The Church Fathers on this verse
THEOSIS
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Job 31:23Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

For I have always feared God as waves swelling over me, and his weight I was unable to bear.

Douay-Rheims

כִּ֤י פַ֣חַד אֵ֭לַי אֵ֣יד אֵ֑ל וּ֝מִשְּׂאֵת֗וֹ לֹ֣א אוּכָֽל׃

Hebrew (Masoretic text)

The Church Fathers on this verse

2 Church Fathers comment on this verse

Gregory the Great

6th centuryChurch Father

For I have consistently revered God as if waves were crashing over me, unable to withstand His majesty. It is important to recognize that the blessed Job speaks of his own experience after having been both praised and corrected. If one who holds such deep reverence for God endures trials intended to refine his character, what kind of tribulation awaits those who scoff at Him? How can God’s judgments restrain those who elevate themselves, if even He can bring low one who consistently approaches Him with humility? And how can the burden of God be endured by someone who scorns Him, especially when the trials of such a weight also befall the one who truly fears God? Thus, it is vital that we approach such a severe testing with utmost seriousness.

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In this earthly existence, when He disciplines us, if the correction leads to amendment, it reveals the firmness of a loving Father rather than the fury of a Judge; it displays the compassion of the Corrector, rather than the severity of the Punisher. Therefore, through the trials we face now, we ought to discern the eternal judgments that lie ahead. We must diligently contemplate how to endure what He disapproves, particularly when we find it so challenging to endure His purifying discipline.

Ireneus (Orda)

19th centuryCommentator

In his attempt to demonstrate to his companions that he was undeserving of the afflictions he faced, Job reveals that his life was not just adorned with acts of kindness and visible piety; he was fundamentally a righteous man (31: 1-4). Deceit was foreign to him (5-8), and he was free from the immoral passion for another’s spouse (9-12). He regarded his servants as beings of equal worth (13-15). In his charitable acts towards the poor and the downtrodden, Job never entertained the notion that he wielded power that could harm others (16-23); he did not place his trust in his riches (24-25), engaged in secret sin (26-28), or take pleasure in the suffering of his foes (29-30).

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His home was a refuge for all who traveled (30-32), and he felt so justified that he could confidently stand in the presence of the Almighty in judgment (31-37), without fearing the curse that fell upon Adam due to his transgression (38-40). Through Job's words and actions, we perceive not only the righteousness typical of the Old Testament believer but also the noble qualities that are the hallmark of New Testament followers. In these speeches, particularly the concluding ones, we have a profound synopsis of Job’s entire existence, articulated by Job himself. He is portrayed as a family man, a judge, and a leader. We observe his conduct towards peers and subordinates, his interactions with the unfortunate—both his overt actions and his innermost intentions. This depiction encompasses the entirety of his life: the joy he experienced in former days, the sorrows of his current plight, and his hopes for what lies ahead. This portrayal is entirely fitting for Job as he concludes his case before his friends, asserting his innocence. Notably, the conclusion of Job's discourse (as seen in the Slavonic and standard version, 32:1) stands out as a significant portion of the Book of Job.

Cross references

Passages read together with this verse.