Job 20:18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Therefore, it must be acknowledged that he will pay for all his deeds, and he will not be extinguished at last, understanding that he is afflicted endlessly, dying yet living, falling yet being held: forever, infinitely, eternally. These matters are profoundly alarming just to contemplate, but they become infinitely more dreadful when experienced. Nonetheless, the great extent of his wickedness dictates that he cannot escape punishment, thus it is ordained: he shall suffer according to the multitude of his transgressions. When he commits new sins in this life, he will face fresh and tormenting punishments in the next. What he could not even envision here will become his reality there when he is subjected to discipline. For the righteous, who earnestly practice goodness, sometimes strive to exceed what God has commanded (for instance, the virtue of celibacy is not mandated but praiseworthy; if it were required, it would imply that marriage is sinful, which is not the case; yet, many virtuous individuals have achieved more in their service through celibacy than those who follow only obligatory paths). Similarly, the wicked who engage in malevolent actions often create new forms of evil and exceed the lawlessness they have observed in others. Thus, they are beset with punishment in proportion to their actions, having conceived greater or different forms of wrongdoing that merit nuanced retribution. Therefore, it is rightly said: he shall suffer according to the multitude of his transgressions. Had he not sought out new evils, he would not have recognized them; and had he not resolved to make them his intent, he would not have discovered them. Consequently, in his torment, the excesses of his fabricated evils are taken into account, and he endures an equal measure of suffering. Although the sorrow of all the condemned is boundless, the most severe torments will fall upon those who have invented numerous wicked things driven by their desires. After Sophar speaks of the punishment reserved for this hypocrite, he swiftly addresses sin itself, not detailing each sin but referring to the fundamental sin from which all others arise. For it is written, "Covetousness is the root of all evils" (1 Tim. 6:10). Covetousness embodies the desire to dominate and clearly stands as the source of all sinful inclinations. Thus, it connects: