Fathers

Job 13

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“Behold, my eye has seen all this. My ear has heard and understood it. What you know, I know also. I am not inferior to you. “Surely I would speak to the Almighty. I desire to reason with God. But you are forgers of lies. You are all physicians of no value. Oh that you would be completely silent! Then you would be wise. Hear now my reasoning. Listen to the pleadings of my lips. Will you speak unrighteously for God, and talk deceitfully for him? Will you show partiality to him? Will you contend for God? Is it good that he should search you out? Or as one deceives a man, will you deceive him? He will surely reprove you if you secretly show partiality. Shall not his majesty make you afraid, and his dread fall on you? Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes. Your defenses are defenses of clay. “Be silent! Leave me alone, that I may speak. Let come on me what will. Why should I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand? Behold, he will kill me. I have no hope. Nevertheless, I will maintain my ways before him. This also will be my salvation, that a godless man will not come before him. Listen carefully to my speech. Let my declaration be in your ears. See now, I have set my cause in order. I know that I am righteous. Who is he who will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and give up the spirit. “Only don’t do two things to me, then I will not hide myself from your face: withdraw your hand far from me, and don’t let your terror make me afraid. Then call, and I will answer, or let me speak, and you answer me. How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my disobedience and my sin. Why do you hide your face, and consider me your enemy? Will you harass a driven leaf? Will you pursue the dry stubble? For you write bitter things against me, and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth: You also put my feet in the stocks, and mark all my paths. You set a bound to the soles of my feet, though I am decaying like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten.

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What the Fathers say

Job 13:24

Western Saints

Gregory the Dialogist

Wherefore hidest Thou Thy face, and holdest me for Thine enemy? Man enjoyed the light of inward contemplation in Paradise, but by gratifying himself as he departed from himself, he lost the light of the Creator, and fled from His face to the trees of Paradise, seeing that, after his sin, he dreaded to see Him, whom he had used to love. …

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XI ↗

Thomas Aquinas

Then, as though the one to whom he had given the part of the opponent were silent, Job himself assumes the part of the objector and asks about the causes of his punishment. First, since someone could object that God punished him as his enemy, he rejects this by saying, "Why do you hide your face and think of me as your enemy?" For it seems evil that someone regard someone else as an enemy without proof. But the only fitting cause for hostility is an offense. Thus it is evident that God thinks a man his enemy when his sins are clear. …

Commentary on Job ↗