Job 22:21Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

This signifies that you will be brought back to your original condition. God will be your aid, even when it appeared that He had completely abandoned the oversight of your salvation, as if He were nonexistent.

Be in harmony with Him, and you will find peace; in this way, you will reap the greatest rewards. I implore you to accept the teachings from His lips and embed His words within your heart (Job 22:21-22). It is a form of arrogance to instruct others about truths that you do not fully comprehend yourself, a misstep that heretics often commit when they address matters of which they possess incorrect notions, thereby appearing to guide genuine believers. They mistakenly believe they are ‘in communion with God,’ viewing this as an opportunity to rationalize their wrongdoings. Consequently, those who align with them are promised tranquility, as the heretics claim that debates will cease with those who ultimately align with their views.

Eliphaz delivers his final accusation against Job, attempting to demonstrate that since human virtue holds no value for God, the divine punishments should be perceived as manifestations of God's impartial justice. He asserts that when an individual has the opportunity to assist their neighbor but chooses not to, it constitutes a sin. It is for these very transgressions that Job is suffering. Job's attempts to find solace in the notion that God's majesty renders Him indifferent to the trivial matters of the world are in vain. This mindset is reminiscent of the ancient wicked who perished suddenly by water and fire due to similar thoughts about God.