THEOSISGregory the Great
In verse 16, it is written that they covertly undermine the "houses" they observe during daylight, remaining blind to the illumination of truth (Job 24:16). The term "houses" here likely signifies the conscience within which we reside and engage in our actions. Therefore, Jesus instructed the healed individual to return home and share the significant wonders God had done for him (Luke 8:39). This underscores the necessity to safeguard oneself from the destructive habit of sin, to turn towards one's conscience, and to remain vigilant, heeding the call of the Gospel.
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Consequently, when the righteous experience success in the contemporary world, those who are misled by erroneous beliefs hesitate to acknowledge that the virtuous do not lead such lives. They harbor schemes, waiting for the downfall of the righteous so that during the murk of hardship, they can voice their deceptive rationalizations toward those they previously feared to mislead when the righteous thrived. Upon witnessing the righteous face trials, they assert these sufferings are merely the consequences of sin. Their sole focus on worldly glory leads them to misjudge righteousness. They shatter the "houses" of the righteous because they seek to exploit the vulnerabilities of the good in their suffering.
It is significant that they observe these "houses" by day, as their plans only arise when the righteous bask in the light of success; they do not dare to act against them then, but instead concoct malicious plots. Whether heretics or any other evildoers, they find joy when they see a righteous individual endure tribulations. In contrast, when the righteous ascend to positions of authority, these malicious individuals are engulfed in fear and despair. The passage continues to reveal this dynamic with further insights.