THEOSISGregory the Great
Verse 20. Look, God has not rejected the blameless, nor does He extend His hand toward the wicked (Job 8:20). For undoubtedly, when the Almighty manifests in Judgment, He will immediately elevate the humble and simple by honoring them, while He will humble the exalted of the wicked by condemning their ways. Those who are hypocritical are referred to as the wicked, as they perform good deeds for the wrong reasons, seeking accolades instead of genuine righteousness. When we extend our hand to someone, we lift them from below to a higher place. Therefore, God does not extend His hand to the wicked, for He brings low those who seek earthly honor; regardless of how just their actions may seem, He does not elevate them to heavenly joy.
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Perhaps it is for this reason that hypocrites are deemed malevolent—they feign goodwill before others and cleverly mask their deceitful intentions. In all their actions and words, they present an appearance of simplicity, yet they harbor subtle duplicity in their hearts; they masquerade their malice under the guise of an innocent demeanor. Moses aptly stated, "Thou shalt not wear garments woven of wool and linen together" (Deuteronomy 22:11). Here, ‘wool’ symbolizes simplicity while ‘flax’ represents cunning. A garment made of ‘wool and flax’ hides the fine linen within and reveals the wool on the surface. Thus, the one who ‘puts on garments of wool and linen together’ cleverly conceals the malice of an evil intent while projecting the appearance of a pure heart through their speech and actions. It is nearly impossible to uncover the treachery that lies beneath the façade of purity, just as fine linen is obscured beneath a layer of wool. However, following the condemnation of the hypocrite, the rewards of the righteous are rightfully affirmed when it is stated: