The Church Fathers on this verse

Job 19:3Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Behold, these ten times you confound me, and are not ashamed to oppress me.

Douay-Rheims

זֶ֤ה עֶ֣שֶׂר פְּ֭עָמִים תַּכְלִימ֑וּנִי לֹֽא־תֵ֝בֹ֗שׁוּ תַּהְכְּרוּ־לִֽי׃

Hebrew (Masoretic text)

The Church Fathers on this verse

2 Church Fathers comment on this verse

John Chrysostom

4th centuryChurch Father

You speak ill of me, he remarks, showing no remorse and continuing to oppress me. He asserts that at least the honor of the one administering punishment should bring you shame. You should not trample on those whom God disciplines but ought to feel sorrow and be contrite; even more so, you should not take pleasure in the downfall of others. For no one escapes discipline. Truly, who can fail to feel shame for the affliction He has brought upon them, even if they do not recognize its inherent honor?

Gregory the Great

6th centuryChurch Father

Observe, ten times you have brought shame upon me, as stated in Job 19:3. When we review the exchanges between Job and his friends, we see that they addressed him five times. Therefore, due to the five rebukes he received and the five responses he made, Job claims he has been shamed ten times. This reflects the fact that he endured unjust criticisms, suffered profoundly, and provided counsel to those who were not willing to listen, thus facing shame. In his silence, while the afflicted man listened obediently and responded seemingly to no avail, he felt deep sorrow in his heart. Consequently, he lamented, What shall I do? If I speak, my anguish remains unresolved; and even if I hold back, it will not leave me, as noted in Job 19:4.

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In a spiritual interpretation, if we view these words as symbolic of the Holy Church, it is well understood that her joy lies in adhering to the commandments of God. Yet the wicked cause her to bear shame on multiple occasions, forsaking these commandments and undermining the righteous whenever they oppose God's word through their deeds. Job continues, and you are not ashamed to oppress me (Job 19:3).

There are individuals who, driven by a malevolent impulse, may be momentarily halted by a sense of respect for their fellow beings. Frequently, the fear of public disgrace leads them to introspect and judge themselves; however, if they hesitate to act wrongly out of concern for human judgment, how much more should they fear even to harbor unholy thoughts, knowing that God observes all? Such individuals may rectify their internal faults due to their fear of external shame. Yet some, having disregarded God in their hearts, tend to scorn the judgment of their peers even more, carrying out their sinful actions without any sense of shame. This was similarly true of a certain unrighteous judge, who had neither fear of God nor shame (Luke 18:2). Thus, it is stated that some engage in sin with brazen impudence: they declare their wrongdoing openly, as Sodom did (Isaiah 3:9).

These individuals often emerge as adversaries of the Holy Church, unrestrained in their wickedness by either the fear of God or the consequences of human judgment. Blessed Job aptly described them: And you are not ashamed to oppress me, highlighting that while desiring sinful things is grave, it is even worse to lack shame in pursuing such desires. Further, it continues:

Cross references

Passages read together with this verse.