Job 4:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Consider how nature provides illustrations. In essence, there is nothing extraordinary or out of the ordinary occurring; rather, everything operates under established principles, remaining unchanged. If the order concerning animals is secure, it is even more true for us. Just as the power of the lion remains unchallenged, so too does the confidence of the righteous. The essence of the beast is not primarily defined by its strength, but rather the righteous person is marked by their strength and resilience. It is far easier for a lion to display cowardice than for a righteous individual to be easily subdued.

In the book of Job, it is stated that the lion perishes for lack of prey; it is said, the lion perishes because he has no cub (Job 4:11). This lion serves as a symbol of the adversary, our constant foe, who retreats from the individual who does not nourish him, rejecting and suppressing all the fervent impulses stirred by the influences of our external senses. Much like the lion, as noted by a certain monk in Job within the writings of Photius the Patriarch, the enemy initiates the downfall of a person by first enticing them into minor transgressions, akin to a tiny ant. Once he has lured them into these small misdeeds, he leads them into more significant sins; initially, he appears weak and insignificant, like an ant, but ultimately he manifests as a formidable force, akin to a powerful lion.

The lamentations of Job regarding his situation provoke his friends to voice objections and engage in an extensive discussion concerning the reasons behind Job's afflictions. Eliphaz is the initial challenger. After requesting the opportunity to speak, he expresses his astonishment that a man who has frequently offered comfort to those in distress could now utter such fierce complaints, especially when his awareness of his own virtues should grant him confidence in a prosperous future. He draws upon personal experience, asserting that innocence consistently shields an individual from ruin, whereas might and aggression cannot safeguard one from the anger of God. Thus, he concludes that had Job been genuinely virtuous, he would not have faced such calamities.