Fathers

Job 35

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Moreover Elihu answered, “Do you think this to be your right, or do you say, ‘My righteousness is more than God’s,’ that you ask, ‘What advantage will it be to you? What profit will I have, more than if I had sinned?’ I will answer you, and your companions with you. Look to the skies, and see. See the skies, which are higher than you. If you have sinned, what effect do you have against him? If your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him? If you are righteous, what do you give him? Or what does he receive from your hand? Your wickedness may hurt a man as you are, and your righteousness may profit a son of man. “By reason of the multitude of oppressions they cry out. They cry for help by reason of the arm of the mighty. But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night, who teaches us more than the animals of the earth, and makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?’ There they cry, but no one answers, because of the pride of evil men. Surely God will not hear an empty cry, neither will the Almighty regard it. How much less when you say you don’t see him. The cause is before him, and you wait for him! But now, because he has not visited in his anger, neither does he greatly regard arrogance. Therefore Job opens his mouth with empty talk, and he multiplies words without knowledge.”

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What the Fathers say

Job 35:8

Western Saints

Gregory the Dialogist

Thine iniquity will hurt a man, who is like thee, and thy righteousness will profit the son of man. The iniquity of man hurts him, whom it pollutes by perversion. And, again, our righteousness profits him, whom it converts from his wickedness. For those things cannot either hurt, or profit, which cannot either corrupt from what is good, or change from what is evil. The powers above, then, cannot be either hurt, or profiled, because they have already received to be free from change. …

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XXVI ↗

Thomas Aquinas

One could object that God did not care whether man acts justly or unjustly. To answer this he then adds, "Your impiety will harm man who is your fellow creature", because he can receive harm; "and your justice will help a son of man," who needs the help of justice. This is why God prohibits impiety and commands justice, since God cares about men who are helped or hurt by this.

Commentary on Job ↗