Wilt thou take the prey for the lioness, and satisfy the appetite of her whelps,
הֲתָצ֣וּד לְלָבִ֣יא טָ֑רֶף וְחַיַּ֖ת כְּפִירִ֣ים תְּמַלֵּֽא׃
3 Church Fathers comment on this verse
What is the reason for this statement? To illustrate that if the Lord shows such concern for these creatures that do not serve your needs, how much greater is His care for you? After all, what purpose do these animals serve for humanity?
Will You capture the prey for the lioness and nourish her cubs? Job 38:39. This refers to the lioness Job mentioned, particularly in light of how Judah's arrogance led it to ignore the teachings of the Church, as illustrated by the refrain, "The skimmers did not trample upon her, neither did the jackal walk upon her" (Job 28:8). Thus, the Lord claims the spoils for this lioness to nourish her offspring, for to ensure the growth of the Church, He has drawn many from the Gentile nations and, by bringing in new believers, quenched the deep longings of the Apostles. These new followers are rightfully called the children of the lioness due to their tender hearts and fragile fears.
After our Lord's passion, they were found hiding behind locked doors, as documented: "On the same first day of the week in the evening, when the doors of the house where His disciples were gathered together were locked for fear from the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst of them" (Jn 20:19).
During Elisha's final message, the heavens were enveloped in clouds and thunder resonated, providing Elisha an opportunity to proclaim the majesty and might of God through thunder and storms. Following this tumult, the voice of the Lord was heard. God did not come to clarify for Job and his companions the intricacies of His Providence regarding human destiny or to resolve the debate concerning the joy and suffering of humanity. Instead, He aimed to demonstrate to Job and his companions the futility of man’s efforts to unravel such profound mysteries and to comprehend the ways of the Almighty. The Lord addressed Job, who had once dared to grapple with these matters, and commanded his attention by posing questions related to the natural world.
Through the inherent impossibility of understanding simple physical phenomena, He illustrated the even greater difficulty of addressing moral dilemmas (38: 1-3). Initially, the Lord questioned Job regarding the earth's origins and its foundational state, emphasizing the limitations of human understanding and the vast unknowns of creation, all while Job failed to answer this singular inquiry (4-6). In contrast, God fashioned the earth with effortless grace, comparable to a builder constructing a commonplace structure; the act of creation in God's hands radiated such splendor that the heavenly hosts rejoiced in unison (7). The Creator’s might and wisdom are equally evident in the containment of the ocean’s depths (8-11) and in the delineation of light from darkness (12-15). However, these depths and boundaries of illumination are not beyond human observation (16-20). The most common natural occurrences—snow, hail, rain, and frost—are beyond human mastery and control (21-30), and even less can humanity influence the movements of the stars or the changes in weather (31-38). Transitioning then to the remarkable phenomena of the world, which are always within reach of human experience, the Lord reminded Job that it is solely due to His paternal provision that wild animals and birds are nourished (39-41).
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS