Fathers

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What the Fathers say

Job 31:1

Western Saints

Gregory the Dialogist

I made a covenant with mine eyes that I should not even think upon a maid. Whereas the soul is invisible, it is in no degree affected by the delightfulness of things corporeal, except that, being closely attached to the body, it has the senses of that body as a kind of opening for going forth. For seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, and touching, are a kind of ways of the mind, by which it should come forth without, and go a lusting after the things that are without the limits of its substance. …

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XXI ↗

Thomas Aquinas

After Job had told of his former prosperity (c.29) and his subsequent adversity, (c. 30) he now shows his innocence so that one does not believe that he had fallen into adversities because of sins. He begins to show his innocence by his freedom from the sin of lust which involves most men. One easily slips into this sin, because unless someone avoids the beginnings, he can scarcely withdraw from the things which come after. …

Commentary on Job ↗