THEOSISJerome of Stridon
I have witnessed an injustice in the world, frequently manifested in humanity. There are individuals to whom God has granted wealth, assets, and renown, lacking nothing that their hearts desire. Yet, God has not bestowed upon him the ability to enjoy these blessings; instead, a stranger reaps the benefits. This exemplifies the utmost futility and wickedness: if a man fathers a hundred offspring and lives for many years, experiencing abundant days, yet his soul remains unfulfilled and he lacks a proper burial, I contend that a stillborn child is better off than he. He arrives in vanity and departs in darkness, obliterating any memory of his name. Though he does not see or understand the sun, he finds more rest than he.
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And even if he were to live for two thousand years without experiencing goodness, doesn’t everything ultimately lead to the same conclusion? This paints a picture of a miserly rich man, highlighting a common malady among people: he possesses everything considered good in the world, yet he suffers from an absurd greed, hoarding wealth only to waste it on others. It is said hyperbolically that even if he had one hundred children and lived not merely a thousand years as Adam did, but two thousand, his existence, plagued by envy and avarice, would be worse than that of a stillborn, who perished as soon as he was born. The stillborn has known neither joy nor sorrow; meanwhile, the wealthy man, burdened by cares and pains, finds less peace than the stillborn. Nevertheless, both meet the same fate, as death claims them alike.
This can be understood in the context of Israel—God provided them with the law, prophets, covenants, and promises; yet the Savior proclaimed, "The kingdom of God shall be taken away from you, and it shall be given to a nation bearing the fruits of it" (Matthew 21:43). These gifts will be bestowed upon a Gentile nation that gathers in faith, while the Israelites may recognize their blessings but fail to embrace them. We are indeed in a more favorable situation, regarded as if stillborn and at the end of the line compared to those who take pride in their heritage and boast of their ancestors, saying, "We have Abraham as our father" (John 8:39). Still, both they and we will face the same destination—the judgment of God. The mention that "he shall not even have a burial" suggests that the affluent man is oblivious to his mortality, paying little heed to his end. He may barely bother to construct a tomb for himself or may die a violent death, discarded without burial. Or, perhaps it implies that he accomplishes no good that would leave a lasting legacy, effectively living his life like livestock, despite possessing the means to leave a meaningful mark.