Fathers

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What the Fathers say

Job 39:11

Western Saints

Gregory the Dialogist

Wilt thou have confidence in his great strength, and wilt thou leave to him thy labours? 8. The Lord asserts that He has confidence in the strength of the rhinoceros; because He inclined the powers, which He had conferred for a temporal purpose on an earthly prince, to minister to His reverence, in order that by the power he had received, through which he had, heretofore, been puffed up against God, he might now bestow on God religious obedience. …

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XXXI ↗

Thomas Aquinas

Some strong animals are set free to guard the fields against thieves or animals which can devastate the standing grain, as fields are guarded in this way by ferocious dogs, but this cannot be done with the rhinoceros, because he is not domesticated, and so he says, "Will you put your confidence in his great strength and will you leave your labors to him?", i.e., to guard the fruits of the fields. So you cannot use this very strong animal, either like the ox for plowing, or like the dog as a guard.

Commentary on Job ↗