Job 12:13Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Chrysostom and Olympiodorus appear to admonish their audience by saying: "Do not assume that you have grasped everything; while our intellect allows us to reason, understanding requires considerable time; the wise person becomes adept through the experience of years." Perhaps they convey the notion, "I am aware of what I hear and have had the opportunity to gain insight." Aquila interprets this as "wisdom in the elders," while Symmachus states "in the long-lived." For humanity, wisdom is achieved through effort and nurtured over time, yet for God, it is granted at His discretion.

With Him reside wisdom and strength; He possesses counsel and insight. We can accurately interpret these statements regarding the only begotten Son of the Most High if we recognize that He embodies 'the Wisdom and Power of God.' The Apostle Paul also supports this interpretation, affirming that Christ is the Power of God and the Wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:24), which are eternally 'with Him,' for in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (Jn. 1:1). Moreover, God's counsel and understanding operate similarly—His counsel signifies that He alone has authority over all matters, while His understanding shows that He alone comprehends our circumstances.

Job is troubled by his friends' belief that they alone possess wisdom and their inability to recognize that joy does not necessarily stem from righteousness in this life. He points out to them that the existence of all living beings and the destinies of humanity are governed by God's will. Furthermore, Job reminds his companions that the elders, whose wisdom they uphold, have created a poem celebrating God's sovereign actions concerning all people, including the mighty, the esteemed, and the knowledgeable.