Job 22:13Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Verses 12-14. Do you recall that the Lord reigns in the highest heavens, far beyond the stars? Yet you question, “How can God know?” You assume He judges as if in shadow; that the clouds obscure Him, making Him unaware of our deeds; that He is only present in the celestial realm. Job 22:12-14. Many individuals have become so spiritually insensible that they can only fear what is visible in the physical realm. Thus, they do not revere God because He is not visible to them. In their misguided arrogance, heretics speak scornfully of believers, presuming that their lack of sight equates to a lack of fear. They mistakenly believe that since God transcends the heavens and is exalted above the stars, He is incapable of seeing from afar.

Eliphaz charges Job with significant wrongdoing and folly. He asserts, “You have acted unjustly, as if the Almighty were unaware of the matters of the world, judging as if in obscurity, meaning that He lacks awareness of earthly occurrences. You have claimed, he goes on, that God, veiled behind a curtain of clouds, only resides in the heavenly realms and does not extend His divine care to our earthly concerns.” This notion parallels the views of certain philosophers outside the faith, who believed that the Divine does not provide for the illuminated world.

Eliphaz delivers his final accusation against Job, attempting to demonstrate that since human virtue holds no weight in the eyes of God, the divine punishments must be regarded as manifestations of God's unbiased judgment. He asserts that if a person has the chance to assist his neighbor yet chooses not to, it constitutes a sin. For these very transgressions, Job is facing divine discipline. He futilely reassures himself with the notion that God, in His majesty, does not find it necessary to concern Himself with the trivial matters of humanity. In this, he resembles the ancients who similarly perceived God and met with sudden ends through calamities. Therefore, Job is called to approach God with humility and repentance, at which point the Lord will restore His favor upon him and grant him joy. These passages evoke imagery reminiscent of the flood and the devastation of Sodom.