Divine Providence and the Integrity of Job

There are other causes, some known to men and some known to God alone as secret, which the blessed one says: 'The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord' (Job 1:21). The word 'it seemed good' must be heard not simply, but as if the God Himself were judging it so firmly.

Something similar is brought forward in the Acts of the Apostles, as the apostles were writing a letter regarding not circumcising those coming to the godliness, saying: 'It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us' (Acts 15:28), not simply, but as a settled decision. It might also be that the word reveals this thing to the opponent, that Job was not handed over because he gave in to the provocation of the devil, but so that glory might be produced for the Lord. And this was what God Himself said to Job: 'I have used you in a different way, so that you might be revealed as righteous' (Job 2:3), and that virtue stands not by means of money nor by means of children.

It is also wonderful that he says such a thing of thanksgiving: 'May the name of the Lord be blessed' (Job 1:21), which is a rebuke against those who complain about such accidents and bring such things forward, which is not even good to say. But the holy one is not such an unwise person, being unbending in his reasoning even when such things happen, becoming a herald of true dogmas and divine things.

The phrase 'So Job tore his garmentsss' (Job 1:20) is to be taken typologically. It might be possible to say that for this reason he stripped himself, first showing to the one testing him that, if you desire even the remaining things, you have these also; then showing symbolically that just as a combatant departs from an opponent. And the removal of the hairs might be a symbol of considering all excess to be nothing great, but being well-disposed toward the just and wise man, neither being debased in 'reliefs' nor being distressed in 'tribulations,' which the blessed David also sang in presenting: 'I will bless the Lord at all times' (Psalm 34:1).

'In all these things that happened to him, Job did not sin against the Lord, nor did he give unreasonableness to God' (Job 1:22). A great testimony is given by the Holy Spirit to the blessed Job in saying: 'In all these things Job did not sin against the Lord' (Job 1:22). For it is often the case that one does not sin openly, but happens in...

What kind of thoughts cause disturbance, as it is said: 'I was disturbed and I did not speak' (Job 1:21). But the presence of 'before' indicates that no stumble occurred, for he was being watched by God. For 'no one sinned thus' is not the same as 'no one sinned against the Lord,' which shows a purity surpassing even in word, deed, or thought of the holy man who stumbled.

To this end, God used to call those repenting: 'Remove the wickedness from your souls before my eyes' (Prov 28:13), which implies that we must not only refrain from deed, but also from the thought of evil, as seeing God. The Savior also says in the Gospel: 'But when you give alms, do not blow a trumpet as the hypocrites do' (Matt 6:2). And also: 'He who sees in secret will repay you' (Matt 6:4). Just as he who gives alms in this way does not hear the praise of the many, so he who does not sin against the Lord is free from all evil.

It is also good to say: 'And he did not give foolishness to God.' For he who is convinced that what happens is managed by divine providence does not attribute foolishness to the God who governs, unlike the unbelieving who often blame God and say: 'This ought not to have happened, or that; this one ought not to have suffered poverty or to be rich or to be sick or to be healthy,' or: 'Why did the young man depart from the life of the elders while they were still in it?'. In short, those saying such things assume the governance is foolish.

But the holy man, even in such circumstances, blesses the Lord, being convinced that the judgment of God is just. 'And it happened as this day, and the angels of the Lord came to stand before the Lord, and the devil came among them. And the Lord said to the devil: From where do you come? Then the devil said before the Lord: Having gone through the earth and walking throughout it' (Job 1:7-8). Having received from God the authority for an initial approach, the devil destroyed all that Job possessed, both his belongings and his children, but he was not able to overturn the resolve and the courage of the holy Job. For he remained through greatness of soul, the same man, according to godliness. And rightly so, for it was being divided: that God sends pleasant things and they are taken away. He attempts a second petition to move against his body.