Job Loses His Health 1 And it happened one day that the sons of God came to take their stand before the LORD; and the Accuser also came among them, to take his stand before the LORD.
Ambrosiaster · AD 384 And yet even greater things than these are said. For in these praises there were no proofs of tribulations, but only a purpose dedicated to God, established in exercise and observance.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord. HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION. BLESSED Job, though aimed at for death in his temptation, gained growth unto life by the stroke.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Since there are three goods of man: of soul, of body and exterior things, these goods are so ordered to each other that the body exists for the sake of the soul, but exterior things exist for the sake of both the body and the soul.
2 And the LORD said to the Accuser, “Where is it you come from?” And the Accuser answered the LORD and said, “From roaming about in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.”
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? And Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Thereupon what Satan answered under interrogation is shown when the text says, "From prowling and going about the earth." This has the same meaning as before. [1:7]
3 And the LORD said to the Accuser, “Have you set your heart on my servant Job? For there is none like him in the earth — a man blameless and upright, who fears God and turns away from evil. And still he holds fast to his blamelessness; and you incited me against him, to swallow him up for nothing.”
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Once again the Lord proposes the virtue of Job as something evident, and so there follows, "The Lord said to Satan: Have you considered my servant Job; there is none like him on earth?
4 And the Accuser answered the LORD and said, “Skin for skin. And all that a man has he will give for his life.
Julian of Eclanum · AD 455 Since the devil had seen that at the first attack of temptation the stability of the holy man had not tumbled down, the devil came again before God, and by claiming that the temptation was not serious enough, he asserted that Job had now to be tested. The test would focus on Job's own person, rather than his external circumstances.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION. And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse Thee to Thy face. The old enemy derives from outward things the charge which he urges against the blessed man's soul.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Though repulsed, Satan does not rest, but still provides calumny wanting to show that every good which Job did, even the very fact that he had patiently tolerated his adversity, he had not done for the love of God, but for the health of his own body. So the text continues, "Then Satan answered the Lord: Skin for skin!
5 But stretch out your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh — see if he does not bless you to your face.”
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Since someone could say to Satan, "How can you prove that Job bore patiently with the loss of his children and his possessions because he feared for his own skin and his own life?", he now adds, as though in answer to this objection, "But now," if you do not believe mere words," put forth your hand," i.e., exercise your power," and touch his bone and his flesh," i.e., afflict h…
6 And the LORD said to the Accuser, “Look, he is in your hand; only keep his life.”
Ephrem the Syrian · AD 373 "Only spare his soul." God does not say this as if he wanted to prevent the devil from snatching Job's life away, but he says "spare him." That is, be careful not to destroy the natural state of Job's mind and reason.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 ALLEGORICAL INTERPRETATION. And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand, but save his life. What fool even would believe that the Creator of all things was given up into 'the hands of Satan?' Yet who that is instructed by the Truth can be ignorant that of that very Satan all they are members who are joined unto him by living frowardly?
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Therefore the Lord willed to show that Job had not served God for the health of the body, just as he had already shown that Job did not serve him because of exterior goods, and so the text adds, "The Lord said to Satan: Behold, he is in your hand," i.e., I commit power to you to afflict him in body, "only spare his life," i.e., do not cannot take away life from him.
7 And the Accuser went out from the presence of the LORD, and struck Job with an evil boil, from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord. And smote Job with sore boils, from the sole of his foot unto his crown. How 'Satan goes forth from the presence of the Lord,' is shewn by the remarks which have been already made above. Strokes are to be estimated in two ways, viz. to consider either of what kind, or how great.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 When Satan had received the power, he proceeds to execute it. So the text continues, "So Satan went forth from the face of the Lord and afflicted Job," with what was truly an abominable and shameful blow. So the text says, "with sores," which were incurable and painful, i.e. "loathsome," entirely "from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head."
8 And he took a potsherd for himself, to scrape himself with it; and he was sitting in the midst of the ashes.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION. And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes. What is a potsherd made from, excepting mud? and what is the humour of the body, but mud?
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 The afflictions of the sick are customarily alleviated by cures applied externally which are pleasant. But Job was not alleviated in such a way, for the text continues, "Job scraped the bloody matter with a shard." In this the text shows that pleasant and soothing remedies are not applied to him.
9 And his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your blamelessness? Bless God, and die.”
Hesychius of Jerusalem · AD 450 Now, since the betrayer had been defeated in every battle, had failed in all his attempts, had been hindered in all his hunts, had been deprived of all his schemes, and all his traps had been broken, after destroying Job's wealth, after the death of his numerous children, after ripping Job's body with his blows, as a last, and in the betrayer's opinion, most compelling resource…
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION. Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die. The old adversary is wont to tempt mankind in two ways; viz. so as either to break the hearts of the stedfast by tribulation, or to melt them by persuasion.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 In their afflictions, men customarily find solace in words of those offering consolation. But the affliction of Job was accompanied by irritating words, which were as much more provocative as the person who spoke them was more closely connected to him.
10 And he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we also receive the good from God, and not receive the evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 This text means that if we actually experienced only misfortunes, we would still need to bear them. God is Master and Lord. Does he not possess the power to send us anything? Why did God provide us with our goods? He did not do so because we deserved them. God was absolutely free to send us only afflictions. If he has also granted us goods, why do we complain?
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 ALLEGORICAL INTERPRETATION. Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of the Lord, and shall we not receive evil?
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 The holy man who had born his troubles patiently, could not bear the injury done to God, for there follows, "But he said to her: You have spoken like one of the foolish women speaks." He rightly accuses of foolishness one speaking against the divine wisdom.
Job’s Three Friends 11 And the three friends of Job heard of all this evil that had come upon him, and they came, each from his place: Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. And they met together to come to grieve with him and to comfort him.
Ephrem the Syrian · AD 373 In the meantime, while the friends investigated Job's case and made preparations for their journey, there is no doubt that many days passed. They were all lords and men of princely rank. Job's three friends signified the class of the high priests, the priests and the prophets, who flourished among the Jews.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 ALLEGORICAL INTERPRETATION. Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came everyone from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 The devil not only strove to exasperate the mind of blessed Job through his wife, but also through his friends, who although they came to console him, yet went so far as words of rebuke.
12 And they lifted up their eyes from afar and did not recognize him; and they lifted up their voice and wept, and each tore his robe, and they threw dust on their heads, toward the heavens.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 MORAL INTERPRETATION. And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 What provoked these signs of compassion is now introduced. "When they saw him from afar, they did not recognize him," for his face was changed by sores, his clothing and his refinement gone because of the loss of his possessions. The term "from afar" should be understood to mean that measure by which a man can be recognized from a distance.
13 And they sat with him on the earth seven days and seven nights, and none spoke a word to him — for they saw that the pain was very great.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION. So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him; for they saw that his grief was very great. Whether they sat with the afflicted Job for seven days and seven nights together, or possibly for seven days and as many nights kept by him in assiduous and frequent visiting, we cannot tell.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 They consoled him not only by showing compassion to him, but also by showing their fellowship with him; for there follows, "they sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights." Nevertheless one must not understand this to mean a continuous period, but at suitable times, for great sorrow needed consolation for a long time.