Fathers

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What the Fathers say

Job 13:7

Western Saints

Gregory the Dialogist

Doth God need your lie, that ye should talk deceitfully for Him? God doth not 'stand in need of a lie,' in that Truth does not seek to be stayed up by the aid of falsehood. But because Heretics are unable to defend on principles of truth the things which they erroneously conceive about God, it is as if they sought for the shadow of falsehood, to shew the ray of light. And they 'speak deceitfully for Him,' in that weak minds, by being senselessly seduced, they deceive in the understanding of Him.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XI ↗

Thomas Aquinas

First he intends to correct their unfitting process of reasoning, for since they had posited that rewards and punishments of good and evil works are repaid in this present life, it was necessary for them to use lies in defending the justice of God. Because it is evident that some innocent and just men are oppressed by adversities in this life, it was therefore necessary to impute crimes to the just to defend the justice of God. So they charged Job with impiety because they saw him afflicted. …

Commentary on Job ↗