For what is my strength, that I can hold out? or what is my end, that I should keep patience?
מַה־כֹּחִ֥י כִֽי־אֲיַחֵ֑ל וּמַה־קִּ֝צִּ֗י כִּֽי־אַאֲרִ֥יךְ נַפְשִֽׁי׃
3 Church Fathers comment on this verse
"What power do I possess to endure this?" Thus he perseveres, not due to his own might, but because reverence and the fear of the Lord demand it; otherwise, he would have taken matters into his own hands. Instead, he entrusts this issue to prayer rather than to his own bravery.
What then empowers me to persevere, and what is the purpose of my endurance? It is important to recognize that the strength of the righteous differs from that of the wicked. The righteous draw their strength from self-restraint, resisting temptations, forsaking earthly pleasures, and embracing the hardships of this life in pursuit of eternal rewards; they regard worldly allurements with disdain and conquer their fears amidst trials.
Conversely, the wicked are fueled by an unbridled affection for transient things, remaining indifferent to the reproaches of the Creator, clinging to their earthly attachments even in the face of suffering, seeking empty glory even at the expense of their souls, compounding sin with sin, opposing virtuous living not just through words and actions, but also with violence, placing their hope solely in themselves, and committing injustices daily without diminishing their desires.
Is my hardness akin to stones? Is my flesh akin to brass? The righteous person who escapes the cruelty of the wicked amid afflictions should declare, ‘My hardness is not that of stones, nor is my flesh like brass.’ This is reminiscent of Job, who acknowledged that amid punishment, he did not resemble the wicked; he was not so hardened as to remain silent under threat when he must confess his faith, nor so unyielding as to echo confessions without comprehending their meaning. In contrast, when the wicked are threatened, they display what they perceive as strength, which is truly weakness, while the elect reveal weakness that is, in reality, strength. When blessed Job admits to his inadequacy in bearing affliction, he, in fact, reveals the strength he has in salvation, pointing to the source of his strength to avoid implying that he derives it from himself.
He who withholds kindness from a neighbor instills fear in the Almighty. In this context, a friend refers to every neighbor who, as we grow in faith, becomes closer to us by receiving good from us, aiding us in our quest for eternal life. The commandments of love are two: to love God and to love one’s neighbor. Our love for God gives rise to our love for others, and this love is nourished through our kindness toward our neighbors. Truly, if one does not love God, they cannot genuinely love their neighbor; conversely, our love for God flourishes as we first engage in the foundational act of charity towards those around us. The Lord emphasizes this by first commanding, ‘You shall love the Lord your God’ (Matt. 22:37), before instructing us to ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ (Matt. 22:39) (See Deut. 6:5; Deut. 10:12). Thus, the Lord desires to establish the root of His love within our souls, from which the branches of brotherly love can flourish. Furthermore, our love for God is also enriched by our love for our neighbors, as John states: ‘If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen’ (1 Jn. 4:20). Love for God, initially sparked by reverence, ultimately evolves into a passionate devotion.
Job’s immense anguish led him to curse the day he was born. Instead of offering him comfort, Eliphaz reproaches him for lacking patience and insinuates that he harbors hidden transgressions. In reply, Job argues that if someone were able to quantify his suffering, they would realize that his lamentations seem trivial in comparison; he maintains that he is still too composed, for nothing could outweigh his torment. Simultaneously, he yearns for a swift death to relieve him of his pain. He mourns the betrayal of his companions, who, rather than providing solace, view his misfortune as a sin simply because he has faced divine punishment. Consequently, Job demands that they present evidence of his wrongdoing or demonstrate that he misrepresents his afflictions.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS