THEOSISGregory the Great
Verse 22. Why do you pursue me as if you were God, and are consumed by my suffering? Job 19:22. It is not inconsistent with faith to claim that he is oppressed by God. This reflects a genuine persecutor, as the Lord expresses through the prophet, "To him that secretly slanders his neighbor, I will pursue." Psalms 100:5. When a saint undergoes discipline, he understands that such suffering is a consequence of his own failings, a form of persecution linked to the wrongs from which he suffers. Conversely, the malicious hearts of oppressors seek to discipline the righteous not out of a desire for purification but out of envy.
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They act only in accordance with what Almighty God allows; that is, while God operates through them as tools, no one’s will is able to act without God’s permission, which is granted out of love, as part of His purifying discipline, allowing wicked individuals to unleash their malice. Thus, it is asked, "Why do you persecute me as God does?" This questions their role as external chastisers who lack any sincere intention for good. They fulfill what God has willed but do not aim for His true desire—that the righteous be refined through suffering. This can also be interpreted in another way: God justly punishes the wicked because He is devoid of evil Himself; however, when humans chastise one another, they should do so with the awareness of their own flaws, learning humility while addressing the faults of others. In essence, he questions them: “Why do you chastise me in my failings, as if you yourselves are free from weakness?" It is essential to note that if we correct someone whom God has not yet disciplined, our reproof must be stern; however, if that individual is already receiving divine correction, our role shifts from rebuke to comfort. By adding reproach during their suffering, we only add to their burden when they are already being punished. In addition, he states: are you not consumed by my suffering? The intent to punish others indicates a desire to be ‘filled with the flesh’ of their victim. It is significant to recognize that those who defame another's character are also indulging in ‘the flesh’ of others. Hence, Solomon advises, "Do not associate with drinkers of wine, nor with gluttonous eaters of meat." Proverbs 23:20. Those who envy and disparage their neighbors’ lives are the ‘gluttons’ he warns against; these individuals are destined for destruction. They are ‘given to the bowls,’ reveling in slander; those who ‘contribute’ do so maliciously, adding their own words to a feast of ill will against others. As it is declared, every slanderer will face ruin. The reference, found in either Proverbs 15:5 or Psalms 100:5, warns of the fate of such individuals—‘drowsiness shall clothe them,’ symbolizing their eventual demise marked by contemptible emptiness, stripped of all virtue due to their fixation on uncovering others' failings. The severe trials faced by the blessed Job should not be overlooked, nor can ignorance provide a refuge from awareness of their significance; for many, they serve as a reminder to uphold patience, even for those who have been blessed with the grace to endure. Recognizing that his own afflictions may serve as a lesson, the blessed Job quickly concludes, stating: