Job 15:1Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Job asserted, “And I have a heart like yours” (Job 12:3), and, “As much as ye know, I also know: not lower am I than ye” (Job 13:2). Based on these statements, Eliphaz reproaches him. He proclaims, “Look at the response of the wise man who claims to possess all knowledge! He has filled himself with affliction,” implying that Job's words stem from his own discomfort and lead to his anguish. In doing so, he criticizes Job for two main reasons: first, that the truly wise do not showcase their intellect, and second, that Job’s comments, which are meant to challenge them, reflect his genuine suffering and turmoil (the phrase “filled with sickness” signifies the distress of his mind) yet are expressed in a manner that is ultimately futile and unwarranted.

Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied, asking if the wise one will respond as if speaking to the air, thus filling his stomach with restlessness. Job 15:1-2. ALLEGORICAL INTERPRETATION. It has been emphasized numerous times that the righteous Job symbolizes the Holy Universal Church, while his companions represent those who bear resemblance to heretics. Under the guise of defending the Lord, they seek opportunities for vain conversation and utter disrespectful remarks towards virtuous individuals. They disdain everything the believer contemplates, treating his reflections as if they were meaningless words carried away by the wind.

In his second address, Eliphaz strongly challenges Job's defenses with renewed fervor, deeming his statements baseless and even opposed to God. He suggests that Job sees prayer as superfluous (15: 1-4). Eliphaz intends to correct Job using his own language, pointing out his hypocrisy and arrogance, as Job claims the wisdom and experience of the elders (5-12) while forgetting that every person is unclean in the sight of God and wrongly believes himself to be righteous (13-16). Eliphaz juxtaposes Job's perspective with the ancient wisdom of the forebears, who were characterized by their longevity and insight. These ancestors asserted that the life of the wicked is filled with dread and that his demise is grim, particularly because of his pride before God (17-35).