Divine Speech and Wisdom in Suffering

For the soul is immortal. If you compare the life of Sodom, even that would be little compared to the life in the coming age and the immortality of the soul.

Do not be much in words, for the one opposing him is not himself. He is ignoring the concordant purpose of the things announced to him, and says to him: 'Do not be much in words.' And the divine word, training him not to have excess in words, says: 'From much speaking, one will not escape sin.' Here, 'much speaking' refers to the announcement that was not approaching. But the apostle makes it clear that it is not the multitude of announced words that makes it 'much speaking,' saying 'extending the word until midnight' (Acts 25:4) to those listening.

It is to be wondered at his audacity against Job, for even while answering him, he claimed not to be the one responding to him. Because of this, someone more audacious must be endured, to address him who suffers through faultiness, ignoring the other cause. For he does not say, 'I am pure in works and blameless before him.' Thinking he is advising him regarding his own assumption of purity, he approaches him as if the confession of this purity and blamelessness were a rejection of Providence; for friends think that if he had not sinned (1 Cor 11:30), he would not have fallen into dark places. But they do not show that Job said to God: 'I am blameless before you.' For he knew that 'stars are not pure before him' (Job 9:2), and what was said by those having been made righteous: 'All our righteousness is as a filthy rag before you' (Isa 64:6). For as toward you, the one being Judge (1 Cor 11:3), even if we have righteousness, we have it dim compared to you. And Paul, saying, 'I am not aware of anything against myself' (2 Cor 13:5) and adding, 'but I am not justified by this' (1 Cor 4:4), shows the weakness of natural kind.

But how would the Lord speak to you? And his lips would open with you? Since they appear to be having hesitation in speech, even if they erred regarding one thing—for it is said regarding some of them: 'Inquire of the former generation, and examine the traces of...'

The lineage of the fathers is clear: he says that he is not opening the speech of God and His lips in a human-suffering way. Therefore he says, 'Do not say, I am pure;' (Ps 51:6) but rather, make yourself fit for purity, so that in this way God might speak to you and open His lips with you through goodness. His speech and His lips are to be understood as the conversation occurring invisibly in the intellect.

For the lips manifest the word, as the proverbial saying teaches: 'The lips of the wise are perceived by insight;' (Prov 12:20) but also, 'Keep unjust lips far from you.' (Job 27:4) Furthermore, he announces to you the power of wisdom, because it shall be double to you. He makes it clear that God, speaking to you, will teach you, because He has brought these things about wisely. It is also understood that God will teach him as if regarding a just retribution; these things he was saying to Job.

It is indeed true, when God brings on pains through sin, that one capable of understanding must see the induction through His wisdom and in the bitter things, that He is not defending the sinner, but is bringing the tribulations medically and toward the health of the soul; which one of the saints, knowing this, said: 'I will bless You, Lord, because You were angry with me for the sake of salvation.' To receive the knowledge of the judgments of God is a gift of God, concerning which it has been said: 'Abyss is the multitude of Your judgments.' (Ps 139:6) We know this much: that they are being accomplished toward what is beneficial, even if we do not grasp it.

And let it be as an example of an island set apart, to which the ruler sends those falling and stumbling; and it is clear that this one is to lie underneath the rule, as everyone who is indeed sent to that island to dwell there undergoes this, even if we do not know the exact cause of the stumble. He brings a demonstration that God does all things by wisdom, saying: 'It shall be double to you'; double, as I think, meaning differing in superiority for the one who is not judged, the word being weakly advanced by him.

For because the judgments of God have deep knowledge, the blessed David teaches, to whom 'the obscure and the hidden things of wisdom' are revealed, saying: 'Your knowledge has been marveled at beyond me; it has been strengthened, I am not able toward it.' (Ps 139:6) And another says concerning wisdom: 'I said, I will act wisely, and it was removed far from me beyond what it was. And a deep depth: who will find it?' (Ps 42:9) And then you will know that it is worthy of you.