Job 11:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

When any unjust accusation arises against you, reflect on what those close to him said, suggesting that he had not yet offered a suitable atonement for his sins. Consider how they criticized him, and you will rise above this trial as well.

Verse 6. And that He may reveal to you the profound mysteries of wisdom, and that her principles are diverse (Job 11:6). The ultimate Wisdom is clearly displayed when the Almighty governs His creations, concludes the good works He initiates, and guides those He enlightens through His divine presence. It is evident to all that those He has formed from His generous will, He sustains through His grace. When He gives spiritual gifts, He Himself brings to fullness what He has started in the generosity of His grace. However, the hidden workings of the Supreme Wisdom become apparent when God withdraws from His creations, when the good He has initiated in us remains unfinished, when He enlightens us with His illuminating grace yet permits the fleshly temptations to overwhelm us with spiritual blindness; when the good gifts He has given, He fails to protect within us; when He maintains the desires of our souls for Himself while at the same time, through secret judgment, burdens us with the imperfections of our frail nature. 7. The mysteries of this divine wisdom are rarely comprehended by us, and no one can truly know them; indeed, it is certain that we must submit to what is predetermined by the immortal Wisdom while still in our mortal existence. Yet contemplating these divine mysteries is in some way also part of understanding the power of His incomprehensible Nature. Although we cannot grasp His secret judgments, through this very frailty, we come to realize whom we ought to revere. Paul endeavored to delve into these divine mysteries when he expressed, "O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways!" (Romans 11:33-34). In the prior context, having discovered his own weakness in even a simple inquiry, he acknowledges his limitations, declaring, "O man, who art thou that disputest with God? Shall a thing say to him that made it, Why hast thou made me thus?" (Romans 9:20). Aware of his inability to fathom the mysteries of God, he humbly returns to a confession of weakness, and though he does not comprehend the secrets of wisdom, he nevertheless finds them. For when his own strength waned in understanding the designs of the Most High, he learned to fear with deeper humility, and the man whose weakness barred him from inward understanding was drawn closer to it through humility. Therefore, Sophar, who is well-versed in knowledge yet displays ignorance through pompous speech, earnestly wishes for his companion, saying, "But, O if God would speak to thee, and open His mouth unto thee! And that He would impart to you the mysteries of wisdom." He seeks to imply that he possesses the wisdom which his friend lacks, adding: "and that her law is manifold." By the ‘law’ of God, can we not understand love, by which we discern in our hearts how the commandments of life are to be maintained in our actions? For concerning this law, the Truth declares, "This is my commandment, that ye love one another" (John 15:12). Additionally, Paul states: "that love is the fulfillment of the law" (Romans 13:10). He further instructs, "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2). What can be more rightly understood under the law of Christ than love, which we genuinely exhibit when we carry the burdens of our brethren?

Moral Interpretation 8. This law is thus rightly termed ‘manifold’; love, filled with earnest care, extends across the many expressions of virtue. Though it is grounded in just two commandments, it sprouts forth in countless forms. To begin with, this law consists of love towards God and love towards neighbor. Love for God is distinctively categorized into three dimensions. We are charged to love our Creator "with all our heart," "with all our soul," and "with all our might." It is important to note that when the Holy Scriptures command us to love God, they not only convey what we are to do but instruct us on the depth of love required, indicating that one who seeks to please God wholly must hold nothing back. The love for neighbor is effectively divided into two commandments; on one hand, a righteous individual has stated, "Thou shalt not do unto others what is hateful to yourself" (Tobit 4:15). On the other hand, the Truth asserts, "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them" (Matthew 7:12). Behold the two commandments of both Testaments—one restraining malevolence and the other urging righteous conduct. Each individual ought not to inflict upon others any suffering that he would not wish to endure himself. The result is a cessation of causing harm to one another, and it evolves into extending the good that one desires onto fellow men with kindness. With these two principles maintained vigilantly, the heart expands into a plethora of virtues, preventing that which ought not to exist, and the mind remains undisturbed by passion. Should one establish himself in anything that the heart must hold dear, it can easily fall into negligence and stagnation. For when a person refrains from doing to another what he would not wish for himself, he must observe his own heart with vigilance, wary of pride that may elevate him and cause him to disrespect his neighbor; of envy that could distort his thoughts and lead to covetousness; of lust that might corrupt the heart and enslave it to illicit passions; of anger that could boil over into insults; of envy that could gnaw away, kindled by the successes of others; of a tongue unrestrained, prone to slander; and of ill will that could incite hatred and produce the venom of gossip. Additionally, considering how to treat others as he desires to be treated, he ought to think about how to repay evil with good, respond to malfeasance with kindness; how to show humility and patience towards the insolent; how to extend goodwill even to those infected with wickedness; how to align with those who contest with the world; how to express a righteous yearning for true peace; how to provide for those in need; how to guide the wayward towards righteousness; how to console the distressed with kind words; how to extinguish the flames of worldly desires; how to respond with reasoning to the threats of the powerful; how to alleviate the darkness encroaching on the lives of the oppressed; how patiently to confront those who show external resistance; how to correct the proud with lessons of discipline and patience; how to temper zeal so that it remains in line with justice; how to ensure zeal does not ignite into vengeance beyond compassion; how to love the ungrateful without seeking personal gain; how to hold in love all whom one strives to assist; how to avoid neglecting an inactive neighbor, when it is evident that he is beyond correction; how to engage when correction is possible, and not to fall silent as though condoning their behavior; how to maintain true silence free of the poison of irritation; how to offer goodwill to the wicked without compromising righteousness; how to act for the good of his fellow men to the utmost of his ability while avoiding arrogance; to perform good deeds with humility without allowing pride to undermine the work; to share the gifts one has, reflecting on the abundance of the Giver, not viewing the loss of earthly possessions as impoverishment; to avoid gazing sorrowfully at the gifts given, as though longing for worldly possessions.

9. Therefore, the law of God is rightly termed manifold here, since although it consists of a single principle of love, when it fully governs the mind, love ignites it in countless expressions of good works. The diversity of these manifestations can be briefly outlined through the examples of some Saints. Thus in Abel, it is seen in his offering of worthy gifts to God and his acceptance of his brother’s aggression without resistance; in Enoch, it teaches him to dwell spiritually among men while, even in the body, it elevates him to a higher life. Noah is shown what is favored by God while the rest disregard it; he is inspired to labor tirelessly in building the ark, preserving him through the practice of righteous deeds. In Shem and Japheth, love prompted them to cover their father’s shame, shrouding it with a cloak to hide what they did not wish to see. It raised Abraham’s hand to sacrifice his son in obedience and made him the patriarch of multitudes. Love kept Isaac’s vision sharp, allowing him, despite age’s dimming, to foresee events beyond his time. Love compelled Jacob to mourn deeply for the son taken from him while remaining steadfast before the wicked. She taught Joseph, sold by his brothers, how to serve his master graciously and to maintain his spirit's liberty without lording over his siblings. When the people sinned, love moved Moses to pray, even at the cost of his own life, showing his fervor toward the errant people; and he expressed righteous anger towards them for their transgressions. Love urged him to wield his sword against the guilty to appease divine wrath. It guided Jesus to first expose the deceit of His own people with truth and then to confront outside adversaries with divine authority. It kept Samuel humble amidst power while also protecting him in degradation, displaying his love even for those who persecuted him, revealing that he did not crave the heights from which he fell. It spared Isaiah from embarrassment over bodily frailty in his prophetic ministry, imparting to him understanding of celestial mysteries (Isaiah 20:2). It taught Elijah to live with fervor and zeal, even lifting him bodily into glory. She guided Elisha to fully embrace his master’s spirit. Through her, Jeremiah endured the disobedience of the people and still found ways to support them while restraining them from error. She first removed Ezekiel from all earthly desires. She enabled Daniel to resist royal delicacies and shut the jaws of hungry lions. Through the Three Children, she extinguished the flames of sinful desire in peaceful times, and in adversity, quenched the fire of persecution in the furnace. She helped Peter withstand the threats of enraged authorities, listening humbly to the words of his subordinates. She enabled Paul to bear the violence of his persecutors with meekness yet plead boldly for spiritual righteousness. This is the ‘manifoldness’ of God's law, which, though unchanging across different events, displays various manifestations at different times.

Sophar, the third friend of Job, perceives Job's earlier statements as mere chatter that fails to validate his virtue (11: 1-3). He suggests that if God had disclosed the hidden reasons behind Job's afflictions, it would be revealed that Job warranted even harsher penalties for his transgressions (4-6). Although humanity cannot fully grasp the workings of divine providence, it is undeniable that the Lord allows suffering to befall individuals as a consequence of their iniquities (7-11). Hence, the most effective way to attain peace and restore a fulfilling life is through personal transformation: this will eliminate the root of suffering, paving the way for goodness to emerge (12-20).