Job 21:33Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

As it is written, “Be of good courage, and let your heart be strengthened,” for those who do not seek divine strength will surely succumb to lamentation due to their mental frailty.

We now typically refer to the small stones carried by the water as ‘pebbles.’ So what do the pebbles of Kokita signify, if not the lost souls who, ensnared in their earthly pleasures, are swept along to the abyss below? They refuse to stand firm and fortify themselves against worldly allurements, instead becoming the 'pebbles of Kokita,' dispatched to weep due to their carelessness while they mock the eternal truths they disregard, floating aimlessly in their indulgence. Our adversary, the son of destruction, enters into his vessel and bestows gifts upon the ungodly, exalting them with material prosperity and displaying wonders for their eyes. It is aptly noted that he was pleasing to the pebbles of Kokit: for the chosen disdain him, resolutely rejecting him in their hearts, while others are drawn to him, turning from delight to the depths of perpetual sorrow, as they slip deeper into earthly desires, akin to pebbles descending to the ocean floor.

To some, he offers the allure of pride; to others, the temptation of greed; he entices one person through envy and another through seduction or lust, utilizing various forms of wickedness to present an array of enticing sweetness. When he incites pride, it appears desirable to the arrogant, as if they are elevated above others. Should he incite avarice, his secretive whispers will seem delightful, as abundance promises escape from want. When he sows seeds of envy, his words appear sweet, for the deceitful heart rejoices in another's misfortune. When he employs trickery, the illusion that one is wise can be gratifying to the deceiver. Similarly, when his voice beckons through lust, the soul can be overwhelmed with pleasure in response. Thus, he offers numerous variations of his deceptive sweetness; yet, I affirm, such sweetness leads only to eternal mourning.

It is therefore rightly stated that he was pleasing to the pebbles of Kokit, as it brings bitterness to the elect while appearing sweet to the lost. He nourishes only those who choose to slip into sorrow, calling them toward lamentation. It continues: "And he boweth down every man after him, and there is an innumerable multitude before him." In this context, ‘man’ refers to one who enjoys human delights. While ‘every one’ encompasses more than ‘innumerable multitude,’ it raises the question of why 'every one' is mentioned prior to 'innumerable multitude.' The adversary will eventually seize this man of perdition, subjecting all worldly souls he encounters; however, he is currently attracting an ‘innumerable multitude,’ though not yet 'all' worldly beings. Many remain engaged in earthly concerns, while some, by swift or gradual repentance, return to righteousness.

He ensnares the 'innumerable multitude' when he refrains from displaying his false wonders. But when he showcases his miracles to the visibility of the earthly, they will prostrate themselves before him, leaving him with not merely an 'innumerable multitude' but with 'every one,' as all who revel in temporary pleasures will surrender entirely to his dominion. The term ‘every one’ indeed represents humanity engulfed in three and a half years of worldly pursuits, bound by his influence. However, in past epochs—over five thousand years—he has drawn an 'innumerable multitude.' Though he could never seize every soul then, the multitude he claims far exceeds those he can captivate in a brief span of time. Hence, it is aptly stated: "And he boweth down every man after him, and there is an innumerable multitude before him," for his captures are diminished when he takes ‘every man,’ and he gains more when he ensnares the hearts of the 'innumerable multitude.' Blessed Job, in his revelations about the ruler of the wicked, illustrates how this adversary may thrive in this life yet ultimately face destruction at the coming of the Lord, as he confronts his own calamity not due to offending God but reflecting the balance of suffering faced by the elect.

Yet, experience reveals that the unjust often enjoy life’s pleasures and die in peace (29-33). Hence, Job asserts that their logic stands on shaky ground (34).

In this segment of the discourse, Job's friends evolve from vague insinuations and accusations regarding Job's hidden transgressions to outright condemnations of his perceived hypocrisy and arrogance. Holding onto their earlier belief in the necessary punishment of evildoers, they threaten Job with dire consequences. Conversely, Job increasingly affirms his innocence and rejects his friends' false assumptions, believing that the joys and sorrows of humanity stem not from moral behavior but from the inscrutable plans of Providence.