Job 28:23Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

It suffices to assert that everyone knows or believes that God is the Creator of all; I do not believe there is anyone so irrational as to assume that God created without knowing. If He was aware of all things before they came into being, then they were certainly known to Him in the manner of eternal life and constancy, and post-creation in the manner appropriate to each being in its own distinct form.

Another text similarly asserts, "He is the guide of wisdom and the corrector of the wise" (Wisdom 7:15). We belong to Him, along with our speech, understanding, and skills. Nothing truly admirable or beneficial has sprung from any other source; all good things originate from Him, as Zechariah reminds us (Zechariah 9:17). From Him flows the fullness of virtues. Hence, those who gather all virtues or examine their individual aspects attribute them to God, especially to wisdom, which precedes and governs the others, serving as the foundation for the development of all virtues in us. As Sirach notes, "The only One who is good is also the only wise One sitting on His throne" (Sirach 1:7). He further explains why this exalted title is assigned to God: "The Lord Himself created her, and poured her out upon all His works" (Sirach 1:8-9). Baruch encourages us to seek this blessed understanding, asking, "Learn where wisdom is found, strength and understanding, the essence of life, the light of the eyes, and peace. Who will discover her resting place, and who will enter her treasures?" (Baruch 3:14-15). The treasury and origin from which wisdom flows is none other than God, which is why He rebukes those who neglect Him: "You have forsaken the spring of wisdom; had you walked in the way of God, you would have lived in peace forever" (Baruch 3:12-13). Various interpreters elaborate on wisdom, linking it to the knowledge and contemplation of things or to piety. In my view, the wise and holy Job conveys that all things like metals, arts, and knowledge—which he himself marveled at—are attained by mankind through wisdom; yet the question remains, where does one find wisdom? Did he excavate the earth or delve into the ocean depths to discover it? Certainly not: such wisdom is a divine gift. This interpretation aligns with the analysis of Job 28:20-23 as presented in a collection of interpretations (Patricius Iunius. Catena græcorum patrum in beatum Iob, collectore Niceta, Londini, 1637, p. 430), which specifically addresses verses 12 to 23.

She does not cease to exist, but rather, for our benefit, she enters into time. As recorded in the Gospel, when they were exiting Jericho, the Lord passed by, and two blind men by the roadside cried out, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David.” And it is written that Jesus stood still and restored sight to them. This indicates that while He heard their pleas in motion, it was His stillness that brought about their healing. This duality illustrates how in His humanity, He empathizes with us, yet, through His divine authority, He dispels the darkness within our souls. He was born, suffered, resurrected, and ascended for our sakes, appearing to pass through time, yet by standing still, He touched and illuminated their lives, showing that in the eternal realm, He renews all creation. To God, ‘standing still’ reflects His divine orchestration of all temporal matters according to an immutable plan. He who heard the pleas of the blind men as He passed also restored their sight by His stillness. Even though He traverses temporal experiences for our benefit, He remains unchanged in His essence. Therefore, prior to His incarnation, it was aptly said that God knows His way and understands the place. This conveys that both states are concealed from humanity: the time Wisdom can arrive in flesh and the time She continues to be invisible with the Father.

This can also be perceived differently. ‘Her way’ can be rightly seen as the tangible presence that reaches us and resides within us, while ‘Her place’ becomes the heart, where She remains once She enters. This is echoed in the exhortation found in Isaiah, “Prepare the way of the Lord,” or in the Psalmist's call to “Give him a way that rises above the frame.” Rising above the frame refers to transcending death, which He endured. Thus, the plea is to prepare a pathway in our hearts through faith for the Lord’s resurrection. The Spirit prompted John, saying, “You shall go before the face of the Lord to prepare His way.” Any preacher who purifies the hearts of listeners from sinful burdens is indeed preparing Wisdom’s arrival. Therefore, Wisdom possesses both a ‘way’ and a ‘place’; the ‘way’ signifies her approach, while the ‘place’ denotes her dwelling, as She claims, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.” Hence, there exists a ‘way’ for her coming and a ‘place’ for her abiding. But how does She, who is omnipresent, ‘come’ to us? Is it possible that She ‘comes’ through the enlightenment of our minds, making Her presence discernible? Because it remains unknown to humankind whose heart She will enter or where She will dwell after her arrival, it is justly stated that God knows Her way and the location. Only the divine gaze can discern the paths through which the perception of Wisdom enters the human heart, or which souls maintain understanding amidst mortal distractions. Since this Wisdom, revealed in mercy to humanity, is destined to permeate all corners of the earth, filling the hearts of the elect to overflowing, it is fitting to conclude:

Nothing elevates a person's virtues more or aligns better with his purpose than living a life of godliness. When one succumbs to evil and indulges in base desires, he becomes akin to a mindless creature, losing both his reason and will.