Job 35:7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Through this exhortation, he underscores the notion that Job must acknowledge how little he can either assist or detract from God through his actions, as neither can he elevate or diminish the vastness of the heavens or the sky.

When we use the terms "heaven" or "sky," we comprehend celestial powers that are continuously gazing upon the Divine. This realization—that angelic beings are distant from us—directs us to appreciate our position beneath the Creator and Lord of all spirits. Nonetheless, we are not precluded from interpreting these words in a more material sense. By scrutinizing the external world, we can indeed grasp its deeper truths, for the exquisite beauty of the created world serves as evidence of our Creator. Although we cannot yet behold Him directly, we seek His presence by admiring His handiwork. Thus, we view the creation as His footsteps, following the signs that lead us to Him. Paul affirms, All His invisible attributes are clearly seen through what has been made, even His eternal power and Godhead. Romans 1:20. The Wisdom literature also expresses, For by the grandeur and beauty of created things, the Creator is made evident. Wisdom 13:5. In truth, when sins are cast away, God is not entirely comprehended for who He truly is. Yet, in our presence, devoid of the beauty of His creation, He offers us insights, guiding us towards the inner truth through outward manifestations. He leads us marvelously through these images, revealing reflections of His wondrous nature.

It is stated in the Book of Wisdom that He greets us in our journey and meets us with great wisdom. Wisdom 6:16. Creatures and creation reveal pathways leading us to the Creator. When we behold these creations, we are in awe of the power of their Maker. In this manner, we encounter Wisdom with discernment, for the might of our Maker is evident in all things crafted beautifully. Where the soul directs its gaze, if it observes attentively, it will discover God in those very elements that once caused it to stray, and it will recognize His power by examining those objects in search of the love that led it astray. Upon returning, it recalls the influences that precipitated its downfall. We strive to rise from the very places we stumbled, reaching out to comprehend the spots where we fell due to a misguided affection. Yet since our visible missteps stem from the unseen, it is fitting to endeavor again, through visible means, to attain the invisible, such that what the soul had descended into may serve as a step toward the heights. It may ascend above where it once fell, until those rightly perceived objects draw us toward God, whereas the incorrectly chosen ones separate us from Him.

Elihu, aiming to illustrate the superiority of God over human understanding, wisely remarks: Look to the heavens and consider the sky that is above you. When you have sinned, can you cause Him harm? If your iniquities increase, what can you do against Him? Moreover, if you have acted righteously, what can you offer Him, or what will He accept from your hands? Essentially, he conveys, Recognize that all the creatures observable through your senses are greater than you, acknowledging how far removed you are from the greatness of Divine Power. From this awareness, understand that your righteous life cannot aid God, nor can your wrongdoings hinder Him. But if, as stated, we interpret the terms “heaven” or “heavens” as referring to higher powers, Elihu reminds us that even the angelic beings, though they surpass us and have not fallen to the lowest depths, cannot fully grasp the extent of our Creator’s power. Therefore, we ought to conclude how far we fall short of God, being even lower than those exalted beings in comparison to Him.

He may be suggesting, Observe how distant you are from the height of the Divine, from Whose might even those higher beings recoil in humility, being immeasurably superior to you, and recognize how you are beneath the Most High, who possesses knowledge of your insignificance relative to those who are yet lower. By directing our attention to the loftiest of objects, he draws attention to the vast disparity and states:

Should you hesitate to respond, one of Job’s wise companions anticipates you: 'Look up to the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds, which are higher than you' (Job 35:5). 'If you have sinned, what do you do against Him? Or if your transgressions are many, how can you stand before Him?' (Job 35:6). 'If you are righteous, what do you give Him? Or what does He receive from your hand?' (Job 35:7).

Let us reflect on the commandment, 'You shall not steal.' Why is this imperative needed for Him who possesses all that is? He experiences neither gain from your restraint nor loss from your act of thievery. It is even impossible to rob Him; anything taken would still remain with Him, as He holds all things. However, if this edict does not concern the Lawgiver, it certainly addresses your need as its recipient. Thus, it is enjoined upon you not to steal, so that the same can be mandated for all, protecting you from the sting of theft, safeguarding the peace that righteousness grants, while preventing the practice of deceit from ensnaring you. Similarly, murder is forbidden so your life may be preserved; false testimony and slander are prohibited to protect you from being the victim of such malice; lustful thoughts and evil desires are cautioned against so that your heart may remain untroubled, and your mind untainted by darkness.

Indeed, even trivial words and frivolous thoughts are cautioned against. Some may deem this too rigorous, while others perceive it as unnecessarily stringent, asserting that such idle expressions and musings are harmless. But consider this: while minute insects are seldom fatal, would you wish to dwell in an environment rife with them, where they incessantly harass your senses, creating an unbearable atmosphere of annoyance? This analogy mirrors the condition of a soul burdened with frivolous and vain musings; if this state is not recognized by some, it is only because they have not experienced a greater internal condition. Thus, they must trust those enlightened souls who understand that the benefit of the commandment, which calls for mental purity, is of immeasurable importance, far exceeding their comprehension.

Worship is mandated: not because God requires service from His creation—'thousands upon thousands' as the Prophet observed, 'serve Him' in heaven, far more intimately than the best of humanity, where 'the powers stand before Him' (Dan. 7:10), with no need for trivial concerns or weariness, as we do after our brief acts of devotion. If we are honored with a calling to serve the Lord, it is so that we may gain favor and grace, bringing our thoughts, emotions, actions, and entire being into closer communion with the Infinite One. Through this sacred connection, we may place our souls in the presence of the eternal Light, leading to inner enlightenment, vitality, nourishment, joy, and ultimately, a share in everlasting happiness.

What can we say about 'the new commandment' (John 13:34), the most exalted, pure, and perfect expression of the law, encompassing the principle of love toward God and our neighbor? Who does not realize how profoundly truth leads to peace, and the fulfillment of the law brings about joy; those who haven't yet received 'a new heart and a new spirit' as foretold by the Prophets for true believers (Ezekiel 36:26) remain with the old Adamic 'heart of stone.' Such an individual indeed deserves to lose this noble and elevated law—of which they deny the value—and instead be subjected to the base and enslaving laws of animalistic passions, rage, along with the forces of the natural world, enduring the darkness of life's constant struggle.