imperishable manner? Notice the state of the soul of those who are in distress. They want not only those who are seeing these events now, but also those, who will come later, to be witnesses of their own misfortunes, in order to obtain, in a sense, a certain sympathy from everyone. This is evidently what the rich man tried to do when he wanted to inform everybody about his own misfortunes and about the situation in which he who previously lived in luxury finally finds himself.“He will raise up my body that endures these sufferings, for it is the Lord who caused them.” Did Job know the doctrine of resurrection? I believe so, and the doctrine concerning the resurrection of the body, unless he says here that the resurrection that he speaks about is the deliverance from the afflictions that pressed him. That is why, Job says, even after my deliverance, I want my afflictions to be immortal. This is an extremely wise way to keep always before one’s eyes the punishments of God even after they have gone.… “For it is the Lord,” he says, “who caused these sufferings.” Job is correct in saying that the Lord will be the actual cause of his change. “He strikes,” Job says, “and he heals.”

COMMENTARY ON JOB 19:25-26

Job 20:9-10

This means that their ruin comes suddenly, so that you may not believe that their calamity comes from a natural condition but that it is in accordance with a divine and extraordinary power. Moreover, this concerns not only their crimes but also their sacrifices. If they offer any, they turn out to be useless. “Let his inferiors,” Zophar says, “destroy his children.” This sentence also demonstrates clearly that the blow comes from God, because inferior people prevail on those who are stronger, and those who are outcast prevail on those who have power.

COMMENTARY ON JOB 8:10

Job 21:4-6

Let us admit, he says, that I am iniquitous and impious; but I gain no profit from these remarks and know that you will mock me; therefore, I do not yield. “And what!” he says, “is it a mortal who blames me?” that is, no mortal can blame me. I am not fighting against a man. “When I think of it, I am dismayed and pains seize my flesh.” Notice how he always stands up, how he puts forward his sufferings, how he indicates the reason for the terrible words he is going to speak, because he does not talk in this manner by himself or from a fixed position but because his soul is dismayed and his thoughts are darkened.

COMMENTARY ON JOB 21:3-6

Job 21:19-22

Since he spoke before him [Zophar] and said “from the time man was set upon the earth,” things go on in this manner. Job addresses his reproaches to him, because he ignores what is clear and evident. He says to him, you asserted that things are not as I said, but quite the opposite. Therefore, no one must know the secret plans of God, who rules the entire creation. Now tell me, why are those who are not impious punished? One is in need, the other in wealth, but their wickedness is the same.

COMMENTARY ON JOB 21:19-22A

Job 22:1-2

“Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said, ‘Is it not the Lord who teaches understanding and knowledge?’ ” After being defeated, Eliphaz eventually agrees with this. Then, since what had been said allowed everyone to come to the conclusion that Job was not impious and that the conduct of a person could not be judged on the basis of his punishments, notice the perfidy at which he almost arrives to suppress the role of Providence.

COMMENTARY ON JOB 22:2

Job 22:3-4

“What does it matter to the Lord, if you were blameless in your works?” That is, it has no importance for God. “Or does he gain any profit from the righteousness of your conduct?” It cannot be said that, in fact, it contributes to him any advantage, he says. Since Job in every possible manner had said that God did this and because of him I am suffering, Eliphaz wants to show that [his afflictions] do not come from God. “Or, in order to make a case against you, will he accuse you and enter into judgment with you?” Yes, you can be as righteous as you want, it does not matter for him, and he has no consideration for you, that is, what you do deserves little interest on the part of God. In fact, if he really wanted to judge you, he would have found your faults.

COMMENTARY ON JOB 22:3-4

Job 23:1-2

“Then Job answered and said, ‘Yes, I know that my accusation comes from my hands.’ ” This means, I carry along with me the evidence that accuses me. I draw from myself the demonstration of my afflictions. “His hand has been made heavy upon me, and I groan over me.” If it were possible, he says, to discuss my punishments with him, it would also be possible to find them out. If only I could plead my case in justice, he says, and meet him and learn what he would have answered me! See how he obtained exactly what he desired. That is, in fact, what occurs at the end of the book. I wanted to know what he would have said to me and whether he would have punished me just the same; and, by saying so, I had no intention of condemning any injustice on his part.

COMMENTARY ON JOB 23:2B

Job 23:16-17

This unexpected disaster, he says, did not happen according to human logic. I discern that this blow comes from the hand of God. And he is right in speaking of the darkness that “covers my face,” because this darkness is not ordinary darkness but is of his own dejection.

COMMENTARY ON JOB 23:16-17

Job 24:5

“And they have departed,” he says, “like asses in the field,” that is, they have scorned everybody and have mocked everyone. However, nobody commits any injustice against them and does not ill-treat them.

COMMENTARY ON JOB 24:1-8

Job 25:3-4

Since he said, “You have not visited these yet,” truly Bildad answers, “There is no respite for robbers.” Therefore, he says the opposite of what happens, because there is respite. But in order to play a trick on Job, he speaks in this way. “How then can a mortal be righteous before God?” Indeed, he is necessarily punished. Since Job, in fact, said, I wanted to be judged, and, even though I have not sinned, I am chastised. Bildad replied there is none that is righteous among humankind. How is it possible, he says, that any righteous person will ever exist? Therefore you desire in vain to be judged and examined.

COMMENTARY ON JOB 25:2B-4B

Job 26:1-2

These words mean, “I do not reprove you for defending the role of God or to say the truth that was needed.” However, you should not have condemned me, and, in fact, it is possible to plead in favor of God without allowing, at the same time, Job to be exposed to accusations.

COMMENTARY ON JOB 26:1-4

Job 27:5-7

This is what Job means, one who is full of iniquity has neither liberty to express himself nor to say what I say now. Rather, he has been taken away and stays silent. On the contrary, I did not experience that, but I speak and answer. But the same does not happen to those who are iniquitous.

COMMENTARY ON JOB 27:5B-6

Job 28:1-3

He means that if God has established an order in the realities of nature, he did even more with regard to human realities. Indeed, he foresees and takes care of events, and nothing comes from him at random. Or, on the other hand, [he means] that the whole of realities is quite visible but the plans of God are invisible; in fact, silver and copper have a place, whereas nobody has ever known the “place” of wisdom. But God only knows wisdom, and he has said to mortals that “piety is wisdom,” and knowledge means to do good.“He has set a place for darkness,” he says; he was right in saying “a place,” because darkness knows how to give way and fade away [before the daylight]. Who drives this obscurity away? From where does such beautiful order in such a situation come? Then he discusses his power, and then his wisdom in order to persuade us that he does not want to call God to account. Why darkness, he says? Do we really know anything at all? God can do anything. He does everything with wisdom.

COMMENTARY ON JOB 27:14-28:3

Job 28:27-28

Nothing has more value than that art, nothing is more powerful than that wisdom. “The fear of the Lord, that is the beginning of wisdom, and all those who practice it have good understanding.” That is the greatest of all goods. Supreme wisdom is to worship God, not to take trouble to make useless notices, and especially to enquire about events. Do not believe that you may find a different wisdom.

COMMENTARY ON JOB 28:28

Job 29:1-2

What do the words “he adds at the beginning of his speech” mean? It is not that he completes his speeches, but he comes back to his starting point, without allowing his adversaries to interrupt him or to begin new arguments. What does he say? I would like to live one month of my old happiness in order to shut your mouth and to show you who I was.“One month comparable to a month of my past days.” He calls for nothing extraordinary, only to live his past happiness for thirty days and to enjoy that prosperity with which nobody can provide him anymore. Then he describes it through his words. In fact, since it was impossible now [to live his past happiness], he shows it through his words and says what he did and how he lived before. See the piety of the man: he attributes everything to God. In fact, it is impossible that a person deprived of divine help may ever stand.

COMMENTARY ON JOB 29:2A

Job 29:3-5

If he actually searched for his former happiness, that was in order to show the providence of God; this is clear when he says, “In the days when God watched over me.” Then he gives evidence of this godly watch. “When his lamp,” he says, “shone over my head.” This means, you will make the light of my lamp shine, because a lamp is really necessary, if the present darkness is deep, if the difficulties of my situation are serious, as well as the assaults of physical suffering, and the plots of the wicked and the fights and attacks of cruel demons. All this shows that “by his light I walked through darkness.” You see that darkness invades everything and that “light shines through darkness.” But, as natural darkness is useful to have rest, it is not useful because of its own nature but thanks to the wisdom of God, who has created everything.

COMMENTARY ON JOB 29:2A-5

Job 29:10-12

In order to explain why they proclaimed him to be blessed, he mentions his good works. “I have saved,” he says, “the poor from the hand of the powerful,” but it is after attributing to God the merit of protecting and watching him that “he is glorified in the Lord.”

COMMENTARY ON JOB 29:10-12

Job 29:14

“I put on righteousness,” he says. There are people who occupy higher positions than others but who often commit injustice. But this is not the case with Job, because he constantly lived in the greatest righteousness. So, when with regard to God you hear that “he is clothed with righteousness,” do not believe that real garments clothe incorporeal beings. Job did not wear that kind of garment either. “And I clothed myself with judgment like a double mantle.” That was my elegance. To be sure, others are unhappy with that activity; they find it unpleasant and heavy. But I did not, he says. As one is proud of a double mantle, so I was constantly glorified … in that activity. But who appointed him to be a judge? He became one by himself, thanks to his virtue, like Moses.

COMMENTARY ON JOB 29:13-18

Job 29:15-17

See how these miracles are worthy of the apostles. Job was not able to give sight back to them, because that charisma did not yet exist, but he provided them with light, even though they remained blind, whereas now we even make blind those who are able to see. He did not say, I employed my servants to do that, but I, he says, corrected the errors of nature, not only the errors that derived from the action of people but also those coming from nature itself.

COMMENTARY ON JOB 29:13-18

Job 30:12-13

You see what especially afflicts him is to be mocked by those who reproach him for the evil actions that they commit. Some “thieves,” he says, some wicked, some criminals, some robbers have made us the subject of their proposals and conversations.

COMMENTARY ON JOB 30:12A-13