Job 14:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

3:19), or as rendered in another translation, "Dust thou art, and to dust thou shalt turn." Thus, the 'root of the righteous ages in the soil, and his trunk decays in the dust,' because in the hearts of those who reject the message, all the goodness of that message withers away, and 'the stump decays in the dust' as his lifeless body is subjected to the hands of persecutors. This aligns with the wisdom spoken: "In the eyes of the unwise they seemed dead, and their departure is taken for suffering" (Prem. 3:2). Nevertheless, those whose 'root remains old in the soil and whose trunk has died in the dust,' upon detecting the fragrance of water, come to life, for by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and through their example, they encourage shoots of strength to emerge in the hearts of the faithful. Water often symbolizes the anointing of the Holy Spirit, a reminder underscored by the scripture, "Whoever thirsts, come to Me and drink" (Jn. 7:37), and "whosoever shall drink of the water which I shall give him shall never thirst" (Jn. 4:14). It is followed by the phrase: and brings forth leaves, as when it was planted. To produce leaves after being cut down signifies that when a righteous man concludes his earthly life, through the virtuous example of his suffering, he uplifts the spirits of many and, through authentic faith, reveals the flourishing of truth ahead. It is aptly stated: as when it was first planted. All the actions of the righteous serve as a sort of second planting, as it is clear that the initial planting does not stem from deeds but from the foreknowledge of the Creator. Because all that the elect accomplishes is first established internally, and only later manifests externally, it is rightly said: and puts forth leaves as when it was first planted, which indicates that it displays its vitality in actions only after having previously seen the Creator.

Furthermore, 'the root of the righteous' may also refer to the true essence of humanity, which is presently in a state where that same root has become obsolete in the soil. As the natural order concludes, the fleshly stump perishes and returns to dust—'whose stump dies in the dust'—because the body that had maintained its form ultimately disintegrates. However, upon experiencing the waters, it seedlings anew, for through the arrival of the Holy Ghost, it is resurrected; and it will produce shoots as when it was initially planted, for humanity returns to its original form intended at creation, had it renounced sin while dwelling in Paradise.

This notion may additionally represent the Lord Himself, who stands as the Head of all that is good. As previously mentioned, He remarked, "For if they did these things to the green tree, what must be done to the dry?" (Lk. 23:31). He identified Himself as a green tree while we are likened to a dry tree, for He embodies the power of the Divine nature, whereas we, being mere mortals, are regarded as dry timber. Thus, there remains hope for the tree; when cut down, it can sprout again, as even though He faced death during His Passion, by the splendor of His Resurrection, the Green of Life flourished anew. 'It yields shoots' as faithfulness expanded through His Resurrection and grew extensively; His root, in a way, retained its presence in the earth, as the Jews' scorn towards His message was evident; 'And His stump died in the dust,' for within the hearts of His persecutors, who elevated Him upon the winds of their disbelief, He experienced their disdain toward the death of the flesh. Yet "smelling the waters," He "gives forth shoots," as through the potency of God, His Flesh was resurrected after death, as recorded: "Whom God raised from the dead" (Acts 3:15). The Holy Trinity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—restored to life the mortal flesh of the only begotten Son. And He 'put forth leaves as when He was first planted,' as after the Apostles, who had feared and denied Him in His hour of death, received renewed strength in their faith through His Resurrection. Compared to such a tree, what is every human but dust? Hence it is added:

In reviewing all the previous speeches, it becomes clear that Job, acknowledging the sinful nature of mankind and the role of Divine Providence in human happiness or suffering, emphasizes from his own experiences that a person's fate cannot always be directly linked to their moral conduct. Instead, it often hinges on secret and divine determinations. Consequently, Job not only pleads with God for relief from his afflictions but also seeks to understand the reasons behind them. Meanwhile, Job's friends, who also base their arguments on the concept of human sinfulness, are limited to a view that equates earthly happiness with virtue. They interpret every misfortune as a consequence of sin and, in the absence of overt wrongdoing, are quick to assume that Job harbors undisclosed faults.