Literal Commentary on Job (Expositio super Iob ad litteram)

And it came to pass on a certain day, etc. Since there is a threefold good of man, namely of the soul, of the body, and of external things, they are ordered to one another in this way: that the body is for the sake of the soul, while external things are for the sake of both the body and the soul. Therefore, just as it is a perverse intention if someone orders the goods of the soul to the prosperity of external goods, so too it is a perverse intention if someone orders the goods of the soul to the health of the body. And indeed that Job abounded in acts of virtue, which are goods of the soul, could be sensibly manifest to all, whence also the Lord had said above to Satan: "Hast thou considered my servant Job," etc. But Satan brought a slander, as though Job aimed at acts of virtue for the sake of temporal goods — just as evil men, of whom Satan is the prince, perniciously judge the intention of good men; but this slander was refuted by the fact that after the loss of external goods he still remained steadfast in virtue, from which it was sufficiently shown that his intention was not bent toward external goods.

It remained, therefore, for the perfect demonstration of Job's virtue, to show that his intention was not bent even toward the health of his own body; and therefore the divine judgment is again brought in, by which this is made manifest: this, then, is what is said: "And it came to pass on a certain day, when the sons of God came and stood before the Lord, that Satan also came among them and stood in his sight, that the Lord said to Satan: Whence comest thou?" Since these words have been expounded above, one need not dwell on them longer, except that this should be noted: that on account of another deed another day is here introduced, just as at the beginning of Genesis, according to the different kinds of things being instituted, different days are described. What Satan, being examined, answered is shown next when it is said: "Who answering said: I have gone round about the earth, and walked through it." And this is as above.

And again the Lord sets before him, as it were conspicuously, the virtue of Job, as above; whence it follows: "And the Lord said to Satan: Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a simple and upright man, and fearing God, and avoiding evil?" But because a certain virtue of blessed Job had now been manifested which had not been manifest before — namely, constancy in adversity — therefore he now adds "and still," that is, after the loss of temporal goods, "he retaineth his innocence"; from which the Lord further shows that Satan's suspicion was slanderous and his intention frustrated, whence it follows: "And thou hast moved me against him, that I should afflict him without cause."

Now from what is said, "thou hast moved me against him," it is not to be understood that God is provoked by someone to will what he did not will before, as is customary among men — for it is said, Numbers 23:19, "God is not as a man, that he should lie, nor as the son of man, that he should be changed" — but Scripture here speaks of God figuratively, in human fashion: for men, when they wish to do something on account of someone, are said to be moved by that person; but God indeed wills to do — as he also does — this on account of that, yet without any commotion of mind, because from eternity he had in mind what he was going to do, and on account of what. The Lord, therefore, had disposed from eternity to afflict Job temporally, in order to demonstrate the truth of his virtue, so that every slander of the malicious might be excluded; whence, to signify this, it is here said: "And thou hast moved me against him." But what is said — "that I should afflict him without cause" — is to be understood with respect to Satan's intention, not with respect to God's intention: for Satan had sought Job's adversity, intending thereby to lead him into impatience and blasphemy, which he had not achieved; but God had permitted this in order to make manifest his virtue, which had indeed come about. Thus, then, Job was afflicted in vain with respect to Satan's intention, but not with respect to God's intention.

But Satan, having been repulsed, does not rest, but still contrives a slander, wishing to show that all the good things Job had done, and even this very fact that he had patiently borne adversities, he had done not for love of God but for the health of his own body; whence it follows: "And Satan answering him said: Skin for skin, and all that a man hath he will give for his soul." Now it must be considered that Job had been afflicted in two ways: namely, in the loss of his possessions, and in the loss of his children. Satan, therefore, means to say that Job had patiently borne both afflictions for the health of his own body, and that this was not a matter of great virtue but was human and customary among men; and this is what he means by "man" — as if to say, whoever, even one not virtuous, will easily give skin for skin, that is, another's flesh for his own flesh: for a man not virtuous endures that anyone else, however closely joined to him, be afflicted in body rather than himself; and likewise any man will give all the external things he possesses for his soul, that is, for the preservation of his life: for external goods are sought for the preservation of life, that they may serve as an aid for food and clothing and other such things by which a man's life is conveniently preserved.

And because someone might say to Satan: whence can it be proved that Job bore the loss of his children and possessions patiently out of fear for his own skin and his own life? As if answering this question, he adds "but otherwise" — that is, if his bare word is not believed — "put forth thy hand," that is, exercise thy power, "and touch his bone and his flesh," that is, afflict him in body, not only on the surface, which could be signified by the touching of the flesh, but also in depth, which is signified by the touching of the bone, so that the touch may reach even to the innermost parts; "and then thou shalt see," that is, it will be able to be manifestly beheld by all, "that he will curse thee to thy face," which is to be expounded as above.

The Lord, therefore, willed to show that Job had not served God for the health of his body, just as he had shown above that he did not serve him for external goods; whence it is added: "The Lord therefore said to Satan: Behold, he is in thy hand" — that is, I hand over to thee the power of afflicting him in body — "but yet save his life" — that is, do not take his life from him. For God does not expose his servants totally to Satan's will, but according to a fitting measure, according to that saying of the Apostle, 1 Corinthians 10:13: "God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able."

"So Satan went out," etc. Having received the power, Satan proceeds to its execution; whence it is said: "So Satan going forth from the presence of the Lord, struck Job" — with a blow indeed foul and abominable, whence it is called "a sore"; incurable and painful, whence it is called "grievous"; and universal, whence it is said "from the sole of the foot even to the top of his head." Now the afflictions of the sick are usually relieved by remedies applied externally and by comforts, but Job was not relieved in this way, for it follows: "who scraped the corrupt matter with a potsherd," in which it is shown that soothing and delicate medicaments were not applied to him; "sitting on a dunghill," from which it is shown that he was refreshed neither by the pleasantness of the place, nor by the softness of bedding, nor by the odor of any sweetness, but rather made use of their contraries. Now this can have happened in two ways: either because, being struck by the Lord, he himself further afflicted and humbled himself of his own accord, that he might the more easily obtain mercy; or because he had lost everything he had, whence he could not procure fitting remedies for himself; and this is sufficiently probable from what the Lord said above; nor does it appear that Satan did anything to harm him beyond the power given to him.

Also, the afflictions of men are usually relieved by consoling words, but to the afflicted Job words of exasperation are spoken, the more provoking the more closely joined the person is who utters them; for it follows: "And his wife said to him" — whom alone the Devil had left him, that through her he might assail the mind of the just man, he who had cast down the first man through a woman. She, however, first broke out into words of mockery, saying: "Dost thou still continue in thy simplicity?" — as if to say: at least after so many scourges you ought to recognize that it was useless for you to keep your simplicity, just as also it is said in the person of certain men, Malachi 3:14: "He is vain that serveth God, and what profit is it that we have kept his commandments?" Second, she proceeds to words of perverse suggestion, saying: "Bless God" — that is, curse — as if to say: since adversity has come upon you while you blessed God, curse God, that you may obtain prosperity. Finally, she concludes with words of despair, saying: "and die," as if to say: consider yourself as good as dead, for nothing remains for you, remaining in your simplicity, except to die. Or, taken otherwise: "bless God and die," that is, since after such reverence toward God you have been afflicted with adversity in this way, if you still bless God nothing remains but for you to await death.

But the holy man, who had patiently borne his own misfortunes, could not bear an injury to God; for it follows: "Who said to her: Thou hast spoken like one of the foolish women." Rightly does he accuse her of folly, since she spoke against divine wisdom. That she had spoken foolishly he shows: "If we have received good things at the hand of the Lord, why should we not receive evil?" In which he teaches the perfect wisdom of man. For since temporal and bodily goods are not to be loved except for the sake of spiritual and eternal goods, then, provided these latter — the more principal ones — are safe, a man ought not to be cast down if he be deprived of the former, nor be elated if he abound in them. Job therefore teaches us to have such constancy of soul that we both make use of temporal goods, if they are given to us by God, in such a way that we are not thereby lifted up into pride, and endure the contrary evils in such a way that our soul is not thereby cast down, according to that saying of the Apostle, Philippians (last chapter): "I know both how to be brought low, and I know how to abound," and afterward, "I can do all things in him who strengtheneth me." Then Job's perseverance in innocence is concluded when it is said: "In all these things Job did not sin with his lips."

Not only through his wife did the Devil strive to exasperate the mind of blessed Job, but also through his friends, who, although they came to console him, nevertheless proceeded to words of rebuke; of whom it is said: "So the three friends of Job, hearing of all the evil that had befallen him, came, each one from his own place: Eliphaz the Themanite, and Baldad the Suhite, and Sophar the Naamathite." And because almost the whole disputation of this book turns among these men, it must be considered that these three were, in some respect, of the same opinion as Job — whence they are called his friends — and in some respect differed from him, while agreeing with one another — whence they are numbered together with one another and distinguished from Job. They agreed with Job, indeed, that not only natural things but also human affairs are subject to divine providence; but they differed from him in that they thought that man is rewarded by God with earthly prosperity for the good things he does, and punished by God with temporal adversity for the evil things he does, as though temporal goods were the rewards of virtues and temporal evils were the proper penalties of sins. Now each of them strives to defend this opinion in his own manner, according to what his own particular disposition suggested to him; on account of which they are said to have come "each one from his own place." Job, however, was not of this opinion, but believed that the good works of men are ordered to a future spiritual reward after this life, and likewise that sins are to be punished by future punishments.

That the aforesaid friends of Job came to console him is shown by what follows: "For they had made an appointment to come together, to visit him and to comfort him," in which they showed themselves true friends, not failing him in tribulations; for it is said, Ecclesiasticus 12:9, "a friend is known in distress and in the evil day of a man." And first indeed the very visitation was consoling: for to see a friend and to live together with him is most delightful. They also console him by deeds, showing him signs of their compassion. Before these signs of compassion, that which provokes compassion is set forth, when it is said: "And when they had lifted up their eyes afar off, they knew him not": for his face was changed by the sore, and his dress and the rest of his attire by the loss of his goods; and what he says, "afar off," is to be understood according to that measure by which a man can be recognized from a distance. This change in their friend provoked them to sorrow and compassion, which they showed through signs; for it follows: "and crying out," that is, on account of the greatness of their grief, "they wept, and rending their garments, they sprinkled dust upon their heads" as a sign of humility and dejection, as it were accounting themselves cast down by the dejection of their friend. He adds, moreover, "toward heaven," as though by this humiliation they might provoke heavenly mercy.

It must be considered that the compassion of friends is consoling, either because adversity, like a certain burden, is borne more lightly when it is carried by several, or rather because all sadness is relieved by an admixture of delight: and it is most delightful to take proof of someone's friendship, which is above all taken from compassion in adversities, and therefore it brings consolation. Now they consoled him not only by the compassion shown, but also by rendering him companionship; for it follows: "and they sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights"; it is to be understood, however, not continuously but at fitting hours, for so great a sorrow needed a lasting consolation. But the third thing, which is above all consoling — namely, speech — they did not render; for it follows: "and no man spoke a word to him." The reason for their silence is shown when it is added: "for they saw that his grief was very great" — which reason is given more according to the opinion of the ones consoling than according to the true state of the afflicted man; for when someone's mind has been absorbed by grief, it does not receive words of consolation, whence also the poet says: "Who but one lacking sense forbids a mother to weep at the funeral of her son?" Job, however, was not so disposed that he could not receive consolation on account of his sorrow, but rather he himself, according to reason, consoled himself, as appears from his words adduced above.