Job 28 · The Lantern

Truly there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is washed out.

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.

The silver hath the beginning of its veins, and to the gold there is a place, where they fine it. Thus the holy man after he had adequately filled up the punishments of the men of power that are lifted up in the world, again directs his words to the pride of heretics, who are lifted up in speech.

Above Job had shown how frail and perishable is the lot which the wicked receive from God. (27:13) Now he intends to show on the contrary the dignity of the spiritual good which just men receive from God even in this world. He understands the spiritual good to be arranged under wisdom.

Iron is taken out of the earth, and stone is changed into brass by the fire.

Iron is taken out of the earth. And the stone being melted with heat is turned into brass. Moreover, we are to consider that there are some whom Almighty God by His secret counsel preserving in innocency from their very beginnings promotes to the topmost heights of virtuous attainments, that, as their age increases, both numerousness of years and loftiness of merits should simu…

As to iron he says, "Iron is taken from the earth," because it is found in the earth not yet refined, as it were. As to bronze he says, "and stone," with which one finds a gas proportioned to its nature is mixed, "released by heat," of great intensity, "changed to bronze," when what is found there of the nature of bronze is made aqueous by the heat of fire.

Man puts an end to the dark, searching out to the farthest limit the stones of the deep places of the dark.

"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.

He hath set a time to darkness, and Himself vieweth the end of all and everyone. He hath Himself 'set a time to the darkness,' i.e. bounds to the wicked, where they should cease to be wicked. Whence it is said to them by the Apostle; Ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord.

He then proceeds to examine other things which have a determined time and place from divine disposition and so are subject to divine knowledge. The greater part of these are hidden from men.

He makes a deep mine far away from those living in the light of day; when they go about on the earth, they have no knowledge of those who are under them, who are hanging far from men, twisting from side to side on a cord.

As for the earth, bread comes out of it; but under its face it is turned up as if by fire.

The earth from which bread arose, is overturned in its place by fire. But this Judaea which grows thus hardened, whether what she was for long, or what she underwent afterwards, let us listen to. Judaea was wont to give bread, in that she used to set before men the words of the Law.

"They have uncovered the earth, from which nourishment comes," through the art of agriculture, [the author] says; [humans] produce what is necessary for nourishment which the earth offers according to the divine precept by which it received.

There are also some places which are inaccessible, not because of their location, but because of something extraordinary happening, for example, because they are ruined by some physical change, like Sodom and Gomorrah, (Gen.

Its stones are the place of sapphires, and it has dust of gold.

No bird has knowledge of it, and the hawk's eye has never seen it.

Even though they sail in the air and reach paths close to heaven, they cannot approach those through which knowledge is attained.

The pathway of the bird it knew not, nor beheld the eyes of the vulture. Therefore, what it was since we have heard, even that her stones are the place of sapphires, now let us hear next wherefore that People so beloved of God lost these great blessings.

Because these places release a harmful air from the abundance of sulphur, not only men, but also brute animals avoid these places. First as to the birds concerning which there is less reflection he says, "Land," that kind of earth, "does not know the path of the bird," namely, it does not dare to fly over it, nor even to approach it, because of the harmful air.

The great beasts have not gone over it, and the cruel lion has not taken that way.

Man puts out his hand on the hard rock, overturning mountains by the roots.

He makes deep ways, cut through the rock, and his eye sees everything of value.

"And his eye has seen every precious thing." That is, not only those things that were useful but also those that were convenient as an ornament, such as clothes from wool, fabrics for the rich from the threads of the Persian worms, wine from some creeping plants, ointments and other remedies from herbs.

He cutteth out streams in the rocks. And his eye hath seen every precious thing. But because those whom it empties of earthly thoughts, it fills with heavenly gifts, and those, whom it drains of interest below, it waters with streams from Above, it is directly added; He cutteth out streams in the rocks. i.e.

Second is the fact that "waters cross through the middle of the mountains," (cf. Ps. 103:10) as though there were a way hewn for them by divine power through the rocks, and so he says, "He hollows out watercourses in the rocks," in the courses of streams.

He keeps back the streams from flowing, and makes the secret things come out into the light.

But where may wisdom be seen? and where is the resting-place of knowledge?

But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding? Man knoweth not the price thereof: neither is it found in the land of them that live pleasantly.

Job raises the question of where wisdom may be found; and he answers negatively, that it is not found by a man living in a merely human manner, saying: 'Man does not know its price, nor is it found in the land of those who live pleasantly.' That last statement gives the reason: this is the cause why the carnal man does not know the price of wisdom, because the carnal man does n…

Since he had shown that all the precious things found in corporeal bodies are contained in determined places, which though they are unknown to men are still known to God, he shows the eminence of wisdom by first introducing the fact that it is not contained in a determined place, and so he says, "But where is wisdom found?" This is as if he says: Wisdom is shut up in no corpore…

Man has not seen the way to it, and it is not in the land of the living.

The deep waters say, It is not in me: and the sea says, It is not with me.

Gold may not be given for it, or a weight of silver in payment for it.

It may not be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the onyx of great price, or the sapphire.

Gold and glass are not equal to it in price, and it may not be exchanged for jewels of the best gold.

There is no need to say anything about coral or crystal; and the value of wisdom is greater than that of pearls.

"The highest and loftier things are not worthy of mention in comparison with it." He shows that not only amassed riches but also the heights of honors and the highest peaks of official dignity become worthless in comparison with it.

Nor shall they be mentioned in comparison with her. For wisdom is drawn from out of sight. For all the Elect of the Country Above are indeed holy and righteous, but by a participation of Wisdom, not by comparison therewith. For what are men compared with God?

Just as they cannot be exchanged for wisdom, so also all these things are accounted as nothing in comparison to wisdom, and so he then says, "none are thought anything in comparison to her," because they are not even worth remembering when one mentions the excellence of wisdom.

The topaz of Ethiopia is not equal to it, and it may not be valued with the best gold.

From where then does wisdom come, and where is the resting-place of knowledge?

These words suggest that even though Christ is presented through a simile, he is, however, above any simile or figure or type and is by no means comparable to the saints. He is said to be similar to the hidden and superior powers, but it is well known that they cannot even direct their looks to him.

Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding? Seeing that it is hid from the eyes of all living. It deserves to be especially considered, that it is asked by the holy man, whence Wisdom cometh. For It 'comes' from Him from Whom It sprung. Now because It is born of the Invisible and Coeternal Father, the way thereof is hidden.

Therefore, since he had said that wisdom is so incomparable and has a hidden origin, he inquires where the source of wisdom lies, saying, "Where, then, is the origin of wisdom?" where does it come from? "And where is the place of understanding," from what source do men participate in the light of understanding?

For it is kept secret from the eyes of all living, unseen by the birds of the air.

Destruction and Death say, We have only had word of it with our ears.

God has knowledge of the way to it, and of its resting-place;

For his eyes go to the ends of the earth, and he sees everything under heaven.

When he made a weight for the wind, measuring out the waters;

When he made a law for the rain, and a way for the thunder-flames;

Then he saw it, and put it on record; he gave it its fixed form, searching it out completely.

And he said to man, Truly the fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to keep from evil is the way to knowledge.

And unto man He said, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is Wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.' As though it were spoken in plain speech; 'Man, turn back to thine own self; sift thoroughly the secrets of thine own heart. If thou findest out that thou dost fear God, surely it is plain that of this Wisdom thou art full.

Fear produces these three things in us, because "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," and "the root of wisdom is to fear God," and "the fullness of wisdom is to fear God": "Behold, the fear of the Lord, that itself is wisdom." He who does not fear God knows nothing.

He expresses this as he continues, "and he said to man," namely, by illuminating himself and by communicating wisdom to him through interior inspiration: "Behold the fear of the Lord," which I am giving to you by presence, "is wisdom," because man clings to God through the fear of the Lord in whom is the true wisdom of men as in the highest cause of all things.

Job28