THEOSISGregory the Great
He offers a sacrificial promise to his allies, and the sight of his descendants shall vanish (Job 17:5). After the blessed Job addresses the multitude of transgressors, signifying the collective of our old adversary, he shifts his focus directly to their leader, the head of all the lost, transitioning from the general to the specific. The devil and all those who do evil are so intertwined that it is common for the collective to be referred to by the name of the leader, and vice versa. For instance, it is said of a wicked person, “and one of you is the devil” (John 6:70). Similarly, when referring to the fallen angel, it is noted, “the enemy did it” (Matthew 13:28).
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Therefore, the ruler of all malice has some of his members termed ‘friends’ and others ‘children.’ Who are his companions but those apostate angels who have descended from the heavenly realm alongside him? Or who are they, if not his offspring, those sinful individuals born from his corrupt convictions and pursuits of wickedness? Accordingly, Truth states for the faithless, “You are of your father the devil” (John 8:44). The malevolent progenitor of sin offers a ‘sacrifice’ to his ‘friends’ by promising the souls of the wicked, who remain in bondage to him at their end; and the vision of his progeny will perish because, by instilling in humanity a desire solely for earthly pursuits, he leads them to cherish that which is fleeting. A person who recognizes that both he and that which he loves are rapidly coming to an end cannot continue in misguided affection. The term ‘friends’ may also represent those who are particularly treacherous and are already immersed in various forms of wickedness, while ‘children’ might refer to those misled by the allure of temporary rewards, who are on the brink of deeper depravity. Thus, the devil categorizes them based on their level of wickedness: ‘friends’ are those who have reached their limit of ruin and cannot further descend, while ‘children’ are those he continues to nurture with promises, leading them toward even worse actions. Yet, ‘the eyes of his children shall perish’ signifies that due to the grave fall to earth, all they once held dear will be abandoned, enduring ceaseless suffering, forever filled with sorrow.