Job 16:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Almighty surrendered me to the lawless one, placing me in the grasp of the wicked, which refers to the devil and his angels. However, this also applies to Christ, who was entrusted into the hands of the Jews. I remained composed, yet He caused me to tremble; He seized me by the neck and struck me, transforming me into His target. This signifies that from His state of abundance, He became impoverished, for Christ, being divine, took on human form. His archers encircled me; He pierced my innermost being and did not show mercy, spilling my bile onto the ground. The arrows mentioned here should be seen as the afflictions that Job suffered, as well as the blasphemies that Christ faced from the Jews. The expression regarding my innards must also be interpreted in relation to Christ.

God has confined me with the unrighteous and handed me over to the hands of the ungodly, as noted in Job 16:11. The chosen ones find themselves ‘confined with the wicked’ when our ancient foe manifests in the physical realm, and the elect are indeed ‘delivered into the hands of the wicked,’ but not to their spirit. The more steadfastly our minds resist this bondage, the more fiercely the adversary turns against our flesh. However, when the Holy Church endures extreme trials, she observes that her weaker members worsen in their plight, prompting her to recall the days of her tranquility, when she nourished her faithful with the abundance of her teachings. Thus, it is fitting to add:

Eliphaz's frustration at Job's refusal to acknowledge guilt for his afflictions mirrors Job's own indignation towards the unfounded accusations of his companions. Job contends that their lack of understanding regarding his circumstances stems from their inability to truly grasp the depths of his suffering. As he articulates the magnitude of his pain, Job attributes the source of his trials to the Lord, yet he finds no fault within himself. In his defense, he calls upon the earth, to which he will soon return, and God, the omniscient witness, to affirm his righteousness.