Then Job answered, and said:
וַיַּ֥עַן אִיּ֗וֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃
3 Church Fathers comment on this verse
In other words, "I do not hold it against you for taking on the position of God, for that is what you ought to have done. Yet, you should not have passed judgment on me." It was indeed feasible to defend God without laying accusations against Job.
And Job responded and said, To whom are you offering assistance? To the one who lacks strength? And do you extend your hand to the one who is feeble? Job 26:1-2. For to support the weak is a gracious act, while to attempt to aid the strong is an expression of arrogance; and because his friends, resembling heretics, sought to demonstrate their own understanding under the guise of helping God, Bildad was rightfully criticized when it was asked, To whom are you a helper when that one is defenseless? And do you truly hold your hand out to one who cannot stand strong?
This implies, quite simply, ‘While you position yourself as a supporter of Him whose greatness makes you tremble, all the aid you offer is rooted in pride rather than true devotion.’ (27.) It must be acknowledged that even the Almighty, who is certainly not ‘powerless,’ lends His assistance to us when we embody humility. Thus, Paul stated, For we are co-labourers with God 1 Cor. 3:9. When we communicate to those whom He fills with inner grace through a message of encouragement what He inspires within by the Spirit, we assist Him with our external words; our appeal is realized fully only when God has already worked within the heart and our voice becomes an instrument of help. This is why he said elsewhere, Therefore he that planteth and watereth is nothing, but God that groweth all things, 1 Cor. 3:7; for neither ‘sowing’ nor ‘watering’ can truly provide ‘help’ and instead lead to empty vanity unless God grants growth in the heart. However, those who possess inflated views of their own intellect will not engage in humble service to God; for as they view themselves as beneficial to Him, they become alienated from the fruits of true usefulness. Consequently, he instructed his disciples with these truthful words: So likewise ye, when ye have done all that you are commanded, say, We are unworthy servants, because we have only done what we ought to have done Lk. 17:10.
To whom have you given counsel? Possibly to one lacking wisdom? To advise the foolish is an act of compassion, while to counsel the wise is mere show, and to offer guidance to Truth itself is a distortion. Since those who resemble heretics, in their speeches, favored ostentatiousness over genuine utility, it is aptly remarked further against Bildad, ‘How thoroughly he has articulated the matter!’ Anyone who is genuinely wise does not overestimate their wisdom, for, as Paul articulates, such a person ‘does not strive to be wiser than necessary.’ Excessive wisdom is not true wisdom, for when it surpasses the required measure, it veers into folly. Inappropriate wisdom is evident in those who seek to seem more knowledgeable than others. Thus, it frequently occurs that individuals lacking humility express foolishness.
Job acknowledges the ineffectiveness of Valdad’s arguments and, by painting a more glorious portrayal of God’s supreme power and knowledge, concludes that the most extraordinary wonders in the physical realm merely mirror His magnificence. It is noteworthy that Valdad’s discourse brings the third round of speeches to a close, though he speaks very little. Sophar, who should have participated, does not engage in dialogue with the others. Nonetheless, this does not imply that Job’s companions recognized his righteousness or reconsidered their stance. They only perceived Job's stubbornness and seemed to believe it futile to continue their exchanges with him, or perhaps they found themselves without further arguments to challenge his claims.
This series of speeches serves to build upon the previous ones, with Job’s friends increasingly leveling accusations against him for various transgressions. In response, Job asserts his innocence even more fervently, showing his readiness to stand before the judgment of the all-seeing and just God.
THEOSIS